ETHIOPIA with. HISTORICAL ROUTE WITH TIMKAT FESTIVAL And Southern Extension. 11 Days/ 9 Nights January 14-24, 2019

Transcription

1 ETHIOPIA with HISTORICAL ROUTE WITH TIMKAT FESTIVAL And Southern Extension 11 Days/ 9 Nights January 14-24, 2019 With extension 15 Days / 13 Nights January 14-28, 2019

2 Program outline: Day 1: Mon, Jan 14 Day 2: Tue, Jan 15 Day 3: Wed, Jan 16 Day 4: Thu, Jan 17 Day 5: Fri, Jan 18 Day 6: Sat, Jan 19 Day 7: Sun, Jan 20 Day 8: Mon, Jan 21 Day 9: Tue, Jan 22 Day 10: Wed, Jan 23 Day 11: Thu, Jan 24 Leave USA for Addis Ababa Addis Ababa arrival / Addis Ababa Addis Ababa sightseeing / Addis Ababa Day excursion to Axum by air / Addis Ababa Fly to Lalibela Timket Ceremonies / Lalibela Timket Ceremonies and sightseeing / Lalibela Fly to Gondar sightseeing / Gondar Drive to Bahir Dar sightseeing / Bahir Dar Blue Nile Falls / Bahir Dar Fly to Addis day in Addis / Addis Departure Extension outline: Day 10: Wed, Jan 23 Fly to Jinka - Day in Jinka / Jinka Day 11: Thu, Jan 24 Day 12: Fri, Jan 25 Day 13: Sat, Jan 26 Day 14: Sun, Jan 27 Day 15: Mon, Jan 28 Mago National Park / Konso Visit local villages - Drive Arba Minch / Arba Minch Dorze Village - Nechisar National Park / Arba Minch Fly to Addis Ababa / Addis Departure

3 Ethiopia Highlights: St. George s Cathedral in Addis Ababa. Stelae Park in Axum. Rock hewn churches in Lalibela. Timkat Ceremonies in Lalibela. Impressive castles of Gondar. Churches of Lake Tana. Blue Nile Falls. Delicious Ethiopian Food.

4 FLIGHTS Suggested flights will be on United & Ethiopian Airlines, including both international and domestic flights: January 14 UA 665 January 14 ET 513 Houston to Newark dep: 1:10 pm / arr: 5:48 pm Newark to Addis Ababa dep: 9:15 pm / arr: 9:30 pm on Jan 15 - makes one stop on the way. January 17 ET 128 / Addis Ababa to Axum / dep: 8:00 am / arr: 9:30 am January 17 ET 163 / Axum to Addis Ababa / dep: 6:20 pm / arr: 7:40 pm January 18 ET 120 / Addis Ababa to Lalibela / dep: 10:40 am / arr: 11:40 am January 20 ET 123 / Lalibela to Gondar / dep: 1:05 pm / arr: 1:35 pm January 23 ET 189 / Bahar Dar to Addis Ababa / dep: 11:30 am / arr: 12:30 pm January 24 ET 508 January 24 UA 341 Addis Ababa to Newark dep: 8:30 am / arr: 6:15 pm - makes one stop on the way. Newark to Houston dep: 8:15 pm / arr: 11:00 pm The fare for listed flights - total for international and domestic- is: Economy class: $1990 per person, Business class: $6930 per person, including taxes, surcharges and fees, as of August 17, Fare is based on availability. At this fare tickets are non-refundable. Fares can increase substantially as we get close to departure date. DOMESTIC FLIGHTS IN ETHIOPIA: There are five domestic flights in Ethiopia. Cost of these flights are not included in the tour cost. If you fly on Ethiopian Airlines, with the option given above, domestic flights are included in the given fare. If you fly on any carrier other than Ethiopian Airlines, the domestic flights, highlighted in color above, cost $887 total as of August 17, Fares are subject to change. FLIGHTS FOR EXTENSION OPTION: TBA

5 INCLUDED SERVICES: 9 Nights hotel accommodation with daily breakfast. Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner as given in the itinerary with one special dinner. Drinking water during all included meals. Tea/coffee is included during special meals. English speaking professional tour guide. Transportation with AC vehicle with an extremely dependable and excellent driver. Arrival and departure transfers - only for suggested flight arrival & departures. Two small bottles of water per person per day on the bus everyday. All entry fees to places mentioned in the itinerary. Porterage at hotels. Tips for included meals and accommodation. NOT INCLUDED: International airfare / domestic airfare - given separately. Visa fees for Ethiopia. Drinks with included meals, except tea or coffee for breakfast. Gratuities for guides & drivers. Photo and video fees for a number of included sites. Excess baggage charges for domestic flights. Personal expenditures like phone calls, laundry, medical expenses. Travel insurance (can be provided by Tourcom on request.) Included in the extension: * 5 nights accommodation at best available hotels / Radisson Blu for Addis Ababa. * Daily breakfast - lunch - dinner. * Private transportation by 4x4s with driver/guide (3&4 travelers per vehicle.) * Daily two bottles of water per person on the vehicle. * Entry fees for museums. * Local taxes. Not Included: * Airfare - international or domestic. * Necessary tips / fees for any local, tribal activities - dances - events as they are spontaneous and it is not possible to determine where and when they will take place. * Tips for meals and hotels. * Gratuities for guides / drivers.

6 ACCOMMODATIONS NORTHERN ETHIOPIA - MAIN TOUR Addis Ababa Radisson Blu Lalibela Panoramic View Hotel Gondar Taye Belay Gonder_Amhara_Region.html#photos;aggregationId=101&albumid=101&filter=7&ff= Bahir Dar Kuriftu Resort SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA EXTENSION HOTELS Jinka Konso Arba Minch TBA TBA TBA Addis Ababa Radisson Blu

7 Program Details Day 01: Mon, Jan 14 Leave USA for Addis Ababa. Day 02: Tue, Jan 15 Addis Ababa Arrive in Addis Ababa at night. Upon arrival, we will be transferred to our hotel. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia s sprawling capital in the highlands bordering the Great Rift Valley, is the country s commercial and cultural hub. Its National Museum exhibits Ethiopian art, traditional crafts and prehistoric fossils, including replicas of the famous early hominid, "Lucy." The burial place of the 20th-century emperor Haile Selassie, copper-domed Holy Trinity Cathedral, is an architectural landmark. Overnight in Addis Ababa Meals: No meals included for today

8 Day 03: Wed, Jan 16 Addis Ababa After breakfast we will have a half day city tour of the capital including Entoto Mountains with very nice view over the capital and church of St Mary with adjacent museum of imperial objects. After having lunch, we will drive back to the city, for the National museum; Ethnological museum; St. George s Cathedral where Haile Selassie was crowned, with statues of Abun Petros, an Ethiopian bishop martyred by the Italian fascists in 1936 and King Menelik. We will also drive by the Merkato, biggest open air market in Africa. Overnight in Addis Ababa Day 04: Thu, Jan 17 Addis Ababa - Axum - Addis Ababa Early in the morning we will fly to Axum. Aksum is located in northern Ethiopia. It's known for its tall, carved obelisks, relics of the ancient Kingdom of Aksum. Most are in the northern Stelae Park, including a huge fallen pillar, now in pieces. Centuries-old St. Mary of Zion is a Christian church and pilgrimage site believed to have housed the biblical Ark of the Covenant. The neighboring Chapel of the Tablet is said to contain the Ark today and is closed for visitors. Upon arrival we will first visit the historic steles which are in UNESCO World Heritage List. Then we will visit the bath and the palace of Queen of Sheba, Tomb of Kings and churches, among which is the Church of St. Mary of Zion, where legend says is deposited the Ark of the Covenant which was brought here from Israel by King Menelik I. We will take the evening flight back to Addis Ababa. Overnight in Addis Ababa Day 05: Fri, Jan 18 Axum - Lalibela Before noon, we will fly to Lalibela, the 12th century capital city of Ethiopia. Lalibela is one of Ethiopia's holiest cities, second only to Axum, and is a center of pilgrimage for much of the country. Unlike Axum, the population of Lalibela is almost completely Ethiopian Orthodox Christian. Lalibela is a town in the Amhara region of northern Ethiopia. It's known for its distinctive rock-cut churches dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, which are pilgrimage sites for Coptic Christians. Carved out of rock, the subterranean monoliths include huge Bete

9 Medhane Alem, and cross-shaped Bete Giyorgis. Many are joined by tunnels and trenches, and some have carved bas-reliefs and colored frescoes inside. Timkat is the Ethiopian Orthodox celebration of Epiphany. Timkat celebrates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. This festival is best known for its ritual reenactment of baptism. During the ceremonies of Timkat, the Tabot, a model of the Ark of the Covenant, which is present on every Ethiopian altar, is reverently wrapped in rich cloth and borne in procession on the head of the priest. The Tabot, which is otherwise rarely seen by the laity, represents the manifestation of Jesus as the Messiah when he came to Jordan for baptism. The Divine Liturgy is celebrated near a stream or pool early in the morning. Then the nearby body of water is blessed towards dawn and sprinkled on the participants, some of whom enter the water and immerse themselves, symbolically renewing their baptismal vows. Today is the eve of Ethiopian Epiphany Timkat. Ceremonies start in various churches. We will visit some of the churches and be on the streets to see the procession of taking the Ark of the Covenant (Tabot) from local churches. Overnight in Lalibela

10 Day 06: Sat, Jan 19 Lalibela This morning Timkat ceremonies will continue with taking the Tabots to bath/pool. We will attend the ceremonies, watch various groups in procession, chanting and dancing. Once the ceremonies end by noon, we will have lunch and continue with visiting rock hewn churches of Lalibela. In Lalibela, we will visit the first and second group of Lalibela rock hewn churches built in the 12th century and attributed to king Lalibela. There are no less than 1000 churches in the Lasta region of Lalibela, some hidden in enormous caves. But it is exceptional to find 11 churches of such master craftsmanship in one location. Overnight in Lalibela Day 07: Sun, Jan 20 Lalibela - Gondar Morning flight to Gondar. Then we will start our visit of Gondar, Ethiopia s third capital in the 17th and 18th centuries, located at the foot of the Semien Mountains. The city s unique imperial compound contains a number of castles built 1632 to 1885 by the various Emperors who reigned during this period. These dramatic castles, unlike any other in Africa, display richness in architecture that reveals the Axumite traditions as well as the influence of Arabia; the church of Debre-Berhan Sellassie (Light of the Trinity ), which is located at the summit of a hill and surrounded by fortified walls. The interior is decorated with its unique murals. Other treasures of Gondar include the 18th century palace of Ras Beit, the Bath of Fasildas, the ruined palace of the Queen Mentiwab, Kuskuam church and the swimming pool of King Fasildas which is used to baptize Christians during Ethiopian Epiphany. Overnight in Gondar.

11 Day 08: Mon, Jan 21 Gondar Bahir Dar This morning we will drive to Bahir Dar (190kms, 4 hours). After lunch, we will have a boat trip on Lake Tana to visit monastery and churches on the lake s islands, like Asua Mariam and Ura Kidane Meheret. Lake Tana is the source of the Blue Nile and is the largest lake in Ethiopia. Located in Amhara Region in the north-western Ethiopian Highlands, the lake is approximately 84 kilometers long and 66 kilometers wide, with a maximum depth of 15 meters. Overnight in Bahir Dar Day 09: Tue, Jan 22 Bahir Dar In the morning we will drive to the Blue Nile falls. The falls are 120 kms from where the Blue Nile leaves the lake, heading towards Khartoum. The Blue Nile Falls is a waterfall on the Blue Nile river in Ethiopia. It is known as Tis Abay in Amharic, meaning "great smoke". It is situated on the upper course of the river, about 30 km downstream from the town of Bahir Dar and Lake Tana. After our visit, we will come back to our hotel for some rest and dinner. Overnight in Bahir Dar

12 Day 10: Wed, Jan 23 Bahir Dar Addis Ababa In the morning we will fly to Addis Ababa. After lunch we will go to our hotel for some rest. Towards evening we will leave our hotel and have a special dinner at a traditional restaurant with folk dances. Overnight in Addis Ababa Day 11: Thu, Jan 24 Departure Very early in the morning we will be transferred to Bole International Airport for our departure. >>>> SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA EXTENSION <<<< >>>>CONTINUES ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE <<<<

13 SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA EXTENSION JAN / 5 NIGHTS - 6 DAYS Day 10: Wed, Jan 23 Bahir Dar Jinka In the morning we will fly to Jinka. Upon arrival our guide and driver will meet us and we will start our visits. Jinka is a market town in southern Ethiopia. Located in the hills north of the Tama Plains, this town is the capital of the Debub Omo Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region. With an elevation of 1490 meters above sea level it is also called the center for sixteen indigenous ethnic groups and other ethnic groups from the rest of the country. We will visit South Omo Museum & Research Center to learn about various local tribes. Overnight in Jinka Meals: B L D Day 11: Thu, Jan 24 Jinka Mago National Park Konso In the morning, we will drive through the Mago National Park to a local village of the Mursi tribe (70 km). The Mursi are known for their lower lip and earlobe plates. The Mursi (or Mun as they refer to themselves) are a pastoralist ethnic group who principally reside in the Debub Omo Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region, close to the border with South Sudan. According to the 2007 national census, there are about 7,500 Mursi. Lip plates are a well known aspect of the Mursi who are probably the last group in Africa for whom it is still the norm for women to wear large pottery, wooden discs, or plates, in their lower lips.

14 In the afternoon, we will drive back to Jinka and proceed to Konso (180 km) via Key Afar. If time permits we will visit the local market in Key afar. Thursday is the market day where we can see the Benna and Tsemai tribes trading goods. This is one of the very popular markets in the region. After the visit, we will proceed to Konso Overnight in Konso Meals: B L D Day 12: Fri, Jan 25 Konso Arba Minch In the morning, we will spend some time in and around Konso. Konso people are known for their wooden statues known as waka s, which are erected in honor of dead heroes. They are also known for their innovative agricultural terracing. We will have the opportunity to visit a local village and cultural museum displaying waka statues. After our visits, we will proceed to Arba Minch. Depending on arrival time, we can have a boat trip on lake Chamo to see the crocodile market and the local hippos. Arba Minch received its name for the abundant local springs which produce a groundwater forest. Located at the base of the western side of the Great Rift Valley, Arba Minch consists of the uptown administrative centre of Shecha and 4 kilometers away the

15 downtown commercial and residential areas of Sikela, which are connected by a paved road. On the eastern side of Sikela is the Nechisar National Park, which covers the isthmus between Lake Abaya to the north and Lake Chamo to the south. Arba Minch is known as a source for fruit, including mango, banana, orange, apple, guava and pineapple, and is also known for its fish farms. Overnight in Arba Minch Meals: B L D Day 13: Sat, Jan 26 Arba Minch After breakfast, we will drive to Dorze, set in the highlands above Arba Minch. The Dorze people are known for their tall, beehive-like houses and their cotton weaving. We will visit the village and learn about daily lives of these industrious people. In the afternoon, we will visit Nechisar National Park. Nechisar National Park is in southwest Ethiopia. Its varied terrain spans escarpments, swamps and forest. Zebras and gazelles roam the vast savannahs of the Nechisar Plains. The large, brown-red Lake Abaya sits on the north side of the mountainous "Bridge of God" isthmus. To the south is Lake Chamo, known for its big Nile crocodiles. The park is home to many birds, including the rare Nechisar nightjar. Overnight in Arba Minch Meals: B L D Day 14: Sun, Jan 27 Arba Minch Addis Ababa We will take the noon flight to Addis Ababa. Upon arrival, we will be transferred to our hotel. In the evening we will have a special dinner at a traditional restaurant with folk dances. Overight in Addis Ababa Meals: B D Day 15: Mon Jan 28 Departure Early in the morning, we will be transferred to the airport for our return flight.