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THE HISTORIC ROUTE
This tour visits the historic cities and sights of Northern Ethiopia.
Several relaxing days are included, and chances to visit places
not included in many similar tours. Departure can be on any day,
but the flight schedules may mean that the places are visited in
a different order.
Day 1
Depart London or other.
Day 2
Arrive in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, in the morning and
transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is free. An optional
tour of the city is available in the afternoon. In the evening you
can eat at the hotel or go out to a local restaurant to sample various
regional specialities.
Day 3
Early morning flight to Axum. The most striking relics here are
the giant obelisks that are believed to be thousands of years old.
They are carved from single blocks of granite and the tallest was
more than 100 feet high. Axum is also the centre for Ethiopia's
Orthodox Christians. Ethiopia is one of the oldest Christian countries
in the world, and you visit the remains of a church dating from
the fourth century. Nearby is a 16th century church where the crowns
of the Ethiopian emperors are stored. The Covenant of the Ark is
reputed to be here, and some of the ruins are associated with the
Queen of Sheba. There's plenty of time to see these
fascinating sights, and you'll have a local guide to show you around.
Day 4
A day trip to Yeha. These ruins of one of the most important towns
in the north are several thousand years old, and its history is
closely linked with Axum. There is a large remarkably well preserved
temple and many statues and carvings.
Day 5 and 6
From Axum you fly to Lalibela, where you spend two days.
This is the site of eleven 'monolithic' rock-hewn churches, built
around the 13th century. These churches are one of the great unknown
wonders of the world - "much better than Petra" Each church
is different in design but they are remarkable in that they have
been carved inside and outside from solid rock. They are surprisingly
large and interconnected by a system of tunnels and trenches. Several
are decorated with carvings, paintings and murals. The churches
are still in use, but outside mass times one of the priests will
show you round. There's also some free time to look round the town
itself. One day will be walking or riding to some of the more distant
churches. In the evening at the hotel, there may be a local Tigrean
dance group and there is the possibility of a visit to a local house
for a traditional meal.
Day 7
An early flight south to Gondar. This was the capital of Ethiopia
between the early 1600s and the late 1800s. At the centre of the
town is an area called the 'imperial precinct' which contains several
castles built by the emperors of Ethiopia in this two-century period.
All different, as each emperor strove to out-do his predecessor,
and unlike other buildings found anywhere in the world, these castles
contain elements of early Egyptian, Axumite, Arabic and even Portuguese
design. A local guide shows you round and unravels the castles'
fascinating histories.
Day 8
A day trip to Gorgoria, a village about two hours away on the northern
shore of Lake Tana. Lunch can be taken at the hotel on the lakeshore,
where there are luxuriant gardens teeming with birdlife. A short
walk away is Debre Sina Maryam church, built in 1334. It is one
of the oldest churches and there are interesting frescoes here.
Day 9
An early start for the drive to Bahir Dar, a small town on the southern
shore of Lake Tana, the largest lake in Ethiopia. After lunch a
visit can be made to the source of the Blue Nile, at the point where
it leaves the lake.
Day 10
A short distance down stream from the source, the Blue Nile plunges
into the gorge at the Tisisat Falls ("the water that smokes").
There is a short walk down to the viewing area to view these falls
which are considered to be second only to the Victoria Falls. After
returning to Bahir for lunch a boat trip will take you on to the
lake to visit some of the island monasteries. There are many scattered
on the islands and shores, most still occupied and many containing
relics and artefacts of great interest. Some of the monasteries
unfortunately do not allow women visitors, but the visits will allow
for this as much as possible.
Day 11
Fly to Addis Ababa
Simien Mountains
This itinerary does not visit this amazing mountain area. If you
wish to, day 7 can be a drive from Axum to Gondar and this will
take you through the mountains. It is a long day, at least 12 hours,
but with remarkable landscapes for most of the way. To give you
time to see Gondar, the trip to Gorgora on day 8 would not be taken.
Accommodation
The hotels are generally the best available, but of variable quality.
They have en-suite facilities and are clean, but water supply everywhere
is a problem. There will always be at least some available by bucket.
Food
Food will always be adequate and the standard has risen greatly
in the last few years, but variety is sometimes limited. Given the
resources available in Ethiopia, most people are pleasantly surprised.
The national dish, injera wat, is interesting and should be at least
tried. Beer and soft drinks are good.
Transport
You will travel mainly by air. The domestic service is good and
several new planes have just been bought. There are often delays
and patience is needed.
Price
The guide price for 2 people is from £1550 per person. For
4 it is £1250. International flights are not included.
Everything else
General information on visas, jabs, money, gear and clothing will
be sent to you when we receive your booking.
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