Title: Ethiopian Christmas at Lalibela
Tour Code: WETT – 027
Duration : 7 NIGHTS AND 8 DAYS
Start: January 02
End: January 09

Ethiopian Christmas in Lalibela

Jan 2.Arrival in Addis Ababa and transfer. Overnight Hotel. Jan 3. Fly to Bahir Dar, get transferred to hotel. After lunch drive 32kms out of Bahir Dar or rough road to Tisisat village to visit the Blue Nile Falls. Overnight hotel.
Jan 4.Half-day boat trip over Lake Tana to the peninsula of Zeghie to visit Ura Kidane Mehret monastery where you see the religious wall paintings, parchment books, crosses, crowns and robes of different kings and other religious artifacts. In the afternoon visit Bahir Dar market – a bustling market in which cereals, clay made utensils, leather bound baskets, local cotton fabric, fruits and vegetables etc can be seen. In the evening you will go to Bezawit Hill for a view over the Blue Nile River, Bahir Dar town and beautiful sunset. Overnight Hotel.
Jan 5.Fly to Gonder and get transferred to hotel. Then you will visit the Gonder castle compound (World Heritage Site) and the beautiful Debre Birhan Selassie church Overnight Hotel.
Jan 6. Fly to Lalibela and visit the 1st group of King Lalibela’s rock hewn churches (12th century).

During the night Christmas Eve celebration continues in the churches in the presence of many white-robed worshipers. If you are keen at the expense of your bed time, you may participate in one of the churches’ celebration. Overnight Hotel. Jan 7. Today is Ethiopian Christmas. Therefore, you have the chance to attend the colorful celebration, which takes place in and around the compound of Vergin Mary’s church. Here, there will be breathtaking chant and dance of a multitude of Lalibela priests. In the afternoon you will visit the second group of King Lalibela’s rock hewn churches (World Heritage Site). Overnight Hotel.
Jan 8. Fly to Axum and visit the historical and archaeological sites in Axum. These include the archaeological museum, main stele field, the ruined palace of King Kaleb and King Geber Meskel, stone inscriptions, subterranean tombs, the ruined palace of the Queen of Sheba. Overnight Hotel.
Jan 9. Visit the remaining sites in Axum like Axum Tsion church where the original holy Ark of the Covenant is believed to be housed. Then fly back to Addis Ababa. Overnight Hotel.

Ethiopian Epiphany in Gonder

Jan. 16Arrival in Addis Ababa and transfer. Overnight Hotel.
Jan 17Fly to Bahir Dar; get transferred to the hotel & visit Bahir Dar market – a bustling market in which cereals, clay made utensils, leather bound baskets, local cotton fabric, fruits and vegetables etc can be seen. You will have also a half-day boat trip over Lake Tana to Ura Kidane Mehret monastery where you visit the religious wall paintings, parchment books, crosses, crowns and robes of different kings and other religious artifacts. Overnight Hotel.
Jan 18Fly to Gonder, get transferred to hotel. Then you will visit the Gonder castle compound (World Heritage Site).Starting around 3:30 P.M you will attend the colouful processions of the eve of Ethiopian Epiphany. In this procession, the replicas of the original Ark (Tabots) from different churches will be removed and are carried by priests under huge, colorful umbrellas. Deacons also carry processional crosses, religious paintings and bells. On the occasion, a lot of people will sing, dance and ululate accompanying the priests all the way to the place where the Tabots are supposed to make there over nights (Pool of King Fasildes). Overnight Hotel.
Jan 19In the morning you will visit the remaining sites of Gonder like the beautiful Debere Brhan Selassie church.

Today is the main day for the celebration of the Ethiopian Epiphany. So you will have a chance to see the sprinkling of the blessed holy water in remembrance of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the river Jordan in the hands of John the Baptist. The Tabots are also carried back to their original places in the same way that they are brought. Overnight Hotel.
Jan 20 Fly to Lalibela and attend the celebration of St.Michael’s day. In addition, you will visit the 1st group of King Lalibela’s rock hewn churches. Overnight Hotel. Jan 21. Mule ride to Asheten Mariam Monastery which is situated at 3000meters above sea level. And in the afternoon you visit the 2nd group of King Lalibela’s churches. Overnight Hotel.
Jan 22 Fly to Axum and visit the historical and archaeological sites in Axum. These include the archaeological museum, main stele field, the ruined palace of King Kaleb and King Geber Meskel, stone inscriptions, subterranean tombs, the ruined palace of the Queen of Sheba. Overnight Hotel.
Jan 23 Visit the remaining sites in Axum like Axum Tsion church where the original holy Ark of the Covenant is believed to be housed. Then fly back to Addis Ababa. Overnight Hotel.

Hidar Tsion in Axum