AFRICA FOR THE AFRICANS
PRESENTS
ETHIOPIA ROOTS & CULTURE TOUR
OCTOBER 7-16, 2017
Welcome to the journey of a lifetime everyone. Join us for a real cultural experience on an incredible7 City tour throughout Ethiopia in East Africa. This journey includes Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Gondar, Axum, Lalibela, Shashamene and Hawassa. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to reconnect with our people, land, enjoy paradise in the tropics, networking with the group, and learn about the roots, culture, repatriation, investment opportunities and more. Africa is the future; see you in the motherland.
DAY 1 SATURDAY OCT 7 DEPART WASHINGTON DULLES Q ADDIS ABABA
Meet and greet 9:30 AM at departure gate at International Terminal at Washington-Dulles Airport. Flight departs at 11 AM on Ethiopian Airlines flight # ET 501 to Ethiopia, East Africa and arrive at 7.15 AM the next day.
DAY 2 SUNDAY OCT 8 WELCOME to ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
Arrive at Bole international airport, meet and assist by ET-holidays representative. Orientation and hotel check in. Welcome to Ethiopia, we will start with Addis Ababa city tour. Sightseeing will include Mount Entoto for the panoramic view of Addis Ababa, National museum: home for the oldest and famous hominid fossil ‘Lucy’ or Dinknish, Bahata church. Afternoon visit to Ethiopian Aviation Academy. Welcome Dinner Party at traditional restaurant. Along the way you will visit significant historical monuments of Addis Ababa. Overnight at Jupiter International Hotel. www.jupiterinternationalhotel.com
DAY 3 MONDAY OCT 9 ADDIS ABABA Q BAHIR DAR/ BLUE NILE, ETHIOPIA
Early morning flight from Addis Ababa to Bahir Dar. Depart on ET 120 at 8:10 AM and arrive at 9:10 PM. On your arrival our representative will take you to your hotel. In the morning you will take a boat cruise on Lake Tana to visit the 14th century Monastery of Ura Kidane Mihret which is the most famous of the Zegwe peninsula monasteries (beautiful mural paintings, religious books, processional crosses and sacred artifacts).
Afternoon drive 35km to the small village of Tis Abay to visit Blue Nile Falls, along the way enjoy the local life style and typical countryside of Ethiopia. Up on arrival hike through the beautiful scenery and cross over Portuguese bridge to the waterfall. Enjoy the fall and on the way back you will cross by boat the legendary Blue Nile River which joins the White Nile at Khartoum (Sudan) then form the longest river in the world. (Note that the volume of the water could be minimal depending on the season). Overnight at Grand resort. www.grandresorthotel.com
DAY 4 TUESDAY OCT 10 BAHIR DAR - GONDAR, ETHIOPIA
Early in the morning drive 186km to Gondar. En route, you will visit Guzara castle, predates Gondarian castles. Then continue north via the scenic road. After lunch you will have a city tour. Gondar, once was the Royal Capital of Ethiopia which was founded in 1636 by Emperor Fasilides. It was a hub of art, music and literature for Ethiopia. Your visit will include the Royal enclosure, Fasilides bath and the fascinating Debre Birhan Selassie church which is well known for its intriguing ceiling paintings. Overnight Goha hotel. www.gohahotel.com
DAY 5 WEDNESDAY OCT 11 GONDAR Q AXUM
Early morning flight to from Gondar to Axum. Depart on ET 122 at 9:45 AM and arrive at11:15 AM. A city more than 3000 years of history and once the center of a great empire and ancient civilization, home of the original Ark of the Covenant. The sightseeing of this ancient city includes St. Mary’s Church, the sanctuary Chapel which is the repository for ‘Ark of the covenant’, the coronation yard, the Stelae Park, Tombs of Kaleb and his son Gebre Meskel, Ezana’s inscriptions and Dungur palace (popularly known as ruins of Queen of Sheba’s palace). Overnight at Sabean hotel. www.sabeanhotel.com
DAY 6 THURSDAY OCT 12 AXUM Q LALIBELA
Early in the morning flight from Axum to the holiest city of Lalibela. Depart on ET 123 at 11:45 AM and arrive at12:25 PM Lalibela is known for its well preserved Rock Hewn churches; each rock churches are carved out and crafted beautifully from a single volcanic rock plateau. Here you head on back to 11th c. viewing the rock hewn churches of Lalibela; it is truly a world wonder. The time of Lalibela is the ultimate period of masonry. In the afternoon, visit the 1st group churches. Late in the afternoon enjoy the surrounding breathtaking scenery and take part in a traditional Tej or honey wine taste experience related with the local legend of Ethiopia. Overnight at Maribela hotel. www.maribelahotel.com
DAY 7 FRIDAY OCT 13 EXCURSION to ASHETON MARIAM CHURCH
After breakfast, excursion drive to Asheton Maryam, located at cliff is one of the highest sites in Ethiopia, set at an elevation of almost 4000m to the southeast of Lalibela. Sits hidden in a rocky mountain carved into the side of a cliff. The small church harbors impressive crosses, illuminated manuscripts and other treasures. The site is remarkable for its magnificent setting and the stunning views as you ascend. After visit, drive back and in the afternoon, visit the 2nd and 3rd group of rock hewn churches. Maribela hotel. www.maribelahotel.com
DAY 8 SATURDAY OCT 14 LALIBELA Q HAWASSA/ SHASHAMENE
Fly back to Addis Ababa. Depart on ET 120 at 10:40 AM and arrive at11:40 AM to Addis Ababa to connect to ET 135 to Hawassa at 1:30 PM and arrive at 2:10PM In the afternoon. Enjoy afternoon at leisure. Dinner, networking and night life options. Overnight at Lewi resort Hotel. www.lewiresort.com
DAY 9 SUNDAY OCT 15 HAWASSA and SHASHAMENE
In the early Morning we will visit fish market at the shore of Lake Hawassa. We will then drive to Shashemene, a small town where you feel like you are in Jamaica, because the city is inhabited by plenty of Jamaicans and other islanders who settled in the town after being granted part of the land from Emperor Haile Selassie in 1948. Visit the Rastafarian community and meet members who repatriated from the African Diaspora. Visit the Banana Art Gallery Museum and Nyabinghi Church. Lunch at the Usain Bolt house. In afternoon return to Hawassa to visit Wondogent hot springs, parks and open air markets in and around the area. Overnight at Lewi resort Hotel. www.lewiresort.com
DAY 10 MONDAY OCT 16 HAWASSA Q ADDIS ABABA QATLANTA
Final day. Check out of your room by 6:30 AM. Depart on ET145 at 9:10 to Addis Ababa arrive at 9:50 AM. After Lunch, visit Ethnographic museum the former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie. Visit Merkato the biggest open air market in East Africa., dinner and final group networking in Addis Ababa. Depart Addis Ababa at 10:45 PM to Washington Dulles on flight # ET 500 and arrive at 8:40 AM the next day Tuesday Oct 17.
(Note this itinerary may change slightly for logistic and operational efficiency)
For questions and additional info visit our website www.africafortheafricans.org and
Contact Tour Organizer: Bomani Tyehimba at (404) 931-9429 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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