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 HURLEY TRAVEL EXPERTS, 415 Cumberland Ave, Portland, ME 04101
Pat Wilcock Tel: 800 874 1743 / email  pwilcock@travelexperts.com

Flight

Boston-Washington

Washington-Addis Ababa

Itinerary ( preliminary)

Day 00: 1/12 Leaving from Boston

Day 01: 1/13 Arrival

Arrival in Addis Ababa. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 02: 1/14 Sightseeing Addis

This morning we will embark on a city tour of Addis Ababa, including visit to the Ethnographic Museum, St. George's Cathedral and the Merkato (public market).

The Ethnographic Museum, with its two main sections covering local crafts and on regions and people, is an ideal place to start learning about Ethiopia's rich ethnic diversity.  The museum has an impressive array of religious crosses, triptychs and murals, as well as Haile Selassies's bedroom and bathroom.

St. George's Cathedral (Giorgis Cathedral) lies at the north end of Churchill Rd. Built in 1896 in the traditional octagonal shape to commemorate Ethiopia's victory over the Italians at the Battle of Adwa, the Cathedral houses the work of Afewerk Tekle, the renowned Ethiopian artist responsible for the stained glass windows of the Africa Hall and also houses a small museum in the compound.

Merkato, located in western Addis Ababa and which is the largest open-air market in Africa.  Evening, we will go for a welcome folklore dinner.

Day 03: 1/15 Addis - Bahir Dar

Morning, group will be transferred to the airport to board an hour flight to Bahir Dar. Bahir Dar, a thriving town set at an elevation of 6,000 ft/1,800 m, is the best base for visiting the region. Lake Tana is the largest highland lake in Ethiopia and has dozens of small islands, many of which have ancient churches and monasteries.

Here you will embark on a 4 - 5 hour boat cruise to visit Ura Kidane Meheret and Azwa Mariam, famous for their old manuscripts, crosses, icons and paintings.

After lunch, you will travel 35 kilometers south of Bahir Dar via Land Cruiser, to visit the Tississat (Smoke of Fire) Falls of the Blue Nile.

Day 04: 1/16 Bahir Dar - Gondar

After breakfast, drive to Gondar through the spectacular route around LakeTana.  Gondar was founded in 1636 by the great Emperor Fassiladas. Set in a landscape of incomparable beauty, it was the Royal Capital of Ethiopia. 

Here you visit the Castles and Churches built by Emperor Fassiladas and his descendants.  Later proceed to the fascinating Debre Birhan Selassie Church (termed by UNESCO as World Heritage Site), its walls and ceilings decorated with Biblical scenes and medieval history.

Day 05: 1/17 Gondar - Axum

Flight to Axum. Once the center of a great empire, and the seat of learning for the ancient Ge'ez language and literature, Axum is the prime historical site in the North of Ethiopia.

Afternoon, embark on a city tour of Axum that includes; the Stelae Park which has a number of pre-Christian obelisks some of which are thought to be more than 3000 years old. 

The tallest, standing, obelisk rises to a height of over 75 feet. The tallest fallen stelae, which according to local legend crashed to the ground in 850 AD, was 110 feet high and represented a tall and slender 13-story building.  King Kaleb's tomb and Mayshum - Queen of Sheba's bath.

Day 06: 1/18 Axum

St. Mary's Church, the Sanctuary Chapel which is the repository of the "Ark of the Covenant", the Coronation Yard, King Ezana's Park and Queen of Sheba's palace ruins which contains the remains of what was once a massive palace with finely mortared stonewalls, deep foundations and its own impressive drainage system.  It is believed to be the oldest building in Axum.   

Day 07: 1/19 Axum - Lalibela

Group will be transferred to the airport for flight to Lalibela.

Lalibela's 11 churches are some of the world's greatest architectural marvels. The town was designated a World Heritage Site in 1996. Each church was carved out of a solid piece of red volcanic rock between 800 - 1200 AD and are still active worship places.

The churches are accessible through carved ravines and eerie subterranean passageways lined with grottoes containing the bones of past clergy.

Visit of the magnificent rock hewn Churches which include; Bete Medhane Alem, Bete Mariam, Bete Maskal, Bete Danaghel, Bete Golgotha & Bete Mikael, and Bete Giorgis.  

Day 08: 1/20 Excursion Nakuto Leabe

Morning, visit of the rest of the rock-hewn Churches of Lalibela i.e. Bete Amanuel, Bete Markorios, Bete Aba Libanos, and Bete Gabriel-Rufael.  In the afternoon, visit of the Nakuto Le'Abe Monastery.  King Nakuto Le'Abe abdicated his throne in 1270 AD and went to a cave to lead a hermit's life.  This cave has ever since become a monastery and has a dramatic setting.  It houses one of the most interesting collections of ancient crosses, illustrated manuscripts and other icons some of which are attributed to its founder Nakuto Le'Abe. 

Day 09: 1/21 Lalibela - Addis

Flight to Addis.

This evening, we will go for a special "farewell dinner" where group will have the chance to taste various national dishes, and watch dances of various ethnic groups of Ethiopia; the traditional coffee ceremony will also be served.

Day 10: 1/22 Departure

Morning, we will resume city tour of Addis encompassing; Mount Entoto. The panorama from the peak is breathtaking. The panorama from the peak (3200m) is breathtaking.

Trinity Cathedral, the largest and most revered of all the churches, which was built in 1941 and finally, the Archeological museum that houses the replica of 3.4 million-years old fossils of "Lucy" (perhaps our earliest ancestor).

Evening, group will be transferred to the airport for departure.

For your information, the flight times with Ethiopian Airlines are as follows;

Addis - Bahir Dar: 1 hour

Gondar - Lalibela: 1 hour &

Lalibela - Addis: 2 hrs 30 ( as there are 2 stop-overs)

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Jan. 18, 19 & 20, 2009

 The celebration of Timkat, or Epiphany on 19 January of the Gregorian calendar is probably the biggest festival of the year.  On the eve of Timkat, the sacred Tabot - a replica of the Ark of Covenant that sanctifies and sits on the altar of every Ethiopian Orthodox Church inside the Holy of Holies - is taken from each church and held overhead by a priest up to the central area where the ceremony takes place with followers singing and dancing.  During these colorful occasions, priests are bedecked in dazzling brocade robes, carry ornate hand crosses, and move under decorated umbrellas.  They chant to the accompaniment of solemn drums and rhythmic clink of sistrums. The crowd congregates around holy water that the Priests bless and spray on the assembly of believers.  The celebration of Epiphany lasts for three days consecutively (Jan. 18, 19 & 20) and is the most popular national holiday. The best venues to witness this festival are Addis Abeba, Lalibela and Gondar.

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