Ethiopia is a fascinating and complex country, unlike any other place in the world. This journey through northern Ethiopia unveils an ancient land steeped in ETHIOPIA: mystery and legend. It is a land full of extraordinary religious relics and highland scenery of unsurpassed CRADLE OF CIVILISATION grandeur. From Addis Ababa, the capital, we fly to Axum, seat of one of the foremost empires of the 30 JANUARY - 12 FEBRUARY 2021 ancient world. Here we glimpse the ‘dawn’ of Ethiopian civilisation (400BC) and visit the ruins of Yeha. In the Highlands of Lasta, we visit Lalibela, the ‘New Jerusalem’, with its extraordinary ‘sunken’ churches carved from solid rock. In Gondar, we explore the country’s imperial heritage and architecture before driving north into the majestic Simien Mountains. Experience this soaring mountain range with its rocky crags and pinnacles, plunging chasms, lush river valleys and endemic wildlife. Our remarkable journey ends at Lake Tana, source of the Blue Nile and the setting for numerous monastic island settlements. YOUR TOUR LEADER NICOLA HOWARD Nicola has a degree in History of Art and a background in fine art and photography. Having lived in Paris, Barcelona and Rome, she speaks fluent French, Spanish and Italian and has specialised in these countries, as well as in Turkey, North Africa and the Middle East. She has previously led a couple of tours to Ethiopia. FROM £4,840 AN ANCIENT LAND STEEPED PER PERSON 020 3411 4595 | [email protected] | THEULTIMATETRAVELCOMPANY.CO.UK IN MYSTERY AND LEGEND 25–27 VANSTON PLACE LONDON SW6 1AZ Tour Leader: Nicola Howard TOUR PRICES PER PERSON Tour Price £4,840 Single Supplement £780 PRICE INCLUDES Pelican, Lake Tana Debre Behrhan Selassie, Ceiling of Angels • Accommodation throughout as shown in the itinerary • Breakfast daily; 12 lunches; 12 dinners • Domestic flights with Ethiopian Airlines • All entrance fees, visits, excursions and transportation as per the itinerary • Gratuities in restaurants for included meals • Porterage • Gratuities to driver/s and guide/s • Local English-speaking guide/s Imperial Compound, Gondar St. Georges Cathedral, Addis Ababa Church of St. George, Lalibela Ethiopian Priest Simien Mountains • Services of your tour leader throughout 14-DAY ITINERARY, DEPARTING 30 JANUARY 2021 30 January London / Addis Ababa an early flight to the ancient city 3 February Axum / Lalibela cave in which several holy pools are of Ethiopia during the 17th and 18th the Simien Mountains on foot with and begins its long journey to the Please note for any trip to Ethiopia, a of Axum. On arrival transfer to the fed by natural springs. Visit the local centuries. your local guide. From Chenek there Mediterranean. positive, flexible attitude about delays PRICE EXCLUDES Suggested flights (not included in the Transfer to Axum airport for a late centrally located, comfortable Sabean market and experience a traditional are superb views of this spectacular and inconveniences are essential. The cost of the tour) Ethiopian Airlines morning flight to Lalibela, high in the Lunch at a local restaurant followed Following lunch at the hotel take a • International flights Hotel where two nights are spent. Ethiopian coffee ceremony. Dinner at landscape and hopefully the high elevations and long journeys can ET 711 departing London Heathrow Lasta Mountains. On arrival transfer by an afternoon at leisure. Dinner at boat trip on Lake Tana, some 4900km² the hotel. opportunity to see Walia ibex and be taxing on one’s comfort level. If one • Travel insurance at 10.20 hrs arriving Addis Ababa Lunch at the hotel. Axum is thought to to the Mezena Hotel (or similar) where the hotel. in size and dotted with islands, many have been founded in the 1st century Gelada baboon. with churches and monasteries. is accepting and open, these situations • Items of personal expenditure (e.g. at 20.55 hrs. On arrival transfer to two nights are spent. The hotel has can be part of an extremely rewarding the Radisson Blu Hotel, where two BC and reached its zenith between spacious and modern bungalows, After a picnic lunch continue to Reach the Zeghie Peninsula and visit telephone calls / laundry etc.) 5 February Lalibela / Gondar 7 February Gondar / Simien experience. In many places, we are nights are spent. The hotel is centrally the 3rd and 5th centuries AD when all with scenic views of the hills of explore the surrounding area on the monastic complex of Ura Kidane • Government levies or taxes Transfer to Lalibela airport for a Mountains delighted by wonderful hotels in which the giant obelisks were built. The foot before returning to the lodge for Mehret with its 14th century round introduced after costing and located 6 km from the airport and a Lalibella, a spa and swimming pool. lunchtime flight to Gondar. On arrival, we stay. However, although service afternoon city tour includes the Stelae Drive to Buyit Ras in the Simien dinner. grass-roofed churches and exquisite short distance from the city’s main Lunch at the hotel. This afternoon, transfer to the Mayelko Lodge, which and accommodations have improved publication of this programme on Park, which has the largest single Mountains, considered by many murals. Dinner at the hotel. points of interest. Dinner under own tour the city of Lalibela which is is a comfortable lodge a 15-minute tremendously over the past few years, 15/02/20 pieces of erected stone in the world to be the most beautiful mountain arrangements. a strikingly singular site with its drive from the city centre, where two in some places they are best described and the ruins of King Kaleb’s Palace. range in Africa (a drive of about 9 February Simien Mountains / incredible and majestic churches nights are spent. as ‘rustic’. In some locations, Visit the ‘Pool of the Queen of Sheba’, three hours). Two nights are spent Gondar / Lake Tana 11 February Lake Tana / Addis Ababa built into the mountain rock which plumbing and hot water cannot be 31 January Addis Ababa and the ruins of a 1st-century villa that Late lunch at the hotel. Afternoon at Limalimo Lodge, perched on the This morning return south to Gondar, / London still offer an insight into Ethiopia’s relied upon. To enjoy this tour a sense Full day city tour of Addis Ababa is known locally as the ‘Palace of the introductory city tour of Gondar, the edge of the Simien Escarpment. The arriving in time for lunch at a local Transfer to Bahir Dar airport for a rich Christian heritage. It was built of adventure is essential. Please note we have not included the starting with a drive up Mount Entoto, Queen of Sheba’, which indicates how first settled imperial capital from the bar and restaurant have views along restaurant. morning flight back to Addis Ababa. ‘with the help of angels’ by its most cost of the international flights in the tour the previous capital of Ethiopia, which impressive the palace must have once 17th to mid-19th century and notable the dramatic escarpment and onto Day rooms have been arranged at the famous King, Lalibela, as the ‘New This afternoon continue to Bahir Dar price. Please contact us for prices should has panoramic views over the city been. Dinner at the hotel. for its castles and churches. Visit the the lowlands below. The rooms are Radisson Blu Hotel in Addis Ababa. The sites in Ethiopia are as they were Jerusalem’ in the 12th century. Today (a journey of about three hours) to the you wish to book them through us. and surrounding countryside. See the ruined Palace of Empress Mentewab scattered around the site among Lunch at the hotel. Afternoon at leisure originally built and have not been it is a World Heritage Site comprising southern edge of Ethiopia’s largest Mariam Church with its traditionally- at Kuskuam and the beautiful church the trees with views over wooded to relax at the hotel or the opportunity adapted for tourism. There will be eleven remarkable rock-hewn lake, Lake Tana. Stay for two nights at painted interior. Visit the colourful 2 February Axum of Debre Berhan Selassie, with its hillsides. to further explore the city. Farewell slippery stone surfaces, potentially no churches. Explore the first group of the Kuriftu Resort Hotel, located on Shero Meda Market. Travel through beautiful country to unique murals and ‘Ceiling of Angels’. After lunch at the lodge spend the the shores of the lake. The hotel has dinner at the hotel. After dinner handrails on steps and access to some visit the 2,700-year-old ruined city of these, the North Western Cluster, Dinner at the hotel. transfer to the Addis Ababa airport for of the sites can be uneven. The group Lunch at a local restaurant. Continue afternoon exploring the extraordinary breathtaking lake views and a clever Yeha with its rock-hewn tombs and each architecturally unique and the flight back to London, departing after can expect to walk/ be on foot for up the tour of the city by coach and network of narrow passageways and natural beauty of the Simien blend of native Ethiopian architecture remarkable, well-preserved 12-metre Mountains, with their high plateaux, and décor, with a swimming pool with midnight. to three hours whilst visiting some of explore Addis Ababa’s wide tree- tunnels linking them. Dinner at the 6 Febraury Gondar high stone temple. deep gorges and plunging waterfalls, sunbathing terrace and a gourmet the sites. The trekking terrain in the lined streets, fine architecture hotel. Continue exploring Gondar by Following lunch in a local restaurant, and their rugged pinnacles and peaks restaurant looking out across the lake. Simien Mountains is fairly flat however and vibrant atmosphere.