Tour Summary
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Arrival Bole International Airport
Awaze Tours meets all guests arriving at the airport regardless of arrival time. For morning flight arrivals you may begin your tour after checking into your hotel. For afternoon or evening arrivals, you may begin your tour the following day.
Awaze Tours meets all guests arriving at the airport regardless of arrival time. For morning flight arrivals you may begin your tour after checking into your hotel. For afternoon or evening arrivals, you may begin your tour the following day.
Tour Itinerary CO13b
Day 01 Addis Ababa Visit Trinity Cathedral, resting place of Emperor Haile Selassie. Tour the Ethnographic Museum, a great introduction to Ethiopian culture and history. Make a short drive to Entoto Hills for a view of the city and visit Maryam Church. En-route, stop at Sheromeda traditional cloth market. Visit the Mercato or the Sholla Market, two of Addis Ababa's main markets. Overnight Hotel - (B, L, D) |
Day 02 Addis Ababa - Bahar Dar Fly to Bahar Dar on Ethiopian Airlines. Take a boat tour on Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile, and tour ancient monasteries on the Zege Peninsula. We will visit two of the following monasteries: Ura Kidane Mehiret, Azwa Maryam, Mehal Zege Giorgis, and Bete Maryam. End the day with a sunset visit to Bezawit Hills overlooking the Nile River. Overnight Lodge (B, L, D) |
Day 03 Bahar Dar - Gondar Drive through the countryside to Gondar. Tour the Royal Enclosure, a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring five castles built by a succession of Ethiopian kings beginning in the early 17th century. Having survived several wars, including air raids during World War 2, the castles are a testament to the resilience of this once mighty empire. Visit the church of Debre Birhan Selassie, famous for its religious art and especially its iconic ceiling depicting angels. Overnight Hotel (B, L, D) |
Day 04 Gondar - Lalibela Fly to Lalibela on Ethiopian Airlines 700 kilometers north of Addis Ababa. Tour the magnificent rock-hewn churches, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This group of eleven monolithic churches were carved directly into the stone mountainside at least 800 years ago. This complex boasts the largest monolithic church in the world, a maze of passageways and tunnels, intricately carved reliefs, and fabulous examples of icon paintings. In the late afternoon, enjoy a traditional coffee ceremony and learn the process for baking injera (a staple food for much of Ethiopia.) Overnight Hotel (B, L, D) |
Day 05 Lalibela - Axum Fly to Axum on Ethiopian Airlines. Tour the ancient stelae fields, standing for 2000 years. Visit the new and impressive Archeological Museum. See St. Mary Tsion Church, which houses the Ark of the Covenant according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (no one is allowed to see the Ark.) Visit other tombs and archeological sites as time permits. Overnight Hotel (B, L, D) |
Day 07 Lake Langano - Arba Minch Drive to Arba Minch (“Forty Springs”) located in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region. En route, visit a Dorze Village in the Guge Mountains. The Dorze are known for their tall, beehive-shaped bamboo houses. If the base becomes infested with termites, the entire house can be lifted and moved to another location. Overnight Lodge (B, L, D) |
Day 08 Arba Minch - Jinka Take a boat trip on Lake Chamo and view some of the largest crocodiles in the world sunning on the banks of the lake. Hippopotami and birdlife are also abundant. Drive to Jinka visiting various peoples such as the Gamo and Derashe. Stop at Key Afar's weekly market (if on a Thursday) and wander among the various tribes such as the Benna and Ari that have gathered to barter their goods. Overnight Lodge (B, L, D) |
Day 10 Jinka - Turmi Drive to Turmi to visit the Hamer people who are well known for the scarring of their bodies, using clay to shape their hairstyles, and the unique practice of "bull-jumping" which every young man must accomplish prior to marriage. En route to Turmi, visit the Benna and Ari people. Overnight Lodge (B, L, D) |
Day 13 Konso - Hawassa Drive to Hawassa via the Shenkele game reserve. This Park is the the last pocket of the original Ethiopian Savannah. You will have a chance to spot the endemic Antelope called Swayne`s hartebeast, one the rarest and most elegant animals in all of Africa. Continue to Hawassa and relax at a lakeside resort. Overnight Resort (B, L, D) |
Day 14 Hawassa - Addis Ababa
Drive to Addis Ababa stopping at Rift Valley Lakes that are renowned for their endemic birdlife. Upon arrival in Addis Ababa, optional souvenir shopping if time permits. Enjoy a Farewell dinner at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant featuring dancers and musicians representing some of the country's many ethnic groups. Transfer to airport for late night departure or additional hotel night booked upon request.
(B, L, D)
Drive to Addis Ababa stopping at Rift Valley Lakes that are renowned for their endemic birdlife. Upon arrival in Addis Ababa, optional souvenir shopping if time permits. Enjoy a Farewell dinner at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant featuring dancers and musicians representing some of the country's many ethnic groups. Transfer to airport for late night departure or additional hotel night booked upon request.
(B, L, D)
End of Tour
(Awaze Tours will arrange additional hotel nights in Addis Ababa upon request.)
(Awaze Tours will arrange additional hotel nights in Addis Ababa upon request.)
Inclusions
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Exclusions
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For Information and Pricing: CO13b
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