Travel Program...

This newly developed tour program offers a unique entry into the culture, religion, and landscapes of Ethiopia. Our tour begins and ends in Addis, the thriving cultural and business capital city of Ethiopia and home to the Assembly of the African Union. During our brief time in Addis, we will tour two worthwhile museums and visit one of the sprawling marketplaces where the commerce of the city is conducted.

The tour really begins after a short flight to Lalibela, the small city in the hills where a medieval king spent decades carving a ‘new Jerusalem’ into the surrounding sandstone rock. The product of this industrious and ambitious undertaking is eleven UNESCO-recognized world heritage churches carved in two open-air rock-hewn complexes deep into the ground. We are timing our visit with the holiest Christian holiday for locals - Genna (Nativity) - where we will immerse ourselves in the pilgrim experience of ritualizing the miracle of Christ’s birth. We may choose to don the traditional ‘netela’ - a white ritual garment worn by pilgrims when they enter religious spaces, in order to observe the incredibly elaborate ritual dances of hundreds of deacons. Local youth groups sing exuberant hymns accompanied by rhythm instruments such as cymbols and drums.

After two full days in Lalibela, we will take a short flight to Gondar, the capital city of a large kingdom in the 15th-17th centuries. The heart of the city is dotted with historic castles, bath houses, and churches related to the golden era of this kingdom, whose artists pioneered new fresco styles in all of the churches of the region. In Gondar, we will find a local performance of Ethiopian traditional dance by one of the University student groups, and partake in a traditional coffee ceremony that involves roasting the beans, heating the coffee in sand, and serving it piping hot in small cups. On a long day trip, we travel north towards the Simien National Park (Roof of Africa) to observe the herbivorous Gelada monkeys and marvel at the spectacular vistas to the north.

In Bahir Dar, a city on the coast of serene Lake Tana where the Blue Nile begins its long voyoge north to the Meditterranean, we will spend a day boating to some of the 40 islands to observe unique wildlife including hippos. Landing on each island, we’ll walk along forested trails frequented by pilgrims over many centuries to the monasteries, where local guides explain frescoes, music, and local beliefs and traditions.

In place of the Tigrai region, we are delighted to add a special trip to the Sidama region near the Great African Rift Valley in south-central Ethiopia. After flying into Hawassa, we will drive around one of the many large lakes in the valley, arriving at the fantastic Aregash Lodge. The next day, we will walk through coffee-cultivated forests interacting with the local people, learning about their traditional cuisine, music, religious views, with several surprises planned. There is abundant wildlife in the area which we will hope to see.

After a day in the village, we’ll load into jeeps and drive south along the valley rim and through rolling hills of cultivated false banana fields until we arrive at Lake Chamo where we’ll stay in the unbelievably beautiful Paradise Lodge for our final night. The cultural highlight will be visiting the Dorze tribe, whose intricately constructed woven houses look like elephant heads, and whose loom-woven textiles are coveted throughout Ethiopia. They ferment enset leaves underground, later baking the pulp into bread, a process that we will learn about while also hearing their traditional music and tasting local honey from tree honeycombs.

Before flying back to Addis, we’ll offer an optional early-morning boat excursion on Lake Chamo to view the great Nile crocodiles, hippos, fish eagles, and other extraordinary wildlife in their natural habitat.

Throughout the tour, our meals will be simple but delicious affairs: a combination of Ethiopian traditional ‘injera’ - a pancake-like bread used to scoop up various savory stews from large common plates - and Ethiopian-Italian fusion relying heavily on pastas and fresh salads. Ethiopia wines include the sweet tej honey wine, as well as Italian-style reds, while beers are typically light lagers.

We will be staying in the best possible accommodation available, all Ethiopion establishments. It is a wonderful experience to sleep in the traditional Ethiopian round houses called ‘tukul’, which are featured in several of the lodges that we have chosen. All rooms are ensuite, provided with all amenities (see details on the Accommodations page).

Guests may choose to extend their exploration of Ethiopia: visit the medieval Islamic city of Harar in the East, or the indigenous region in the Omo Valley (see Extension Trips page).