Day 1: Friday, January 17: IAD-ADD
Depart from Dulles Int'l (IAD), Washington, District of Columbia, U.S.A at 10:05 a.m local time with Ethiopian Airlines ET 503.

Day 2: Saturday, January 18: Arrive Addis Ababa
Arrive in Addis Ababa (ADD), Ethiopia at 8:30 am. Welcome to Ethiopia! Upon arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, you will be welcomed and assisted by your tour guide and driver for to Hilton Addis Ababa Hotel (5*). There will be a short drive to your hotel.

Addis Ababa, founded in 1886 by Menelik II, is situated at 2,500 meters (8000 ft) above sea level. It is the highest capital city in the world, after La Paz and Quito in South America. The city enjoys an excellent climate all year round, with an average temperature of 25C (77F). With multiethnic population of over 5 million, Addis Ababa is a pleasant city with wide avenues of jacarandas, interesting museums, and one of the largest open-air markets in Africa, known as the "Mercato".

Group will take little rest in the morning, and in the afternoon will start city tour and sightseeing tour of Addis Ababa which includes the National Museum, Ethnographic Museum, Merkato.

The National Museum of Ethiopia: This is one of the best museums in quality and diversity of the exhibits. Archeological exhibits include the 3.5 million-year-old fossil of Lucy (or Dinkinesh – ‘thou art wonderful’- in the native language), a hominoid woman of the specious of Australopithecus Afarensis. The discovery of Lucy’s fossil in 1974 forced a complete rethink of human genealogy, providing that our ancestors were walking 2.5 million years earlier than had been supposed. The National Museum also contains many wonderful artifacts dating back to pre-Axumite civilization.

The Ethnographic Museum is very different to the National Museum, but equally absorbing, this museum exhibit, a varied array of artifacts and daily objects related to most ethnic groups in Ethiopia. City tour of Addis will continue with Merkato, the largest open-air market in the continent.

Accommodation: Hilton Addis-Addis Ababa.

Day 3: Sunday, January 19: Addis Ababa- Bahirdar
In the morning, fly to Bahirdar. After check in to hotel, walk around the beautiful town of Bahirdar and visit the local market.

After having lunch at the hotel, we will drive 35 KM to visit the majestic Blue Nile Falls. 30 KM after it exits Lake Tana, the Blue Nile plunges over a 45m-high face to form one of the most spectacular waterfall in Africa. Walking to the fall through the beautiful river gorge on the ancient bridge from the 17th century, and meeting the local people at the small villages on the way to the fall is also a great experience.

Accommodation: Kuriftu Lodge-Bahirdar. (Meals: B/L/D)

Day 4: Monday, January 20: Bahirdar-Blue Nile Falls
In the morning, we will make boat cruise over Lake Tana to visit the ancient 14th century island monasteries of Lake Tana. The 37 islands of Lake Tana shelter twenty monasteries-surviving remnants of an old, contemplative tradition. Because of their isolation, they were used to store treasures and religious relics from all parts of the country. The Lake’s monasteries are famous for their typical Ethiopian religious paintings, illuminated manuscripts, and other ancient church treasures. The monasteries that we are going to visit include Kibran Gebriel, Ura Kidane Mihret and Azua Mariam.

The rest of the day, relax on the beautiful lakeside lodge either. You can either relax in the swimming pool or enjoy the spa.

Accommodation: Kuriftu Lodge-Bahirdar. (Meals: B/L/D)

Day 5: Tuesday, January 21: Gondar
After breakfast, drive to Gondar through the beautiful countryside scenery to arrive at Gondar around lunchtime.

After check in to hotel, you will visit the ancient city of Gondar. Gondar, founded by Emperor Fasiledas around 1635 is famous for its many medieval castles and the design and decoration of its churches-in particular, Debre Birhan Selassie represents a masterpiece of unique Ethiopian School of traditional art.

Today you will visit the Royal Enclosure, a walled compound having 6 different castles built from 17th century by different kings who ruled in different times, the pool of King Fasilidas which still serves as a baptismal pool during Ethiopian Epiphany and we will also visit the famous Deberberhan Sillassie adorned with brilliant frescos from inside.

Accommodation: Goha Hotel. (Meals: B/L/D)

Day 6: Wednesday, January 22: Gondar-Simein Mountains National Park
After an early breakfast, we will drive to Axum through the Simien mountains National park. En-route we will be visiting the “Felasha” or the Black Jewish village. It is believed that the "Felashas" settled at this village during the time of King Minlik I, the son of Queen of Sheba and King Solomon.
Driving from Gondar up to Simien Mountains National Park, nothing prepares you for the spectacular scenery that awaits at the top of the massif. The rolling grassy plateau comes to an abrupt stop, and sheer cliffs plunge almost vertically for 1,000m (3280 ft) to the plains below. The massif itself has been sculpted by 30 million years of up thrust and erosion into a wonderland of jagged ridges, pinnacles and strangely cropped conical mountains, so that looking out over the heart-stopping precipice; you feel you might just be at the edge of the world.

The rest of the day, trek to explore the surrounding of Snakaber, part of the Simien Mountains National Park.

Accommodation: Simien Lodge-Buyit Ras. (Meals: B/L/D)

Day 7: Thursday, January 23: Simien Mountains-Axum
After breakfast, start driving to Axum through the beautiful sceneries of Simien Mountains, Limalimo, Tekeze River Gorge.

While driving from Simien Mountains to Axum, you will have a brief stop at different parts of the park for the best view. You will have picnic lunch under the shade of the tree past the Tekeze River Gorge whilst enjoying the beautiful Simien Mountains scenery from distance. Driving from Gondar to Axum you will also en-route visit different villages and monastery churches.

Past the Tekeze River Gorge whilst enjoying the beautiful Simien Mountains scenery from distance, you will have picnic lunch under the shade of a tree and continue driving to Axum.

Accommodation: Remhay Hotel-Axum. (Meals: B/L/D)

Day 8: Friday, January 24: Axum-Yeha
After breakfast, we will start to visit the ancient city of Axum. This is the birthplace of Ethiopian civilization, and by the first century Axum was a major trading center for exotic goods from Egypt, Rome, Nubia, Greece, Syria, and India. The Holy Ark of the Covenant was brought here before the destruction of the Temple, and Axum is reputed to be the second Jerusalem.

Our visit in Axum include: the Stele Square, Kaleba Tombs, the 4th centaury Christian inscription of King Ezana, Queen of Sheba’s Palace, Archeological Museum, and Tsion Mariam Church where the original Ark of the Covenant is housed.

In the afternoon, excursion to Yeha, “temple of the moon” , pre-Christian temple from the 5th century BC and center of Sabaean Civilization which preceded the Axumite era.

Accommodation: Remhay Hotel-Axum. (Meals: B/L/D)

Day 9: Saturday, January 25: Axum-Lalibela
After having an early breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Axum Airport for your flight to Lalibela. After check in to Mount View Hotel, we will drive to the site where we find a concentration of some of Ethiopia’s most famous rock-hewn churches, mostly referred by many as “the living wonders of the world” These churches are, and they have been for at least 800 years, an active Christian shrine, the spiritual center of the country’s religious life. The monolithic churches were carved out of 2,600-sq meter natural rock terrace in the 12-century AD by king Lalibela.

Bete Medhani Alem, the largest monolithic rock-hewn church in the world, measures 37.7 ft in height, covers an area of almost 2625 square ft and has walls that are up to six feet thick. A plain building supported by 36 pillars on the inside and another 36 pillars around the outside, Bete Medhani Alem was modeled on the original St. Mary Zion Church built by King Ezana in the 4th century at Axum.

The rock-hewn churches that we will visit today include: Bete Medhani Alem, Bete Mariam, Bete Meskel, Bete Denagil, Bete Golgotha Michael and Bete Giorgis.

At Bete Giorgis, we will attend the eve of Sebaratmu. Here the priest and deacons will be chanting with their drums and sistras to celebrate the eve of Sebaratmu.

Accommodation: Mount View Hotel -Lalibela. (Meals: B/L/D)

Day 10: Sunday, January 26: Lalibela-Asheten Mariam-Sebaratmu Giorgis
After breakfast, we will drive to the Taboat Maderia, where the replica of the ark of the covenant, Tabot has been rested overnight. After staying overnight, the Ark will be accompanied to Bete Giorgis with a lot of feasting, singing and dancing all the way. When the Tabot reaches the church, there will be dancing by the priest along the cliff edge of the church while the faithful continue to dance forming different smaller groups.

After having lunch and rest at the hotel, we will continue our journey into Ethiopia’s long and marvelous past with a visit to other St. Lalibela’s remarkable churches-their architecture and artistry must be seen to be believed. Ones we finished visiting the second group of churches we will walk to the village through the complex bewildering labyrinth of underground tunnels to the monastery were the monks and nuns live.

The rock-hewn churches that we will visit this afternoon include: Bete Gebriel, Bete Mercorios, Bete Amanuel, Bethlehem and Bete Aba Libanos.

At the end of the tour, there will be Ethiopian traditional coffee ceremony for the group prepared at a local house. Holding a coffee ceremony is a traditional way of welcoming a guest and giving the guest the best hospitality. It’s one of the most celebrated Ethiopian traditions, and life style- in which most Ethiopians can identify themselves with. This is s great chance to be part of this unique coffee ceremony, at its birth place.

Accommodation: Mount View Hotel -Lalibela. (Meals: B/L/D)

Day 11: Monday, January 27: Meskel Festival-Yimrhane Kirstos- Bilbala Cherkos

After breakfast, to Yimrhane Kirstos through Bilbala Giorgis and Bilbala Cherkos, en route visiting some of the most ancient rock-hewn churches in Ethiopia, some of them dating back to the 6th century and even earlier. These are living proofs that stone craft started in Ethiopia even much earlier than tought by many people. The built-up cave church of Yimrhane Kirstos itself predates the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela by eight years. This is one of the most beautiful built-up cave church, built from marvel, wood and beautifully decorated from inside and out side with untold skill architecture. In the back side of the cave, you will also see many mummified bodies of pilgrims from centuries a go.

The rest of the day at leisure. In the evening, there will be a special Ethiopian traditional coffee ceremony for the group prepared at a local house. Those who can’t face their day with out a cup of coffee may be surprised to know that in it’s birthplace in Ethiopia’s Kaffa region-from which it gets its name- the berries were originally only eaten, never roasted and ground for a drink. Only since the 13th century, coffee has been made a hot drink. Holding a coffee ceremony is a traditional Ethiopian way of welcoming a guest and giving the guest the best hospitality. It is probably one of the most celebrated Ethiopian traditions, and a lifestyle - in which most Ethiopians can identify themselves with.

Accommodation: Mount View Hotel-Lalibela. (Meals: B/L/D)

Day 12: Tuesday, January 28: Lalibela-Addis Ababa-Departure
After breakfast, transfer to Lalibela airport for the flight to Addis Ababa. After check in to hotel, the rest of the day you will have city tour of Addis Ababa which includes: Merkato, the largest open air market, and the view of Addis Ababa from Entoto. Group will also have the chance to walk around Piassa and Churchil Avenue for shopping.

In the evening, there will be a special Ethiopian farewell dinner party with traditional buffet and local drinks. There will also be a live cultural dance show of the different ethnic groups living in the country. There will not be any better way of ending a trip. In the evening, transfer to Bole International airport for the flight back home with Ethiopian Airlines ET 500 departing Bole (ADD), Addis Ababa at 22:15.

(Meals: B/D)

Day 12: Tuesday, January 28: Lalibela-Addis Ababa-Departure
Arrive Dulles International airport (IAD), Washington D.C., at 8:30 AM. Welcome home!

Note: Flight schedules always subject to change.