Historical Ethiopia

Day 1 ­ Saturday:  Depart New York on on your International overnight flight.

Day 2 ­ Sunday: Affive Addis Ababa 11:15am where you will be met by our local representatives and transferred to the first class Hilton Hotel.

Day 3 ­ Monday:  Morning sightseeing tour or Addis Ababa. The city is built on a steep mountainside. Visit the Africa Hall, Trinity Cathedral, the National Museum, The Jubilee Palace, Mercato - The Grand Market and the Handicrafts Center.

Day 4 ­ Tuesday:  After breakfast drive north over the heavily wooded Entoto Range to the 13th Century Monastery of Dbre Libanos. Founded by Saint Telle Hairnont, the monastery stands on a broad shelf on the awe-inspiring gorge and by tradition the head of the monastery is the premier monk of Ethiopia. Then continue to the Blue Nile Gorge (deeper than the Grand Canyon. Return to Addis Ababa in the late afternoon.

Day 5 ­ Wednesday:  Morning transfer to the airport for your flight to Bahar Dar on the southern shores of Lake Tana. This is the source ofthe Blue Nile. Overnight Tana Hotel.

Day 6 - Thursday:  After breakfast drive to the majestic Tiss Issat Falls where the Blue Nile plunges nearly two hundred feet into the narrow chasm below. After lunch a short tour of Bahar Dat including the colorful market, the palace of former Emperor Haile Selassie and the papyrus boat building dock. Then depart on a boat tour of Lake Tana. The boat goes to Zega Peninsula to see the Church of Uran Kidane Meherate. The priests are proud to display their superlative manuscripts as well as ecclesiastical and secular treasures. Overnight at the Tana Motel.

Day 7 ­ Friday:  Transfer to the airport for a flight to Gondar, the former royal capital or Ethiopia. Afternoon sightseeing including a tour of the Imperial Precinct containing castles of the 17th Century and monasteries of the same era. Overnight Goha Hotel.

Day 8 ­ Saturday:  Transfer to the airport and fly to Lalibella passing over some of the grandest and most rugged country on the continent. After lunch visit the eleven magnificent monolithic rocks - hewn churches Constructed in the 11th century by King Lalibella. Overnight at the Roha Hotel.

Day 9 ­ Sunday:  Full day sightseeing the stone churches. One of the wonders of ancient Africa, they they were described by the first Europeans as the "New Jerusalem". Standing in two groups astride a river called the Jordan; you will see in detail their mighty architecture, splendid interiors and magnificent facades. Outer churches may be visited by means of a mule trek. Overnight Roha Hotel.

Day 10 ­ Monday:  Transfer to the airport and fly to Arum, once the fabled capital of the Queen of Sheba. This holy city dates back 2000 years and the cradle of Ethiopian civilization with the Axumite Kingdom. The tour of Axum includes the tomb of King Bazan, the pedestals, the bath of the Queen of Sheba, the tombs of Kings, the park of Stelae with its towering obelisks, and the church of St.Mary where legend says the Ark of the Covenant once rested. Overnight Axum Hotel.

Day 11 ­ Tuesday: Depart Axum for Addis Abbaba and your international connecting flight to New York.

Day 12 ­ Wednesday:  Arrive New York 6:30am.

Price includes: Air from New York, airport meeting and transfer service, hotel accommodations with breakfast daily, sightseeing as listed with English speaking tour guide, hotel tax, service charges and baggage handling.

2009 Tour Prices:
Add single room supplement of $395.00.