Itinerary
Our tour has been designed to coincide with the colourful Coptic Festival of Meskel and encompasses the history of Ethiopia from its early beginnings to modern day. A history, that stretches back to the time of prehistoric man and the 3,000 year old history of Axum. We cross the stunning scenery of the Simien Mountains before departing for Jordan, a land that is home to some of mankind's earliest settlements and relics of many of the world's great civilizations which can still be seen today.
Day 1 - Wednesday 16 September
Australia - Dubai
Depart this evening on our overnight flight to Dubai.
Day 2 - Thursday 17 September
Dubai - Addis Ababa
We transit in Dubai early morning and continue to Ethiopia and our destination, Addis Ababa. On arrival and after clearing airport formalities we are met and transferred to our hotel. After an informal welcome and briefing by our local escort the remainder of the day is at leisure. LD
Day 3 - Friday 18 September
Addis Ababa
This morning we will enjoy a half-day tour of Addis. Our tour includes the National Museum where we will see the 3.6 million year old 'Lucy', whose skeletal remains when discovered in 1974, were those of the oldest proto-human ever found. We continue to Trinity Cathedral, a beautiful baroque style church unique in both Ethiopia and Africa as it is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. There are magnificent Greek sculptures, and stained glass windows depicting both the old and new testaments. It is also the resting place of Emperor Haile Selassie I, founder of the church. We then continue to Entoto Mountain, the highest peak in Addis Ababa and site of the first palace of Emperor Menelik II. After our tour we return to our hotel for lunch. The remainder of the day is at leisure.BLD
Day 4 - Saturday 19 September
Addis Ababa - Axum
After early breakfast we transfer to the airport to join our flight to Axum. On arrival we are transferred to our hotel. We then embark on a fascinating tour of the magnificent historical and archaeological sites of Axum. This extraordinary city marks the heart of ancient Ethiopia when the kingdom was the most powerful state between the Eastern Roman Empire and Persia. We continue to the Archaeological museum and the magnificent monolithic steles (obelisks), the tombs of King Kaleb and King Gebre Meskel, together with the ancient palace and bath of the legendary Queen of Sheba. We then drive to the 16th century cathedral of St Mary of Zion, the holiest church in Ethiopia and it is said, that within its sanctuary rests the original Ark of the Covenant. Both the churches and monasteries of Axum house richly endowed icons and crowns of ancient emperors. After our tour we return to our hotel. BLD
Day 5 - Sunday 20 September
Axum - Lalibela
We transfer to the airport to join our flight to Lalibela - home of the UNESCO World Heritage listed monolithic rock-hewn churches. Located in the Lasta Mountains, Lalibela is dedicated to pilgrimage and devotion among Ethiopian Christians, with its history dating back to the 12th century. King Lalibela (1181-1221) of the Zagwe Dynasty is attributed with the creation of the rock-hewn churches. Some of the churches are carved from a mass of red volcanic scoria underlaid by dark grey basalt and interconnected by a maze of tunnels and passages leading to hermit caves and catacombs.
Each different in style and design, a number are decorated with wall paintings and carved figures. The church of Bet Medhane Alem, the largest and built in the style of a Greek Temple has stone floors so highly polished by countless visitors that it reflects shafts of light from apertures in the walls high above. There are three graves located here, symbolically dug for the biblical patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. After our visit we return to our hotel. BLD
Day 6 - Monday 21 September
Lalibela
Today we drive to Nakuto Le'Abe Monastery, named after the king of the same name who abdicated in 1270 to lead a hermit's life in a nearby cave. The cave, now a monastery, houses one of the most interesting collections of ancient crosses, illuminated manuscripts and icons. Some of these are attributed to its founder Nakuto Le'Abe. After lunch we continue to the church considered the most elegant of all Lalibela's churches, the Bet Bet Giyorgis. We reach this via a tunnel and after our visit continue to Bet Emanuel, Bet Mercurios, Bet Abba Libanos and Bet Gabriel-Rufa'el. The elaborate exterior of Bet Emanuel is much praised by art historians. We return to our hotel and this evening we visit a local family and take part in a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony. BLD
Day 7 - Tuesday 22 September
Lalibela - Gondar
Transfer to the airport for our flight to Gondar, the city founded in 1636 by the great Emperor Fassiladas and once the Royal Capital. We will visit castles and churches built by the Emperor and his descendants then continue to the UNESCO World Heritage Listed, Debre Birhan Selassie Church whose walls and ceilings are decorated with scenes of biblical lore and medieval history. We then drive to the village of Falasha, home to the remaining Ethiopian Jews who chose to remain here and not be airlifted to Israel during the 1984 'operation Moses'. We return to Gondar with time for shopping and independent sightseeing.BLD
Day 8 - Wednesday 23 September
Gondar - Debark - Simien Mountains National Park
Today we drive to Debark, where we meet our National Park guide who will accompany us to our lodge. After lunch we explore the park and experience the majestic and extraordinary scenery of the Simien Mountains National Park, an UNESCO World Heritage Site. We'll see and be entertained by the endemic Gelada Baboons and the bone breaker giant Lammergeyer bird. The Simien Mountains National Park is one of the last unspoilt wildlife parks in Africa. Its stunning scenery rises and falls between 1,800 and 3,000m with its highest peak Ras Dashen reaching 4,620m. The dramatic landscape of the Simien Mountains is the result of massive seismic activity in the area about 40 million years ago. The mountains are home to three of Ethiopia's larger endemic mammals: the Salia ibex, the more common Gelada baboons and the rarely seen Ethiopian wolves. Return to the lodge later this afternoon.BLD
Day 9 - Thursday 24 September
Simien Mountains National Park - Gondar - Bahir Dar
We return to Gondar for lunch, before driving to Bahir Dar, where we'll experience typical Ethiopian scenery of wide grazing land and hilly mountains. Bahir Dar is a small town on the southern shore of Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile and the largest lake in Ethiopia. There are thirty-seven islands on the lake; thirty have churches and monasteries of considerable historical and cultural interest. BLD
Day 10 - Friday 25 September
Bahir Dar, Blue Nile Falls
An exhilarating day to visit the impressive Blue Nile Falls, locally known as Tis Isat or 'Smoke of Fire'. We reach the falls via the small town of Tiss Abay, where we leave our vehicles and walk for approximately 20-30 minutes to reach the best viewing point of the falls. This afternoon we enjoy a relaxing boat trip on Lake Tana and visit two ancient monasteries: Ura Kidane Mehret and Azwa Maryam at Zege Peninsula. After our boat trip we return to our hotel. BLD
Day 11 - Saturday 26 September
Bahir Dar - Addis Ababa
An extraordinary day lies ahead. We fly back to Addis then drive to the Merkato - the largest open-air market in Africa, where we will see a confusing, but fascinating glimpse of the vast range of goods and artefacts available from all parts of the country. After our visit we continue to the Ethnological Museum on the campus of the Addis Ababa University. We then continue to our hotel, check-in and after lunch an amazing spectacle awaits - The Meskel Festival, 'Finding the True Cross'.
We have a special viewing point so that we can enjoy the event at close quarters. Among Ethiopia's Coptic Christian traditions is the September 26,th Meskel Festival. The festival is ancient; dating back 1,600 years and it is celebrated with yellow Meskel daisies placed on top of huge bonfires that are lit in the evening. Following such an event, this evening we'll enjoy a farewell dinner at an Ethiopian dinner party and be entertained with dances from the different ethnic groups. BLD
Day 12 - Sunday 27 September
Addis Ababa - Dubai
Our last day in Ethiopia is free for last minute sightseeing or souvenir hunting, prior to our transfer to the airport to join our flight to Dubai. Today you may like to visit the St George Cathedral located in the heart of the city and site of the coronation of Emperor Haile Selassie. BL
Day 13 - Monday 28 September
Dubai
We arrive shortly after midnight and transfer to our hotel. Given our early arrival, rooms have been reserved from the previous night, in order to have immediate access. This afternoon's tour takes us to the Burj Al Arab, Jumeriah Mosque and we pass many palaces belonging to the ruling family of Dubai. We soon reach the Dubai Museum now housed in the Al Fahidi Fort. We cross the Creek by water taxi to the spice and gold souks. This will be the last stop on the tour. You may stay and spend more time in the bustling environment and return to the hotel independently. The coach will return to the hotel for those not staying.B
Day 14 - Tuesday 29 September
Dubai - Amman, Jordan
We drive to the airport this morning to join our flight to Amman, Jordan. On arrival we transfer to our hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure. The city's modern buildings blend easily with the remnants of ancient civilizations. Amman's modern history began in the late 19th century, when the Ottomans resettled a colony of Circassian emigrants here in 1878. The city has grown rapidly into a modern, thriving metropolis of well over two million people. BD
Day 15 - Wednesday 30 September
Amman - Um Qais - Jerash - Amman
Today we visit Um Qais - a ruined Decapolis city with magnificent views of the Sea of Galilee. We then continue to the city of Jerash for lunch. Enjoy a tour of this unique ancient Greco-Roman city, meander through the colonnaded streets taking in sights such as Hadrian's Triumphal Arch, the Hippodrome, Forum and the Amphitheatres. Later this afternoon we return to our hotel in Amman. BLD
Day 16 - Thursday 1 October
Amman - Desert Castles - Amman
This morning we visit the Desert Castles: Kharaneh (The Caravanserai), Baths of Amra and Al Azraq (the Roman defence fortress). Return to Amman for a sightseeing tour of the city, including visits to the Citadel, the Amphitheatre and a panoramic tour of the Souks and the Mosque of King Abdullah 1st. Return to our hotel. BLD
Day 17 - Friday 2 October
Amman - Madaba - Mt.Nebo - Dead Sea - Kerak - Petra
Today drive to Madaba and tour St. George's Church, home to the famous mosaic map of the Holy Land. We continue to Mt Nebo, traditionally believed to have been the birthplace of Moses. We then drive to the Dead Sea for lunch, then tour the famous crusader castle of Reginald of Chatillon in Kerak, before continuing to Petra and our hotel. BLD
Day 18 - Saturday 3 October
Petra - Wadi Rum
We have a full day in Petra and visit the magnificent treasury, temples, tombs, houses and amphitheatre. Lunch today, will be inside the Petra site. UNESCO has described it as 'one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage'. This evening we leave Petra and continue south to Wadi Rum, an unique valley of coloured sand dunes surrounded by beautiful rugged mountains. The Wadi Rum campsites are strategically positioned to allow for easy access to all attractions and for a good night's rest after an exhilarating day's exploration.BLD
Day 19 - Sunday 4 October
Wadi Rum - Aqaba
This morning we join our 4WD for a tour of Wadi Rum - the largest and most magnificent of Jordan's desert landscapes. We'll lunch under Bedouin tents and after lunch continue to Aqaba on the shores of the Red Sea. The remainder of today is at leisure.BLD
Day 20 - Monday 5 October
Aqaba - Amman - Dubai
We return to Amman and drive directly to the airport to join our flight to Dubai. On arrival we are met and transferred to our hotel. The balance of today is at leisure.B
Day 21 - Tuesday 6 October
Dubai - Australia
Transfer to the airport this morning to join our homeward flight to Australia. B
Day 22 - Wednesday 7 October
Arrive Australia
Arrive early today with wonderful memories of our exotic tour to Ethiopia & The Kingdom of Jordan.
