Last updated: 2010-03-11
Itinerary
Day before gathering dayDeparture from Stockholm to Addis Ababa if you fly with Ethiopian Airlines. It is recommended to check-in a minimum of two hours before time of departure.
Day 1
Take rest after a long flight. But you must also take the opportunity to explore the surroundings of your hotel. Take advice from your tourleader and just walk out on the streets to get the best coffee in the world. That is what the Ethiopians think. And they are probably right - this is where coffee grows wild!Day 2
With hired bus to Arba Mich, a small town situated in a fantastic landscape. This is a long journey of 11 hours. You start in early morning and have the full day to stop whenever you like and many times.Day 3 to 4
The journey continues to Chencha with the local bus. From this village you will walk another two hours to Solla. You are now far out on the Ethiopian countryside and this is the traditional home of your tour leader! Israel and his relatives belong to the Gamo people who live in the Arba Minch mountain region. His relatives are still living in Solla and they will take care of you. They will do their best to teach you how to weave traditionally. You will hopefully also get the opportunity to visit the Chencha Market.Day 5 to 7
It is time to return to Arba Minch. At this place you will stay for two days. You will visit the Nech Sar (‘The White Grass National Park’), and you will go on a boat trip on Lake Chamo. During this trip you will be able to se hippos and crocodiles at the ‘Crocodile Market’. Swimming is not recommended! During one of the nights you will be invited to a local family in Arba Minch as guests.Day 8 to 9
On day eight you will start travelling back to Addis Ababa. However, before coming to the buzzing city you will have a day of rest at Lake Langano. This lake is part of the Great Rift Valley and this place will be perfect for swimming and relaxing. There will be no crocodiles, no hippos and no parasites in this lake. Enjoy it!Day 10
You will travel the rest of the way back to Addis Ababa.Day 11 to 12
At around lunchtime you will go by plane to the ancient city of Gondar, on the high plateau of Ethiopia. In 1636 Emperor Fasiladas founded Gonder as a new capital of Ethiopia. It flourished for 200 years. It is well known for a series of well preserved castles and churches. Most of these lies within a walled area, the Royal Enclosure, where Emperor Fasilades and his successors have build different castles. One of the most famous churches in Ethiopia, the Gonder Debre Berhan Selassie, lies a bit outside the Royal Enclosure. This is where you can see the famous roof with the angels.Day 13 to 14
Morning flight to Lalibela. Lalibela (2630 m above the sea level) was the former capital of Ethiopia, after the decline of Axum in the beginning of the 12th century. It is said, that king Lalibela was building the world-famous rock-hewn churches in Lalibela during the 12th century. The vision seems to have been to create a new Jerusalem. You will meet pilgrims, priests, monks and hermits living in caves when you visit these churches (the entrance fee is included). Lalibela is, despite its fame, a very small place, not more than a big village. Surprisingly few tourists visit this isolated place. At the great religious festivals Lalibela will be full of pilgrims. On Saturday the weekly market takes place. You can walk/ride up to an old monastery with a church cut in the cliff high above the village. (The cost is not included). Some traditional paintings of high quality is for sale in the few shops near your hotel. Do also try to get an opportunity to visit one of the round, two-story houses which are traditional for this region. On Saturday afternoon you will fly back to Addis Abeba.Day 15 to 16
Two days in Addis Ababa. On the first day you will have a sightseeing tour around the city (the tour is included). Addis Ababa is the third largest city in Africa. It became the capital of Ethiopia at the end of the 19th Century, during Emperor Menelik II. At first the Capital was situated at a big hill, Entoto, near the present city. But the Empress insisted that the town should be moved down the hill, where the climate was more pleasant and where hot springs existed. In order to get fuel wood for the city Menelik planted eucalyptus trees on the hills near the city. Still today, lots of women collect wood in these forests and carry it on their backs to Addis Ababa. Since 1958, the city host the headquarter for the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. And also, since 1963, the secretariat of the African Union (AU). The city has about 100 embassies! All the 53 African states have embassies in Addis Ababa. The city is situated at an altitude of around 2 400 meters and the climate is mild. There are several museums in Addis Ababa – the National Museum, the Ethnological Museum, the Addis Ababa Museum that you can visit during these days (not included). Mercato, the biggest market in East Africa, must not be missed. Here you can shop around for hours. If you are interested in handicraft or antiques, there is a special section for this.For those who travels with Etiopian Airline the plane leaves in the night between Day 16 and 17 (00.40). Arrival in Stockholm in the morning Day 17.
