Timket and Gena Special package

15 Days

Overview

Ethiopia has a plethora of fascinating and amazing tourist attractions. There are eight world heritage sites that exhibit nature, architecture, archaeology, prehistory, art, culture, and many other subjects. The greatest time to visit Ethiopia is during one of its festivities.

This trip’s primary highlights are two. The first is to attend the Ethiopian Christmas festival in Lalibela on January 7th. Ethiopian Christmas, which falls on 7 January, is marked by a church ceremony that lasts all night, with people traveling from one church to another. Lalibela’s celebration is magnificent. The other is to attend the Ethiopian Epiphany – Timket Festival on January 19 in Addis Ababa. Ethiopia Historic Route and Simien Mountain National Park are also included in the journey. The Ethiopia Historic Route tour is one of Ethiopia’s greatest treasures. It covers Ethiopia’s history from its beginnings to the present. A history that dates back to prehistoric man, the 12th-century cathedrals of Lalibela, the medieval castles of Gondar, and the churches and monasteries on Lake Tana’s islands.

It is possible to visit old monasteries on Lake Tana during our boat cruise from Bahir Dar to Gorgora. Blue Nile Falls will be visited after a short drive from Bahir Dar. A visit to the Simien Mountains National Park has also been included. The park offers breathtaking views of the Ethiopian Highlands, as well as the chance to see Gelada baboons and other birds.

Trip dates are January 5 – 19. The trip begins and ends in Addis Abeba.

Trip Highlights

  • Visit Addis Ababa
  • Visit Lalibela
  • Attend Ethiopian Christmas in Laliibela
  • Visit Hawassa
  • Visit Omo Valley
  • Visit Gondar
  • Visit Simien Mountains
  • Attend Timket festival

Itinerary

Our representatives will meet you at Bole International Airport and transfer you to your preffered Hotel upon your arrival in Addis Abeba. There will be an overview of the program and its itineraries. The rest of the day will be spent visiting historical sites in Addis Abeba, such as the National Archaeological Museum, where we will see the 3.6 million year old remains of "Lucy," whose skeletal remains were discovered in 1974. You will also see the Ethnological Museum at Addis Abeba University, the Holy Trinity Cathedrals, and Mount Entoto, which rises to 3200 meters and provides a panoramic view of the city.

Transfer to the airport following breakfast and take a flight to Lalibela. Travel to the Mount View Hotel in Lalibela. Lalibela, founded by King Lalibela in the 12th century, is the second Jerusalem. Visit this well-known church made of rock that dates back 800 years for the entire day.

First, we go to the first set of six churches, which are built into rock crags one after the other: Bet Golgotha, Bet Mikael, Bet Maryam, Bet Meskel, Bet Danaghel, and Bet Medhane Alem. Bet Medhane Alem, the largest, is built in the style of a Greek Temple, and its stone floor has been polished by so many visitors that it reflects shafts of light from apertures in the walls high above. Three empty graves symbolically dug for biblical patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, are located in a corner.

The other groupings of Lalibela's Rock churches will be visited in the afternoon. On a sloping rock terrace in the southwest corner of the village, Bet Bet Giyorgis is one of the most exquisite churches in all of Lalibela and maybe its most isolated structure. Only a tunnel can get you there. Bet Emanuel, Bet Mercurios, Bet Abba Libanos, and Bet Gabriel-Rufa'el are the four structures in this cluster, which are located south of the Jordan River. Spend the night at Mount View Hotel.

Attend the Ethiopian Christmas Festival and tour Lalibela's rock churches. The procession begins in the early hours, close to sunrise. Visit a church outside the town in the afternoon. Visit Nakuto Le'Abe Monastery by car. In 1270 AD, King Nakuto Le'Abe renounced his kingdom and retired to a cave to live as a hermit. Since then, this cave has been transformed into a stunning monastery. Its originator, Nakuto Le'Abe, is credited with creating some of the collection's most intriguing ancient crosses, illuminated manuscripts, and other icons. Hotel Mount View for the night.

You will take a flight to Addis Abeba in the morning before continuing on to Arba Minch. When we get to Arba Minch, we'll drive to the Dorze village to witness how they live traditionally. This community is located way up in the Gughe Mountains.

Overnight Arbaminch

After breakfast, you will take a boat trip to Lake Chamo to visit the crocodile market, which is a local name for a place in Lake Chamo where the crocodiles go out of the lake and chill, there is no buying or selling, you will also see hippos and different types of birds late drive to Turmi then you will have a chance to see the Konso village, one of Ethiopia's UNESCO sites known for their terracing. This village also produces some of the best coffee in the country. Continue to the Bana village. The Bana is a pastoral and semi-nomadic indigenous people who live in the harsh environment of the lower Omo Valley. The men often have their hair dressed up with a colorful clay cap that is decorated with feathers. Then proceed to the Turmi where the Hamer tribes.

After breakfast, you will travel to Omorate to meet the Dassanech people, also known as "people of the Delta," who live on the northern shore of Lake Turkana. Visit Turmi for lunch, then drive to Jinka, and finally to the Ari people, the largest population in the lower Omo Valley. The women wear skirts made from the banana-like tree Enset and are expert potters.

Visit the Mursi village on a day trip to Mago National Park. The Mursi are an unusual ethnic group in Ethiopia. They live in low-lying straw-leaf huts. Terra cotta is popular on women's enormously stretched lower lips and ear lobes. Return to Jinka for lunch. You will later be transferred to Jinka Airport for your flight to Addis Ababa. and then fly to Gondar in the evening.

Gondar overnight

We drive from Gondar to Sankaber, stopping briefly at the Simien Mountains National Park headquarters to obtain the permit. Today's hike is about 12 kilometers long and takes about 5-6 hours. The hike takes you through highland grasslands, heather forests, and cultivated fields, as well as along a spectacular escarpment with spectacular views. We'll meet the friendly gelada baboons, who forage in large groups. After climbing a few rocks, you can reach a stunning viewpoint at Jinbar Falls. This waterfall cascades hundreds of meters down the escarpment into the abyss. We pass through the welcoming village of Gich at the end of the day, where the locals are happy to prepare a well-deserved coffee. In Ethiopian culture, the coffee ceremony is a significant social event. The overnight camp is not far from the village. Camping for the night.

Today is the most spectacular day of the trek, with breathtaking views the entire way. We hiked for 5-6 hours, with a brief detour to Imet Gogo (3925 m). This summit has the best views. The Gich plateau is abundant with giant lobelia. The majestic lammergeyer may soar above you, and the endemic thick-billed raven may be present. We drive back to Gondar in the afternoon.

A full-day tour of Gondar's attractions begins after breakfast. Ethiopian rulers moved their royal camps frequently between the thirteenth and seventeenth centuries due to unrest. In 1636, King Fasiledes settled in Gondar and made it his permanent capital. Following King Fasiledes, subsequent kings continued to construct, improving the techniques and architectural style. Before its demise in the late eighteenth century, the royal court had evolved from a camp into a fortified compound known as Fasil Ghebbi, which consisted of six major building complexes surrounded by a 900-meter-long wall. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, handicrafts, painting, literature, and music flourished. The Gondar Castles are on the World Heritage List. Other attractions in Gondar that we visit include the royal Fasiledes Bath and the Church of Debre Berhan Selassie, which features unique murals.

Overnight Gondar

After breakfast, we drive 60 kilometers to the small town of Gorgora, then take a boat cruise on the beautiful highland lake of Lake Tana to Bahir Dar. On our boat ride across Lake Tana, we stop at the most accessible and representative of these churches, which are still in use. We go to the Debre Sina Mariam monastery church on Gorgora Peninsula, Dek Estifanos on Dek island, Azwa Mariam on Zege Peninsula, and Ura Kidanemheret on Zege Peninsula.

Overnight Bahirdar

After breakfast, we visit the magnificent Blue Nile Falls, also known locally as Tis Isat or "Smoke of Fire." The falls, which are 400 meters wide and 45 meters deep when in flood, spray a continuous spray of water droplets that drench onlookers up to a kilometer away. The area around the river is extremely fertile, and the Amhara people who live here grow wheat, sorghum, and Teff, which are used to make injera, the national bread. Return to Bahir Dar and visit the colorful market, where you can find baskets, pottery, traditional hand-woven clothes, and so on. Drive to Debre Markos in the afternoon following lunch at the hotel. As we travel from Bahir Dar to Debre Markos, we pass through a typical Ethiopian African landscape of open grazing land, hilly mountains, and numerous farmlands. The famous Teff-growing region in the nation, where injera, the country's bread, is made, is home to the Amhara people.

After breakfast drive to Addis Ababa en route you will visit the famous Blue Nile George and the Debre Libanos Monastery. Overnight Addis Ababa

Make a visit to any Addis attractions you missed the first day after breakfast. The excursion includes stops at:

Ethnographic Museum: The Institute of Ethiopian Studies was established on the main campus of Addis Abeba University with the intention of preserving the nation's historical and cultural legacies. It contains thorough collections that provide information on almost all of Ethiopia's tribal groups. You will find an overview of the Ethiopian people's history, culture, and traditions here. The nomadic tribal groups that currently live in a manner similar to that of man's ancestor's thousands of years ago are represented in the collections.
The biggest open market in Africa is called Merkato, and it is a place where everything is for sale. This place has everything you could possibly need or want. You can experience Ethiopian trade exchange tradition outdoors while being given a confusing but fascinating glimpse of the wide variety of goods and artifacts available from all over the nation. Walking down the congested streets, one can smell and see the spice market, browse the clothing stores selling shawls and dresses with intricately woven borders and embroidered Ethiopian designs, and haggle over a wide selection of both new and vintage Ethiopian handicrafts.
Arrive at the hotel for lunch, then drive to Jan Meda to attend the Timket Festival's eve afterward. Ethiopians refer to Epiphany as Timket or Timkat. Timket has a special meaning in Ethiopia even though Christians across the globe celebrate the holiday honoring Christ's baptism in the River Jordan. It is the most significant and exciting occasion of the year. Return to the hotel after the event is over. In the evening, we'll invite you to a farewell dinner at one of the traditional Ethiopian restaurants, where you can enjoy Ethiopian cuisine and traditional dances from various ethnic groups.

Overnigt Addis Ababa

Drive to Jan Meda after breakfast to attend the Timket Festival, an eye-catching celebration of Orthodox Christians. You can go shopping on your own for the rest of the day. Transfer to the airport in the evening to catch a flight home.

Includes and Excludes

Price Includes

  • 4WD transportation
  • Guide and Scout
  • Tent or cost of a night in community houses
  • Food and bottled mineral water
  • Accommodation
  • Domestic Flight tickets

Price Excludes

  • Alcoholic beverage
  • Gratitude

You can send your enquiry via the form below.

Timket and Gena Special package

Trip Facts

  • 2-20
  • Easy
  • Addis Ababa
  • Addis Ababa
  • Camping, Lodges, Hotels