|
|
Ethiopia Historic Itineraries (15 Days & 14 Nights)
offered by supplier M15802 (view this supplier profile)
Key Information:
Tour Duration: 15
day(s)
Group Size: 2
- 8
people
Destination(s):
Ethiopia
Specialty Categories:
Archeology/History
Cultural Journey
Season: January - December
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: No
Minimum Per Person Price: 1500 US Dollar (USD)
Maximum Per Person Price: 1500 US Dollar (USD)
|
|
Route: Bahar Dar, Gondar, Lalibela, Kombolcha, Awash National park and Harar.
Transport: By car.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive Addis Ababa, transfer to a hotel. O/N Addis.
Day 2: Morning drive to Dejen. Crossing the Blue Nile gorge which resembles the Grand Canyon in USA. Visit the “Portuguese bridge” and the Gelada Baboons and proceed for 13th century monastery of Debre Libanos. O/N Dejen.
Day 3: Early in the morning, drive to Bahar Dar. O/N Bahar Dar.
Day 4: Early in the morning drive to Blue Nile Falls and visit the Blue Nile Falls “Tissi Ssat” (smoking water) up on, return, make a sightseeing of Bahar Dar. After lunch, make a boat trip on Lake Tana, to visit the Monasteries of Ura kidane Meheret and Kibran Gabriel. O/N Bahar Dar.
Day 5: After breakfast drive to Gondar. Check–in at a hotel and afternoon be at leisure. O/N Gondar.
Day 6: City Tour of Gondar, the Castle compound, Emperor Fasildas bath and Debre Birhan Selassie Church. O/N Gondar
Day 7: After breakfast drive to Lalibela. O/N Lalibela.
Day 8: After breakfast visit the 12th century Rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. In the morning the first group and after lunch the second group. O/N Lalibela.
Day 9: After breakfast trekking to Asheton Mariam Church (Church of Marry) and the view of the village. After lunch your leisure time, O/N Lalibela.
Day 10: In the morning drive to Kombolcha and visit Lake Hayk with the monastery of St. Stephen. O/N Kombolcha.
Day 11: In the morning drive to Awash National Park, via Bati Village s. O/N Kereyu Lodge.
Day 12: Early in the morning visit mammals and birds in the park and continue driving to the old walled city of Harar. O/N Harar.
Day 13: City tour of Harar. In the evening visit the Hyena man show. O/N Harar.
Day 14: After early breakfast drive back to Addis Ababa. Lunch will be en route. O/N Addis.
Day 15: City tour of Addis Ababa. Transfer to Bole International Airport for final departure.
Bahar Dar
Bahar Dar located on the southern shores of lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile, with its ancient island monasteries and both the Blue and the white Niles most spectacular feature, the "Tiss Issat (smoking water)" water falls (Blue Nile Falls). On the island of Dega Estefanos, you will find the church of saint Stefanos, which has a priceless collection of icons and manuscripts and houses the mummified remains of a number of Ethiopian Emperors. For the modern traveler, the starting point of any visit to the Blue Nile Falls, or to the islands of Lake Tana, is the bustling market town of Bahar Dar on the lake’s south–eastern shore. The colorful markets and a variety of handicraft and weaving centers also make it a comfortable base for excursion by land or water. Bahar Dar port provides access by boat to a number of historic lakeside churches and monasteries near and far. Most date from the seventeenth century and have beautifully painted walls. Many such places of worship now have fascinating museums, at which the visitor can see priceless illustrated manuscripts, historic crowns and fine royal and ecclesiastical robes. Some monastic islands are forbidden to women, but others can be visited by both sexes. Visitors to Bahar Dar can also see Tankwas, locally made canoes, made out of the papyrus reeds growing by the lake shore, as well as an historic old building erected, in st. Georges church compound, by the 17th century Spanish Jesuit, Pero Paes.
Gondar
Gondar founded by Emperor Fasilidas in 1635. The city was Ethiopia’s capital until the reign of the would – be reforming Emperor Tewodros ll, also known as Theodore. During its long years as a capital, the settlement emerged as one of the largest and most popular cities in the realm. It was a great commercial centre, trading with the rich lands south to the Blue Nile, as well as with Sudan to the west, and the Red sea port to Massawa to the north–east. Gondar is famous for its many medieval castles and the design and decoration of its churches. The earliest of the castles was created by Fasilidas himself and is still in such an excellent state of repair that it is possible to climb its stairs all the way to the roof, which commands a breathtaking view over much of the city. Besides the famous palaces, visitors should inspect the so-called ‘Bathing palace of Emperor Fasilidas, which is used for the annual Timket or Epiphany celebrations, and the abbey of the redoubtable 18th century Empress Mentewab at Qwesquam, in the mountains just outside Gondar.
Lalibela
Lalibela is famous for its architecture. Lalibela is a city carved from legend a medieval settlement in the Lasta area of Wolllo that is the site of eleven remarkable rock-hewn monolithic churches, believed to have been built by king Lalibela in the late 12th or early 13th century. These notable structures are carved inside and outside of the solid rock, and are considered among the wonders of the world. Each building is architecturally unique, and several of them are decorated with fascinating rock paintings. The unadulterated biblical atmosphere and vivid local color of the Timket celebrations provide an ideal opportunity to see Lalibela as a sacred centre whose roots go back to man’s very early years.
Harar
No journey along Ethiopia’s fabled historic route would be complete without a visit to the medieval walled city of Harar, which stands amid green mountains on the east wall of the Great Rift Valley. Harar’s heritage is almost entirely Muslim and oriental. The most dominant features, apart form its strong encircling walls, is its rich and exciting market place-probably the most colorful in Ethiopia, with its 90 mosques and shrines, Harar is considered to be the fourth most sacred centre of the Islamic world. Its Islamic character is best expressed in the Grand Mosque (Al Jami), which dominates the town. Harar, which has no airport, is 523 km from Addis Ababa, 332 km. from Awash station and 55 km. from Dire Dawa (Town have an Airport). It can be reached by a good, scenic asphalt road.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Also see tour packages in:
Africa
Ethiopia
Archeology/History
Cultural Journey
Email it to a friend:
Click here to email this vacation to a friend
|
|
|
|
