Peerless Ethiopiatours, A SPECIAL TOUR PROGRAM

DECEMBER / JANUARY 2025

TOUR LENGTH : 9 DAYS / 8 NIGHTS

DESTINATIONS : ADDIS ABABA, AKSUM, LALIBELA, GONDAR, and BAHIR DAR

TOUR PRICE : <> For a group of 8 pax, it will be 1850 euros per person each.

                          <> For a group of 10 pax, it will be 1780 euros per person each.

                          <> For a group of 12 pax, it will be 1720 euros per person each.

[SINGLE SUPPLEMENT = 240 euros]

TOUR PROGRAM

DAY 1 – DEC 27 : ARRIVAL TO ADDIS ABABA

• Arrival to Addis Ababa Bole International airport, meet and greet with a welcome gesture.

• As our arrival time is in the earliest hour of the morning, we proceed to the hotel reserved for a check-in and have a break for an hour.

• At around 10 am, we start on a City tour, visiting the National museum (where the famed humanoid fossil remains of Lucy is located – 3.18 million years old), Merkato (the biggest open air market in Africa, with thousands of visitors daily for their business engagements), and a panoramic view over the capital city from Mount Entoto (at 3200 meters above sea level, is where Emperor Menelik II built his palace before moving to the lower land and founding Addis Ababa as his permanent seat and a capital city).

• Get back to the hotel for an overnight stay.

DAY 2 – DEC 28 : ADDIS ABABA TO AKSUM (flight)

• This morning, we take a domestic flight destined to Aksum (Ethiopia’s first capital city under the Aksumite Dynasty - from the 10th century BC to the 8th century AD). Then we proceed to the hotel reserved for a check-in.

• On this day, we will visit the Giant Steles compound (with granite Obelisks still standing in place since the 3rdcentury AD by the order of the Aksumite kings, each measuring a height of 33meters, 25 meters, and 23 meters), the church of St.Mary of Zion (believed to have housed the original and true Ark of the Covenant, which is brought to Ethiopia in the 10th century BC by King Menelik the first, son of King Solomon of Israel), Tombs of King Kaleb and his son King Gebre Meskel(ruling Ethiopia during the 5th/6th century AD, known for their religious contributions and for having ruled Ethiopia farther up to Yemen), and finally the ruins of Queen of Sheba palace (an Ethiopian Queen from the 10th century BC, known for her legendary travel to Israel to visit King Solomon).

• Get back to the hotel for an overnight stay.

DAY 3 – DEC 29 : AKSUM

• Early morning, we drive on a day trip to Yeha (55kms – an hour drive) and visit the Temple of the Moon (dating back to the period of the Da'amat Kingdom of the 6th/7thcentury BC, once was a worshipping site near to the recently discovered palace of the Da’amat kings). The kingdom was also present in today’s Eritrea land.

• On the way driving back to Aksum, we will visit a local house of the Tigray people, which is completely made out of a stones. We will learn from their culture and traditional practices.

• Get back to the hotel for an overnight stay.

DAY 4 – DEC 30 : AKSUM TO LALIBELA (flight)

• We will take a flight destined to Lalibela (the second capital city of Ethiopia under the Zagwe Dynasty – from the 10th to 13th century AD). Then we proceed to the hotel reserved for a check-in.

• In the afternoon, we will visit the first group of the rock-hewn churches (an extraordinary work of the saintly king Lalibela, carved out of a single giant basaltic rock during the 12th century AD). It took the king and his workmanship 23 years to finish the unimaginable carving and excavation of the churches. The first group of the rock-hewn churches are, Bete Medhaniyalem, BeteMariyam, Bete Meskel, Bete Denagil, and BeteMikael-Golgotha.

• Get back to the hotel for an overnight stay.

DAY 5 – DEC 31 : LALIBELA

• Early morning, we will drive to Mount Asheton (at 2850 meters above sea level, and a half an hour drive) and visit the church of Asheton Mariyam (carved out inside a cave, at first was started by King Lalibela but finished by King Na’akuto La’ab sometimes during the early years of the 13th century AD ).

Peerless Ethiopiatours, [01/07/2025 15:16]

It is such a beautiful place, with a majestic view over the Lasta land.

• We drive back to Lalibela town for a lunch break.

• In the afternoon, we will visit the second group of the rock-hewn churches (Bete Gebriel-Rufael, BeteMerkorios, Bete Amanuel, and Bete Aba Libanos). Also, we will visit the famous cross shaped church of St.George, Bete Giyorgis.

• Get back to the hotel for an overnight stay.

DAY 6 – JAN 01 : LALIBELA TO GONDAR (flight)

• In the morning, we take a domestic flight destined to Gondar (the third capital city of Ethiopia under the Gondar Kings ruling period – from the 17th to 19thcentury AD). Then we proceed to the hotel reserved for a check-in.

• In the afternoon, we will visit the Castles compound (housing seven Castles and ruins of more than a dozen royal houses, houses the first Castle of King Fasiladas – as he founded Gondar to be Ethiopia’s third capital city in 1636), the church of Debre Birhan Selassie (built during the beginning of the 18th century is known for the original preserved mural paintings of the angels and saints in the ceiling), and the bath of King Fasiladas(where today Ethiopian Orthodox church celebrates the annual religious festivity of the Epiphany, from the 18thtill the 20th of January).

• Get back to the hotel for an overnight stay.

DAY 7 – JAN 02 : GONDAR TO BAHIR DAR

• On this day, we will drive to Bahir  Dar (178kms – three hours and a half).

• On the way, we will visit the Woleka village (home to the Ethiopian Jewish community, whom have lived in this area since the 17th century until the 1980s), and an Amhara village to learn from their culture.

• An overnight stay in a suggested hotel.

DAY 8 – JAN 03 : BAHIR DAR

• Early morning, we will take an excursion trip by boat on Lake Tana and visit the 14th century built monasteries of Ura Kidane Mihret and Azuwa Mariyam in the ZeghePeninsula, and Narga Selassie at the island of Deq.

• Late afternoon, a beautiful view over the Nile River and Lake Tana from Bezawit hills, as we witness the magnificent sunset over Lake Tana.

• Get back to the hotel for an overnight stay.

DAY 9 – JAN 04 : BAHIR DAR TO ADDIS ABABA(flight)

• We take a morning flight destined back to Addis Ababa. Then proceed to the hotel reserved for a day use check-in.

• In the afternoon, we visit the church of St.George (built by Emperor Menelik II, one year after the defeat of the Italian troops at the Battle of Adwa, which is also known for its mosaic paintings on the walls).

• In the evening, a farewell dinner at a cultural restaurant with folkloric dances and a local spicy meals, marks the end of the tour.

NB: The price quoted is based on the current market and considering the ongoing inflation on costs from time to time. We might have a small difference in the price, may be during the period we conduct the tour provided, which will be discussed and solved prior to the start of the tour.

What’s included in the price;

➢ All the domestic flight tickets as per the program.

➢ All surface transportations, with a well equipped vehicle including fuel and an English speaking professional driver.

➢ A boat hire on Lake Tana.

➢ Standard hotel rooms including breakfast at all destinations mentioned in the program.

➢ Meals (Lunch and Dinner) with non alcoholic beverages (water, soft drinks, and coffee).

➢ Entrance fees, Local guides fees, and all the necessary photographic permits at the sight-seeing mentioned as per the program.

➢ A Spanish speaking escort guide throughout the trip.

➢ Government taxes.

What’s not included in the price;

➢ An international flight ticket and a Visa fee.

➢ Alcoholic beverages.

➢ Special permits needed for High definition filming equipment.

➢ Personal expenses, and other expenses not mentioned from above.

➢ Personal tipping (a show of gratitude for the service provided, which is recommended to do so if satisfied by the service provider).