Ethiopia, Timkat Festival Tour Code: 48460 & the Simien Mountains Grade 6/SS Holiday Duration: 16 nights Magnificent walking in Ethiopia's Simien HOLIDAY DATES Mountains, plus experience the colourful 14th Jan 2021 - 30th Jan 2021 religious Timkat Festival in Gondar

Magnificent views in the Simien Mountains, colourful Timkat Festival, explore rock churches and enjoy a traditional coffee ceremony. Ethiopia is a diverse melting pot of culture and history.

HOLIDAY HIGHLIGHTS

Simien Mountains – experience dramatic scenery and some of Africa’s finest walking

Attend the most important festival in Ethiopia - Timkat

Discover rock churches and religious architecture

Explore the beauty and history of Gondar and Lalibela

Savour incredible cuisine and the coffee ceremony

Spot Gelada monkeys, hamadryas baboon, hyena and jackal and descent with walks in some remote areas. Paths Ethiopia, Timkat Festival are mostly good, but there may be some steep and & the Simien Mountains rough ground. Walks will last up to 6 hours and could involve as much as 750m of ascent and descent. See the Walks & Excursions section for A visit to Ethiopia unveils so many contrasting more information. experiences. From the Roof of Africa in the Simien Mountains to the Danakil Depression, from the rock- hewn churches to the centuries-old Ethiopia coffee ceremony, from Gelada monkeys to a visit to the earliest human, the country's epic landscapes, culture and rich history make every day one to Sightseeing savour.

We begin our adventure in the bustling city of Addis The sightseeing element of the holiday will be Ababa. We then fly to Bahir Dar and explore Lake significant allowing you to get a good feel for the Tana and its centuries-old monasteries. Here we sites as well as the trails of the destination. also see hippos, visit the Blue Nile Falls, and discover Gondar, known as the Camelot of Africa, with its castle and stone churches.

We spend four days hiking and camping in the Simien Mountains which give the Grand Canyon a serious run for its money. We encounter Mother Nature's finest work and spot Gelada monkeys as you leave civilisation behind. Delve into religious history in and get amongst rock churches in Lalibela.

This departure coincides with Timkat Festival. Timkat, which means ‘' in Amharic, is the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church's celebration of , which represents the Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. The Timkat celebration in Gondar is considered the most colourful and vibrant festival in Ethiopia.

Plus, if you opt to join our extension to the Danakil Depression, you can visit 410 ft below sea level for active volcano views, salt pans and camel trains from the edge of the world. WHAT'S INCLUDED  Flights from London Heathrow to Addis Ababa (Ethiopian Airlines)  Internal flights and airport transfers  Twelve nights in en suite hotel accommodation  All costs associated with Timkat Festival  Three nights fully supported tented accommodation (four season sleeping bag recommended)  13 breakfasts, 14 dinners and 5 lunches  English speaking local guide  All local transport costs

HOLIDAY GRADE

This is a Grade 6 moderate holiday which includes full day walks with appreciable amounts of ascent Proposed Itinerary Day: 3 - Addis Ababa (B, D)

Our bottom line is happy travellers, and to that end We drive out of the city for an hour, following the we trust our tour leaders to use the itinerary below snaking road towards Mount Entoto (2600-3100 as a basis for providing you with a great holiday. We metres above sea level), the highest peak of the expect our leaders to make adjustments to the Entoto Mountains where we are rewarded with itinerary if the weather, group ability or other local panoramic views over Addis Ababa. This historic conditions make that necessary. There are normally area was where Emperor Menelik II resided before more options available to our leaders than those founding Addis Ababa and we'll visit the old palace. listed below and one or more of these options may Jumping at the chance to stretch our legs, we enjoy well be chosen. All distances, heights & timings are a leisurely 20-minute walk down the mountain approximate. through eucalyptus trees.

Key to Meals: In the afternoon, we enjoy a guided sightseeing tour B - Breakfast, L - Lunch, D - Dinner. of the National Museum of Ethiopia, home to the In flight meals, if appropriate, will be advised in remains of your final travel documents ‘Lucy', Ethiopia's most famous ancestor who roamed Day: 1 - Overnight flight (no meals) this country some 3.2 million years ago. The museum helps put into perspective the importance We depart from London on our overnight flight with of Ethiopia's history. Ethiopian Airlines. If you are booking your own flight, it is important to fly internationally with Our introduction into Ethiopia's heritage continues Ethiopian Airlines otherwise you will be charged a with a guided visit to the Holy Trinity Cathedral, one supplement for internal flights locally. of the most important places of worship in Ethiopia and home to the remains of the last emperor, Haile Day: 2 - Addis Ababa (B, D) Selassie.

After an early morning arrival into Addis Ababa Accommodation: Addis Regency Hotel (2400 metres above sea level), our local guide will transfer us to the hotel. The rest of the morning is Meals: Breakfast and dinner free to wash, sleep and enjoy breakfast. Addis Ababa is the gateway to the rest of the country. Day: 4 - Bahir Dar (B, D) Visitors sometimes bypass the contradictions of this complex city but we know where to go and its This morning we fly to Bahir Dar where we enjoy a attractions set the scene for modern Ethiopia, one hour walk around a section of Lake Tana. This is before we explore the older parts. the largest lake in Ethiopia, located in a depression of the northwest plateau, 6,000 feet (1,800 metres) This afternoon we'll visit the Ethnological Museum, above sea level. set within Emperor Haile Selassie's former palace and surrounded by the beautiful gardens and We then set sail across Lake Tana to explore the fountains of the university's main campus. The remote islands, visit some of the regions famous museum has a wealth of fascinating displays which churches and monasteries and hopefully encounter delve into the culture and customs of Ethiopia's some of the lake's famous hippos! We'll visit Ura ethnic groups and tribes. The city is infamous for its Kidane Mehret, arguably the most beautiful church heavy traffic problems so expect to travel to a in the Tana region where we have approximately cacophony of horns and brightly coloured cars. 30-40 minutes' walk time. This monastery dates to the 14th century and its inner walls are covered Accommodation: Addis Regency Hotel with hundreds of restored paintings that depict every face of Ethiopian ecclesiastical life. Meals: Breakfast and dinner In the afternoon you can choose to do an optional This evening will be the first of our three nights excursion to the Blue Nile Falls. This is one of camping in the Simien Mountains. Most equipment Ethiopia's most popular attractions and you'll is provided and transported for you each night, plus understand why when you stand beneath the 42m- camp will be set up and taken down for you. The high cliff, watching the water cascade over it. There exception being a day pack and trekking poles which is a short walk to the waterfall and back along you will carry yourself. Please note that uneven surfaces, and down to the waterfall itself. temperatures drop at night so you will need to bring Worth noting that the journey will take warm clothing and a four-season sleeping bag. approximately 1 hour each way along an extremely bumpy road; it is not for the faint hearted but the Accommodation: Wild camping (basic in nature) view at the end is worth it. It will be a long day for anyone opting to do both activities. Anyone Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner choosing to stay behind will enjoy free time. Distance: 9 kms / 5.6 miles Accommodation: Homeland Hotel Duration: 4 hours Meals: Breakfast and dinner Total ascent: 320m Day: 5 to 6 - Gondar (B, D) Total descent: 320m Departing Bahir Dar, we drive approximately four hours north to Gondar, the former capital of Day: 8 - Simien Mountains (B, L, D) Ethiopia. Our hotel is perfectly positioned on a cliff top with wonderful views looking over the city. Today will be our first full day trekking in the Simien Mountains. Along the scenic route to our next camp, Timkat is the most important day in the Ethiopian we'll stop and enjoy the incredible Jinbar Waterfall Orthodox calendar and on arrival, we visit the as it cascades down a sheer cliff on the other side of Timket procession in the evening, a precursor to the the valley. Throughout the day we will slowly gain in main event the following morning. On day 6, we rise altitude, stopping along the way to take in the early to join in the Timkat festivities. We link in with majestic views and catch our breath. Keep your the crowds at Facilides baths whose water has been eyes out for Gelada monkeys which are commonly blessed by priests, and by the side of which the spotted along the way. Talbot (replica of the Arc of the Covenant) has spent the night. Younger males dive into the water to Life in camp is simple and relaxing. We will stay in symbolise the baptism of Jesus Christ in the River designated campsites, but services range from Jordan. Later a procession chanting and singing basic, to non-existent. This is one of the realities of walks the Talbot back to the church. The Timkat hiking in such a remote corner of the world, but it Festival has been described by some as one of the enables us to achieve such magnificent views. Meals greatest festivals in the world. are cooked for you allowing you free time to stroll or simply relax and admire the views. Later this day we head out on a guided tour to explore castles, built in the 17th and 18th centuries Accommodation: Wild camping (basic in nature) by several generations of Ethiopian kings. Please note the itinerary for days 5 and 6 may change Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner swap around due to local conditions. Distance: 12 Kms / 7.45 miles Accommodation: Gondar Hills Resort Duration: 7 hours Meals: Breakfast and hotel dinner Total ascent: 350m Day: 7 - Simien Mountains (B, L, D) Total descent: 250m Leaving city life behind, we transfer by road (3 hours approx.) to the remote Simien Mountains Day: 9 - Simien Mountains (B, L, D) National Park for breath-taking views that give the Grand Canyon a run for its money. Known as the After breakfast we'll head out for another incredible ‘Roof of Africa', the park is home to some rare full day of walking as we make our way to Chennek, species, many of which we will hopefully spot during our final camp. The trek today takes in one of the our time walking in the mountains. finest walks in the Simien Mountains, the view from Imet Gogo point is considered the best view of the On arrival in Debark (3250 metres above sea level), Simien range. We should have a good chance of we'll begin trekking to our first overnight at Gelada monkey viewing today. Sankaber Camp. While hiking through the national park, we may encounter Simien Fox (the Ethiopian Accommodation: Wild camping (basic in nature) Wolf) in the shadow of the Ras Dashen mountain, the highest in Ethiopia. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner Distance: 13 Kms / 8 miles Axum is the origin of Christianity in Ethiopia and claims to house the original Ark of the Covenant. In Duration: 7 hrs the afternoon we will visit the old church of Our Lady Mary of Zion - the first church to be built in Total ascent: 650m Sub-Saharan Africa around 30CE. We then have a free afternoon so everyone can enjoy Axum at their Total descent: 570m own pace.

Day: 10 - Gondar (B, L, D) Accommodation: Sabean Hotel

Today we'll have an exhilarating trek from Chennek Meals: Breakfast, dinner Camp to Mount Bwahit, where we are rewarded with yet more spectacular views before boarding the Day: 13 - Lalibela (B, D) coach back to Gondar (3 hours). We'll return to our hotel in Gondar for a relaxing evening and enjoy A short 30-minute flight takes us from Axum to dinner together in one of our favourite restaurants Lalibela. As we have a guided tour tomorrow, today in Ethiopia – The Four Sisters Restaurant. is either a free day or our tour leader will take the group on a walk into the mountains for views back Accommodation: Gondar Hills Resort across Lalibela. The duration will change depending on conditions. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner Accommodation: Harbe hotel Distance: 5 kms / 3.1 miles Meals: Breakfast, dinner Duration: 5 hours Day: 14 - Lalibela (B, D) Total ascent: 830m Today we'll enjoy a full day exploring Lalibela's Total descent: 830m famous rock-hewn churches, designated one of UNESCO's original 12 World Heritage Sites in 1978. Day: 11 - Axum (B, L, D) We begin by exploring the northern group We fly to the ancient city of Axum for two nights containing seven churches, a tomb, a chapel and a and visit the famous monolithic stelae of Axum; the sunken chapel. At the centre of the group is Bet tallest remaining one is over 21 metres and the Medhane Alem, measuring 33.5 metres by 23.5 greatest one of them all, once 34 metres high, now metres and said to be the largest rock-hewn church lies toppled on the ground. The subterranean in the world. A tunnel connects three of the tombs, stone inscriptions of ancient Axumite kings, churches in a courtyard to the east, whilst another plus a small archaeological museum, are living tunnel connects two other churches to the west of witness to its ancient Axumite history. Bet Medhane Alem. However, it is the Church of Saint George, carved in the form of a Greek cross In the afternoon we'll visit the ruins at Dungur, as and lying slightly apart from the main northern well as the Palace of the Queen of Sheba, who is cluster, that is the most famous. said to have given birth to Menelik the First, fathered by King Solomon, the founder of Ethiopia's In the afternoon, we will visit the eastern group of ruling family until the late Emperor Haile Selassie. five churches. Here is Bet Abba Libanos, unique among Lalibela's churches because the roof and Accommodation: Sabean Hotel floor remains attached to the strata rock.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner Accommodation: Harbe hotel

Day: 12 - Axum (B, D) Meals: Breakfast, dinner

Day: 15 - Addis Ababa (B, D) In the morning, we'll drive to Yeha through the spectacular Adwa Mountains where we visit the Pre- We take a flight back to Addis Ababa and visit the Christian Great Temple of Yeha from around 700BC, oldest coffee shop in Ethiopia, Tomoca. By now, one the oldest standing structure in Ethiopia. The thing that should have become evident is that Temple of Yeha consists of large smoothly polished Ethiopian's know how to make a great coffee. In stone blocks, some as much as three metres long, fact, coffee was discovered in Ethiopia in the 9th neatly placed one above the other, without using century and cultivated by the Arabs in the 15th any mortar. The roof and one side of the wall are century. Tonight we enjoy our final dinner together missing but several square holes in the remaining at a local restaurant. walls indicate where a partition, probably of wood, once stood Please note, clients who opted for the Danakil Depression extension will leave us this morning. Accommodation: Addis Regency Hotel Group Size Meals: Breakfast, dinner Coming from all walks of life your fellow travelling companions will share your desire to discover great Day: 16 - Overnight flight (B) things and have a wonderful holiday. Enjoy their infectious enthusiasm, camaraderie and great dinner Today is a free day to relax at the hotel, enjoy last conversation. minute shopping, or take the opportunity to explore further throughout Addis Ababa. Whilst we need to Our maximum group size for guided walks between check out of our hotel rooms, we have arranged for grade 5 and grade 8 is 18 persons. two-day use rooms to be available for the group, so you are able to shower and store your luggage. Tour Leaders Late in the evening, we will transfer to the airport Your tour leader makes the world of difference to for our overnight flight which departs just after just your holiday and ours are as passionate about after 01:00. discovering the world on foot as you are. They're resourceful, organised and widely travelled. They Meals: Breakfast will handle all the local administration and other needs that might arise to ensure that you don't Day: 17 - London (early morning outbound have to worry about planning your days and you can flight from Addis Ababa) enjoy your holiday. Although leading group holidays, they won't forget that every group is made up of This morning we arrive back into London Heathrow individuals. Each tour leader has their own individual just before 07:00am, with a bag full of memories style, talents and professional backgrounds and all from our Ethiopian adventure. are trained, qualified, experienced and dedicated to making your holiday as enjoyable, interesting and inspiring as possible.

Optional Excursions On some holidays of 7 nights and over, the tour A range of local excursions and activities may be leader may have one day's break a week, enabling available to book at your destination through a local you to have a 'free' day too! operator. We have no involvement in such activities or excursions which are not run, supervised or controlled in any way by us. Your contract will be with the local activity supplier and we accept no responsibility for their actions or omissions.

Leaders Evening Briefing Each evening, your tour leader will discuss with you the programme for the following day. If you do not wish to join the organised group programme, please let the leader know. Personal Expenditure

Budgeting for Extras When budgeting for your holiday, you will need to consider drinks, any meals not included in the holiday price, non-included entrance fees, optional excursions you may choose to participate in locally and any souvenirs or additional services such as laundry. A general guideline for lunches and drinks is £10-£20 per person per day.

Whilst tipping is entirely optional, tipping is customary in this part of the world. We encourage our Ramblers Walking Holidays leader to collect the amount of US$70 from each person on day two after arrival into Addis Ababa. This is to cover tips for tour guides, drivers, porters and other hotel staff over the course of the trip. Please note it does not include the RWH leader. Small Groups responsible for the actions of local immigration and Travel Details customs officials, whether at points of entry or We fly direct from London Heathrow to Addis Ababa otherwise, and any subsequent effects. with Ethiopian Airlines. This is an overnight flight arriving early in the morning. All nationalities require a visa for Ethiopia which can be obtained before departure (at a cost of GBP26) Travel in Ethiopia is conducted on foot, by vehicle or on arrival (at a cost of USD$50 - be prepared to and boat on Lake Tana. Please note that the road queue for a while). Please note that the Ethiopian system in Ethiopia is not always maintained to the government may change their visa on arrival policy same standard found in Europe, and occasionally at very short notice so make sure to check the latest detours or delays may occur due to blockages or advice. road works. Even travelling short distances can at times take longer than you might expect. A certificate of Yellow Fever vaccination maybe required in order to obtain your visa, for instance if If you are joining or leaving the holiday abroad, we you're travelling from a country at risk of Yellow assume unless you advise us otherwise, that you Fever transmission - please check with the embassy will meet the party at the first hotel and leave at the for the latest advice. For assistance with obtaining last hotel – please contact us before departure to visas please call Travcour on 020 8543 1846. Visa confirm the hotel details! However, should you wish regulations can change without notice: please check to join the holiday at Addis Ababa airport or wish to the current regulations in good time to obtain a visa make other alternative arrangements, please be if one is required. sure to let us know in writing at least five weeks before departure. General Passport & Visa Advice Land Only It is a good idea to carry photocopies of the personal details pages of your passport. Should you If you wish to organise your own flights from a non- lose your passport, this may assist with the issue of UK or provincial airport or travel by rail or car to replacement documents and your return to your your holiday destination, 'no-travel' reductions are home country. often available. Please contact us for details. Passport and visa requirements can change at any Before finalising any independent travel time. It is your own responsibility to ensure that you arrangements, please check with us first - especially inform yourself from a professionally qualified if doing so 12 weeks or more before your intended source on, and comply with, such requirements. date of travel.

If you do intend to join your holiday locally please do tell us at least 14 weeks in advance. Passports and Visas All nationalities require a full passport that must be valid for 6 months beyond the intended length of stay. It is your responsibility to have the correct personal documents and to obtain your own visa, if one is necessary, in accordance with the regulations of the country you are to visit. The information below is primarily for UK passport holders, and other nationalities should check with their travel agent or the relevant embassies. We are not Accommodation Web:

Addis Regency Hotel K. 03/19 H. no 504 St. George Roundabout Accommodation is in comfortable tourist class hotels 21621-1000 in twin bedded and single rooms with shower and Ethiopia WC. Free Wi-Fi is rarely found outside of Addis Ababa but sometimes there is a weak signal in the Phone: +251-111-55-00-00 hotel reception. Hotel rooms in Ethiopia tend to be Web: more basic in nature and should not be compared to the standard of hotels found in Europe. We have chosen all hotels for either their unique character, location or simply because it was the best available Homeland Hotel and whilst all rooms will be clean and comfortable, a A3 pioneering attitude should be adopted when booking Ethiopia this trip.

Phone: +251 58 222 0220 Web: Typically breakfasts and dinners are included in the holiday price, plus all means whilst camping in the Simien Mountains. Breakfast will be taken at the hotels and dinners will be split between the hotels Gondar Hills Resort and charge and will be taken in either hotels or local Ethiopia restaurants. Some breakfasts may be packed for early starts. Bottled water is widely available, but Phone: +251 (0) 582 112 020 we encourage you where possible, to use a Water- Web: To-Go bottle which filters tap water (do not drink straight from the tap). Bottled water will be supplied whilst in the Simien Mountains.

Simien Mountains Wild Camping Whilst hiking in the Simien Mountains, you will be Ethiopia wild camping and staying at official and unofficial campsites. The standard is basic with few to no Phone: facilities on offer. Bathroom breaks tend to be wild Web: without flushing water. This is one of the sacrifices to get further off the beaten track. It gets cold in at night, so we recommend you bring a four-season sleeping bag with you. Camping mats are provided. Sabean Hotel Ethiopia Contrary to belief, the cuisine in Ethiopia is Phone: Tel: +251 347751224 fantastic, offering a wide selection of both meat and Web: vegetarian dishes. Local dishes tend to be very good if you like hot, spicy food although milder versions can be requested. Local food is traditionally eaten with the hands. The sour bread known as injera is Harbe Hotel used as a scoop from the casserole dishes known as Getergie Kebele 02 wat. Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee. It is Ethiopia normally drunk black with sugar. The coffee ritual is something to be experienced at least once on your Phone: +251 91 171 8331 trip. It is possible to get coffee with milk which the Ethiopians call Machiato.

The Ethiopian diet is meat based except for fasting days. Fasting food is completely vegan as fasters should not consume any animal by-product. Clients who have specialist dietary requirements must contact us to discuss if they can be accommodated. Ethiopia is a poor country and they are not familiar with gluten or lactose free diets. Footwear Trekking Poles Good quality waterproof walking boots with a Many of our clients find walking poles hugely moulded sole and deep tread and which provide beneficial when walking. They can both reduce good ankle support are essential for the walking stress on the knees and aid confidence. programme on this holiday. Lightweight waterproof walking boots with a good moulded rubber sole (such as Vibram or similar) and Water-to-Go a deep tread which provide ankle support are An alternative to bottled water from single-use strongly recommended and may be essential for sealed water bottles is filtered water from a some walks. refillable bottle containing its own water filter such We recommend that you either wear your walking as a Water-to-go bottle available from boots or shoes or pack them and some waterproofs www.watertogo.eu. Just fill up from any water in your hand luggage as in the unlikely event that source and save the environment from disposable your hold luggage is delayed, you will still be able to plastic bottles. participate in the holiday programme. We have negotiated an exclusive 15% discount with our partners Water-to-Go for you as a thank you for Kit List helping the environment. Please go to their website Outdoor activities are always more enjoyable if you at www.watertogo.eu and enter the code RWH17 are prepared. The following list is a basic guideline when ordering. In addition, Water-to-Go will match that will enhance your experience. Please don't the discount with a donation to our charity, Heart & hesitate to contact us with any questions you may Sole, which will allow us to continue to make a have. difference in the countries you visit on our holidays.

A basic kit list is likely to include: Travel Document Checklist - Waterproof jacket (Goretex or similar) and Documents and Information to take with you: trousers - Lightweight, quick drying trousers - Your passport (make sure it's valid and it's yours) - Several polo shirts, T-shirts or specialist walking - Your travel tickets or e-ticket itinerary shirts - Any visa or electronic travel authorisation (if - Fleece jacket required) - Comfortable walking socks - Holiday money - Warm hat and gloves (if appropriate) - Credit or debit cards (and separate details of who - Sun hat, sunglasses, lip salve and high SPF sun to call if lost) block - Car parking ticket and car park directions (if - Swimwear (if appropriate) prebooked) - Day sack (25 litre capacity) to comfortably carry - Coach or rail travel tickets (if prebooked) the kit you'll take out for the day - Your holiday Booking Confirmation document - Strong polythene bags to keep the contents of - Your travel insurance details your daypack dry - Alternative form of identification (such as a driving - Water bottle(s) - at least 1 litre capacity licence) - Basic first aid kit (plasters, blister treatment, - Photocopy of the personal details pages of your antiseptic etc) passport - Insect repellent - A valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) if - Plastic container and reusable cutlery for your relevant picnic lunches - Details of any medical condition or allergy your - Walking/trekking poles (if applicable) holiday leader should know about Maps, Guidebooks & Advice Maps and guidebooks relating to your holiday may be obtained before departure from:

The Map Shop (www.themapshop.co.uk)

Weather and Climate Visit the following websites for an idea of the climate in your destination:

Weather2 www.myweather2.com

BBC Weather www.bbc.co.uk/weather Currency Malaria prophylaxis is essential on this trip, and we The national currency of Ethiopia is the Ethiopian suggest that you seek advice from your GP or travel Birr (ETB), with an exchange rate at the time of health clinic about which malaria tablets to take. publication (September 2019) of approximately 35 Bilharzia is known to occur in some of the lakes or to the GBP, 29 to the USD and 31 to the EUR. rivers visited on this itinerary, we therefore advise all to take advice from your guide or leader locally before venturing for a swim. ATMs can be found throughout the itinerary except for the Simien Mountains and Danakil Depression (if this tour included it). Credit cards are not accepted Dengue fever and/or Chikungunya are known risks in most establishments, so it's a good idea to in places visited on this trip. Both are tropical viral change enough money to last for a few days at a diseases spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. time. We do not recommend you bring travellers There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis cheques. One thing you will notice is that there is available for either, so the best form of prevention is no lack of banks in Ethiopia. to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Bring extra spending money if you wish to buy some local crafts such as jewellery, Ethiopian dresses, The above information can change at short notice; scarves, carved wooden crosses, basketwork, as we are not qualified to answer all your questions frankincense and Ethiopian coffee. Lunches not about travel health, we strongly recommend you included in the itinerary will cost around 150 Birr contact your Medical Professional or a Travel Health each, so it is suggested that you take an additional Clinic at least 8 weeks prior to departure for up-to- money to cover meals and other incidentals. date information. Electricity Further Travel Health Advice Ethiopia's is supplied at 220 Volts. If you wish to use For further advice please visit: electrical equipment you will need the following plus types: C, E, F establishments often take two round - The National Travel Health Network and Centre pin plugs. (NaTHNaC) travel health website at www.travelhealthpro.org.uk Health - The NHS 'Fit for travel' website at Travel health can often be something people forget www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk about before going away, but a little preparation - The Foreign Office Office Travel Advice Website at and knowledge can go a long way to help you stay www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. fit and healthy while abroad. Recommended - Or a local travel health clinic. vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Hepatitis A. Other vaccinations you may wish to You might wish to take a small bottle of antibacterial consider are Hepatitis B; Meningococcal Meningitis; hand gel with you for times when you're unable to Rabies; Typhoid; Yellow Fever. wash your hands. Personal Safety Yellow fever vaccination certificate required for The UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office provides up travellers over 9 months of age arriving from to date information on security and local laws for countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and travellers, together with current passport and visa for travellers having transited more than 12 hours information, at www.gov.uk/travelaware. Please through the airport of a country with risk of yellow take a few minutes to look at the current advice on fever transmission. your planned destination. Please be aware of what's going on around you, In most cases the revisions will be minor and the take sensible precautions with your credit cards and overall nature of the holiday will remain unchanged. passport and avoid displays of wealth such as Should we make a major change to your holiday wearing expensive jewellery or watches. Do not arrangements between you booking your holiday carry more cash on you than you will need for each and your date of travel we will notify you to day, and we recommend that a money belt is used. specifically draw your attention to any significant change.

Cultural Awareness You may wish to review the latest version of this Holiday Information Sheet online prior to travel. Responsible Travel We're committed to ethical tourism in all our Please note that any advertised offers, benefits or destinations. Our holidays are designed for you to initiatives may be discontinued at any time. discover the essence of the country you are visiting. Travelling in small groups not only gives you an up close and personal experience of your destination, Contact Us but minimises your impact on the immediate Ramblers Walking Holidays environment. We feel that the most important starting point to protect the environment is to be - Tel: UK +44 (0)1707 331133 out in it. For more details visit our website. - Email: [email protected] - Web: www.ramblersholidays.co.uk

Heart & Sole Our office is open and our Sales & Reservations We appreciate that we are in a fortunate position to team available to speak to you from: be able to use our profits to help make a difference to people's lives. Heart & Sole is a venture managed - 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday by our office staff, whose aim is to reach the heart - 9.15am to Midday on Saturdays of the communities in the countries we visit. - 9.15am to 3pm on Saturdays in & Through Heart & Sole, we hope to make more of a February only long term, direct impact to these communities, particularly in less developed countries where even Please quote your Booking Reference number and a small amount goes a long way. See our website Tour Code whenever contacting us. for more information and details of some of the projects we support. We wish you an enjoyable holiday! Communication

Mobile Phones Please do provide us with a mobile phone contact number. We will only use this to contact you with important information relating to your holiday arrangements.

Please do keep your mobile phones switched on and readily available when travelling to the airport or if delayed in transit so that we can contact you with any last minute information relating to your travel arrangements.

As a matter of courtesy, please switch off your mobile phone during walks, or endeavour to minimise its use. Please also try to minimise the use of mobile devices during group meals. Feedback We welcome all comments about our holidays and value ideas for the future. If you have provided us with an email address we will invite you to complete an online questionnaire or to add feedback to our page on independent review site 'Feefo'. Important Information Please note that this Holiday Information sheet may be periodically updated and reissued.