THE CRADLE of CIVILISATION an Escorted Tour of the Northern Historical Route 2Nd to 15Th November 2019 & 1St to 14Th November 2020 Gondar Castle Blue Nile Falls
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EXTRA DEPARTURE DATE RELEASED DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND ETHIOPIA THE CRADLE OF CIVILISATION An escorted tour of the Northern Historical Route 2nd to 15th November 2019 & 1st to 14th November 2020 Gondar Castle Blue Nile Falls thiopia offers the most ancient cultural heritage of all sub-Saharan Africa. With a recorded history which Ebegan in the 6th century BC with the dawning of the Axumite civilisation, there sprang a line of emperors who ruled with few interruptions until the death of Haile Selassie. During our twelve night tour we will travel the northern historical route and our visit will include their palaces in the old capital of Gondar and in Addis Ababa. Christianity reached Ethiopia some 200 years before it arrived in Britain. On our visit to Lalibela we will see the amazing 12th century church, hewn from the rock. We will visit the island monasteries of Lake Tana and the spectacular Blue Nile waterfalls. A highlight of the tour will be the visit to the Simien Mountains National Park, which has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The region includes many summits above 4000 metres and culminates in the highest point in Ethiopia, Ras Dejen, at 4620 metres, the fourth highest mountain in Africa. The mountains are a must for all those interested in wildlife, scenery and spectacular landscapes. Despite having more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other African country, tourism is still in its infancy in Ethiopia and, whilst the infrastructure is developing rapidly and we have selected the finest accommodations available, travellers should not expect the same facilities as that of Africa’s top visited destinations. What you can expect, however, is a warm welcome and a unique and rewarding travel experience in a profoundly beautiful land. THE ITINERARY Day 1 London to Addis Ababa, museum, and the Entoto Mariam former palace of Emperor Haile Axum Ethiopia. Fly by scheduled flight. Church the site of his coronation Selassie at Bizeit, with great views Simien Mountains Gheralta On arrival meet our local agents in 1882. After lunch we will make of the town and located where the National Park Mekelle and transfer to the Golden Tulip our way to the city’s market. The Blue Nile flows out of the lake. Gondar Lalibela Hotel for a two night stay. Addis “Merkato”, located in western Bahir Dar Ababa was founded by Emperor Addis Ababa is the largest open-air Day 4 Bahir Dar. Today we will ETHIOPIA Menelik II in 1887, who selected market in Africa, offering an array take a boat ride on Lake Tana, the Addis Ababa the site because of its location of colours, aromas, costumes, origin of the Blue Nile, to visit two within the Entoto hills and today it produce and jewellery. After some of the renowned Island Monasteries is Africa’s diplomatic capital with free time to relax we will meet this of the Lake. Located on the bird headquarters for the Organization evening for dinner. rich, wooded Zege Peninsula, the 190 square kilometres and was of African Union and the United 16th century Ura Kidane Mihret and added to the World Heritage Site Nation Economic Commissions for Day 3 Addis Ababa to Bahir Dar. Azua Mariam monasteries both have list in 1978. It has 57 tree species, Africa. After an early breakfast in the hotel wonderful paintings and murals a variety of herbaceous plants and we will transfer to the airport for which depict scenes from the Old 35 mammal and about 180 bird Day 2 Addis Ababa. Spend the our flight to Bahir Dar. On arrival, and the New Testaments on their species have been recorded here day in Ethiopia’s capital city where transfer to Kuriftu Resort & Spa, walls. Return to the hotel for lunch including Walia ibex, Ethiopian we will visit the Trinity Cathedral, our base for the next two nights, and a free afternoon to relax at the wolf, Menelik’s bushbuck and the built to commemorate the before making our way to the Blue hotel before meeting for dinner this Gelada baboon which are endemic. country’s liberation from Italian Nile Falls. Known locally as Tissiat, evening. Arrive at the Limalimo Lodge for rule, the National Museum and meaning “The Smoking Water”, the our two night stay and enjoy a free the Ethnographic Museum which falls are 328 feet wide and the water Day 5 Simien Mountains National afternoon to enjoy the views or showcases Ethiopia’s rich ethnic plunges some 150 feet, giving rise Park. This morning we will drive take some short walks near the diversity. We will also drive out to picturesque stream clouds and to the Simien Mountains National property. to the Entoto Mountain offering rainbows. After lunch we will make Park, an area of highland in the wonderful views over the city and our way to the local market where northern part of Ethiopia consisting Day 6 Simien Mountains National the location of Menelik’s former we find typical hand-woven capes of some spectacular mountain Park. After breakfast we drive to palace, which now contains a small and scarves before visiting the scenery. The National Park covers Chenek, a spectacular site with www.noble-caledonia.co.uk Rock hewn church, Lalibela Simien Mountains National Park Megalith stela field, Axum Gelada baboon Merkato Market, Addis Ababa impressive escarpment, super Several of the individual churches Day 11 Gheralta. After a free Day 13 Mekelle to Addis Ababa viewpoints and a variety of plant in this cluster are thought to have morning we visit the ruin of Yeha to London. Today after breakfast and animal species including the been secular in origin, and some Temple. According to the 19th we will drive to Mekelle. En-route, endemic Walia ibexes. On a series predate the reign of King Lalibela century German scholar Heinrich at the edge of the small town of of walks we will take in the beautiful by five centuries. The churches Miiller, the temple is thought Wukro on a knoll of red rock, is the landscape and keep an eye out in the south-east cluster include to date back to 700 BC and is rock-cut church of Wukro Cherqos. for Gelada baboons, also called Bet Gebriel-Rafael, Bet Abba believed to be the oldest standing After our visit we continue to bleeding-heart monkeys, and the Libanos, Bet Lehem, Bet Emanuel, building in the country. Beside Mekelle airport for our flight to lion monkeys. and Bet Mercurios. According to the remarkable temple, a church Addis Ababa. On arrival we will legend, Bet Abba Libanos was dedicated to Abba Aftse stands. transfer to a local restaurant for Day 7 Gondar. We leave the built overnight by Lalibela’s wife, Abba Aftse was one of the famous our farewell dinner including local mountains today and drive to Meskel Kebre, who was assisted by nine saints who came to Ethiopia dancers before transferring to the Gondar, the imperial city where the a group of angels. Finally visit Bet in the 6th century from the east airport for our scheduled flight to kings of Ethiopia were based for Giyorgis, possibly the most elegant Roman Empire to teach the London. two centuries. The city was the first and majestic of all the Lalibela Gospel. After our visit we drive to capital of the Ethiopian empire, churches, which lies somewhat Gheralta Lodge in Hawzien and Day 14 London. Arrive this which began in 1632 with the reign isolated in the southwest part check in for our two night stay. morning. of Fasilidas. After checking in to of the village on a sloping rock Dinner will be at the lodge this Mayleko Lodge for our overnight terrace. After lunch, we will visit evening. stay, we will take the chance to the monastery of Nakuto Laab, a visit some of the sites built by the simple, yet fascinating example of After breakfast, Day 12 Gheralta. Please note: To best enjoy Gondarine kings including the Lalibela’s eastern group of rock- we will visit Dugum Selassie, a your experience in Ethiopia Debre Birhan Trinity Church, with hewn churches. Our day ends at church carved into granite outcrop you should be in good physical its magnificent murals, the 17th the open market of Lalibela, where inside the modern church of the condition and be able to walk century castle of King Fasilidas and we experience Ethiopian hospitality same name in the village. Later short distances, to and around the Fasilidas pool in which pilgrims at a traditional coffee ceremony. this afternoon we visit Abraha many ancient sites, over rough still take a plunge during the Atsbeha, the church is supposed or uneven terrain. There will be Timkat festival. Return to the airport to have been constructed in the Day 10 Axum. opportunities for hikes of varied this morning for our flight to Axum. 4th century by the two kings lengths and for most activities This In the second century BC it was Abreha and Atsbeha and one of Day 8 Gondar to Lalibela. a moderate level of exertion morning we transfer to the airport for one of the major trading centres the earliest of the rock churches is required. Some days may our short flight to Lalibela and upon of the region due to its proximity of Tigray. The upper part of the entail early starts and drives of arrival transfer to Mezena Lodge, our to the Red Sea and the ability to wall and the ceilings were painted up to six hours, however the base for the next two nights. The city trade with Africa, Arabia and the and even though the paintings are vehicles used are modern and is known as the “New Jerusalem”, Roman world.