Ethiopia Historic Discovery Safari CC22

11 Days From £1937 (3,050 USD)

Explore Ethiopia on this discovery tour whilst staying in hotels and exploring the fascinating history, culture and wildlife of the country.

For full no obligation pricing options and operator contact details please enquire:

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Key Information

Travel Style: Small Group - Up To 10 People
Start Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
End Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Accommodation: Hotel
Period: All Year Round
Difficulty: Suitable for Most Travelers

About The Operator

Accreditations: SATSA, APTA, ASA, ASTA, ATTA, FGASA
Years In Business: 11

Ethiopia Discovery is a hotel accommodated safari starting and ending in Addis Ababa. A journey through the astonishing land of discovery and oldest independent country of Africa.

Tour Highlights
-Addis Ababa
-Bahir Dar
-Gondar
-11 Churches in Lalibela
-Semein Mountains
-Axum
-Dire Dawar
-Harar
-Lake Tana

Description

A full day by day itinerary will be provided by the tour operator when you make an enquiry about this holiday.

Includes
-Accommodation and meals as per itinerary, entry fees, english-speaking guide, transport, mineral water.

Excludes
-Visas, personal expenses and travel insurance, gratuities, optional activities not mentioned in the itinerary.

Please Note - Due to airfare changes, the internal flight mentioned in this itinerary is not included in the tour costs. The following additional charges will apply for the domestic flights as per itinerary: USD 730 pp excl taxes. Please note that rates are subject to change.

Tailor-Made Travel - This safari runs on scheduled dates throughout the year. We can tailor- make a private safari to meet your departure date, time period, group size and budget. Enquire for further information.

Day 01. Arrive at Addis Ababa and transfer in to your hotel.
Day 02. We fly to Bahir Dar and visit the famous Blue Nile Falls. In the afternoon we enjoy a boat trip on Lake Tana to visit the island monasteries of Azwa Mariam and Ura Kidane Mihret.
Day 03. This morning we leave Bahir Dar and drive 185km to Gondar. After lunch we explore this wonderful city. Gondar, founded by Emperor Fasilidas around 1635, is famous for its many medieval castles and the design and decoration of its churches - in particular, Debra Berhan Selassie which represents a masterpiece of the Gondarene school of art.
Day 04. We head north to the Simein Mountains National Park and visit the breathtaking mountain range and one of the endemic mammals of Ethiopia – the Gelada Baboon or the bleeding heart baboon.
Day 05. Drive through the remarkable Tekezze Gorge to the earliest capital of Ethiopia – Axum. On our way, visit the villages of the Tigre people. The African nation's historic route begins in the ancient city of Axum, which dates to about 100 B.C. This capital city was the first place in Ethiopia to adopt a new religion -- Christianity. According to the Old Testament, The Queen of Sheba was born in Axum, but travelled to Israel to meet King Solomon. They had a son named Menelik, who later became the first emperor of Ethiopia. Menelik brought the original Arc of the Covenant back to Ethiopia from Israel
Day 06. We enjoy a full day sightseeing tour of Axum, which includes visiting the Stele Park, the Archeological Museum of Axum, the St. Mary of Zion Church, the palace and tomb of King Kaleb and Gebre Meskel (6th Century AD) and the palace of the Queen of Sheba (9th Century BC).
Day 07. In the morning we fly to Lalibela and after lunch we visit the first group of churches of Lalibela that are found north of a small stream called River Jordan. The small town of Lalibela in Ethiopia is home to one of the world's most astounding sacred sites: 11 rock-hewn churches, each carved entirely out of a single block of granite with its roof at ground level.
Day 08. This morning we walk or ride on the back of a mule to the hill top semi monolithic church of Asheton Mariam (13yth Century AD). Here we enjoy a birds eye view of the surrounding area.
Day 09. After breakfast we fly back to Addis Ababa and take a short city tour to visit the National Museum of Addis Ababa – where the fossil remains of the oldest hominid (Lucy – 3.25 mil years old)- is kept at, and Mercato – the largest open-air market in Africa.
Day 10. Today we fly east to Dire Dawa and drive to the walled town of Harar, which was the Muslim Capital of Ethiopia in the medieval times. On our way to Harar, visit the villages of the Hararghe Oromo people. At Harar we visit the house of the famous French poet – Arthur Rimbaud who lived in Harar in the 19th Century, the cultural market of Harar where you can visit the people of Adere (Harari), Oromo and Amhara together, and in the evening drive to one of the gates of Harar to visit the ‘Hyena Man’ who feeds wild hyenas by hand.
Day 11. Drive 55 km to Dire Dawa visiting the largest Chat (Mild Stimulant) Market at Aweday. In Addis have time to make walks on the main streets to visit historical Monuments, and for shopping. In the evening, we will host you at one of the best traditional restaurants of Addis where you can see the folkloric dances of the Ethiopian people and taste their variety of meals. After dinner, you will be taken to the airport for your onward evening flight.