The Best of Egypt & Ethiopia
Full Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where you'll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Overnight at the Sheraton Addis Ababa
Day 2
Early continental room service breakfast. Transfer for flight to Axum. Check into the hotel and have lunch. Visit the city of Axum, the cradle of Ethiopia’s 3000-year-old civilization. In its heyday in the 6th century, the Axumite Kingdom was one of the four great powers of the world ruling the two southern sides of the Red Sea. The glory of the Kingdom can still be pictured as you gaze on the colossal rock stele, the stonework of royal tombs, and the legendary bath of the Queen of Sheba. The 17th century Church of St. Mary standing near to the ruins of an earlier 4th-century church and is the country’s oldest and holiest Christian shrine. Another small sanctuary is said to be the last resting place of the original Ark of the Covenant, admittedly one of the most precious relics of Judeo-Christian tradition. Enjoy the interesting archaeological museum. Overnight at the Remehai Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3
Fly to Lalibela and check into the Roha Hotel. Visit Ethiopia's famous rock-hewn churches built in the 12-13th century and attributed to King Lalibela. There are no less than 1000 churches in the Lasta Region of Lalibela some hidden in enormous caves, but it is exceptional to find 11 churches of such master craftsmanship in one locale. These brilliant feats of engineering and architecture are often referred to as the "Eighth Wonder of the World." Overnight at the Roha Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4
Fly to Gondar and check into the Goha Hotel. Founded by Emperor Fassilides in the 17th century Gondar has been called the "Camelot of Africa" because of its castles and fortress-like battlements. By European standards, the Gondar castles may not be elaborate but their very presence in Africa makes them a rare and imposing sight. Ambassadors of the Indian Moguls of the Ottoman Empire and of Louis XVI of France were once entertained here. Visit the baths of Fassilides and the Debre Birhan Selassie Church famous for its "winged angels" that adorn the ceiling. Pay a short visit to the Weleqa village (3 miles /10 min drive) which had once been a center for a substantial Felasha population. Almost all of them have been air-lifted to Israel in the 1980s, but today some individuals there still claim descent from the Felasha. Enjoy a cultural night of local musical entertainment. Overnight at the Goha Hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5
Fly to Bahir Dar and check into the Tana Hotel. After lunch, take a boat excursion on Lake Tana. The Lake is Ethiopia's largest at 85 km long and 65 km wide. In their funerary texts, the Pharaohs referred to it as "Lake Karou of the Country of the Happy." In the Middle Ages, churches sought refuge on the islands of Lake Tana and due in part to the difficult access these churches, are to this day rich in the best of Ethiopian religious paintings, illuminated manuscripts, and other treasures. We will visit the monastery of Ura Kidane Miheret. Drive for a panoramic view of the city and Lake Tana from a hill near the palace of former Emperor Haile Selassie. Overnight at the Tana Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Image Source: A.Savin
Day 6
Have an early breakfast. Drive (35kms/45 min) and make a short hike (20 min) to visit the majestic Blue Nile Falls named Tis Issat in the Amharic language which descriptively translates as "Smoke of Fire." The Falls plunge over a sheer 45 mt precipice that is 400 mt wide. Sought in vain by Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans, the first European to discover the source of the Nile was Portuguese Father Paez. Stop by the bustling open market and then return to the hotel for an early lunch before transfer for the flight to Addis. Transfer to your hotel, then start a brief tour of the city of Addis Ababa, which in the Amharic language means "New Flower." Founded by Emperor Menelik in 1887, Addis is the capital of modern Ethiopia and has a population of about 3 million. It is graced as Africa's diplomatic capital with the presence of the headquarters for the Organization of African Unity and is the port of entry for most Travelers. Drive to the Ethnological Museum, which exhibits the culture and handicrafts of various Ethiopian ethnic groups. Drive through the Mercato, the largest open market on the continent. Enjoy a lively evening of traditional Ethiopian food and musical entertainment at the Crown Hotel. Overnight at the Hilton/Sheraton.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Image Source: A. Savin
Day 7
Enjoy a buffet breakfast, then transfer to Addis Airport for your flight to Cairo. Upon arrival, you will be met by our tour manager who will meet and assist. Transfer to your hotel, the luxurious Semiramis Inter-Continental Hotel. Overnight.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8
Breakfast, then start your tour by visiting the Pyramids of Giza. Cheops (Khufu) Pyramid, the largest of the three, was built in the 4th dynasty about 2690 BC and is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. In front of the pyramid of Chephren (Khafre), you will find the Sphinx carved from a single piece of stone. Take a camel ride by the Pyramids area. Continue your tour visiting the Egyptian Museum, famous for its antiquities from Egypt's Pharaonic period, which dates back some 50 centuries and includes the fabulous treasures of King Tut-Ankh-Amon. Also, visit the famous mummy room. In the afternoon take an excursion to Old Cairo, visiting the very old Coptic Churches and the oldest Jewish Synagogue of Beni Ezra. Continue your visit to the Citadel of Salah El-Din and the Mohammed Ali Mosque as well as the Medieval Bazaars of Khan-El-Khalili. Return to your hotel for overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 9
Early transfer to Cairo airport for your flight to Luxor. Arrive at Luxor Airport where you will be met by our tour manager who will transfer you to the luxurious St. George Sonesta Hotel for check-in. Later, start your tour visiting the Temple of Karnak, which took over 1500 years to build and is considered the world's largest religious complex. Then visit the temple of Luxor, which was started by Amenhotep III, and completed by Ramses II. Cross to the West Bank of the Nile to visit the Necropolis of ancient Thebes. Explore the Valleys of the Kings and Queens where tombs of 64 pharaohs and 57 queens have been discovered, and enter some of the most ancient tombs. Visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. Transfer back to your hotel. Overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 10
Breakfast, then meet your tour guide to visit the Valley of the Nobles, Userhat Tomb as well as Rekhmire Tomb, many of which are vividly painted with naturalistic scenes of agriculture, fishing, fowling, feasting, and junketing. Continue your tour visiting the famous King Tut Tomb and the very large Temple of Ramses III known as Madinet Habu, which depicts the battle reliefs on the exterior of the temple. End the tour by visiting the Luxor Museum. Later transfer to Luxor Airport for your flight back to Cairo. Upon arrival at Cairo Airport, you will be met and transferred to the Marriott Mena House Hotel. Overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 11
A day at leisure for last-minute shopping, relaxing by your hotel pool or purchasing an optional tour, from our Cairo office.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 12
Breakfast, then you will be met by our tour manager and transferred to Cairo Airport, where you will be helped with your check-in for your departure flight.
Meals: Breakfast
Also Included: Domestic flights in Ethiopia & Egypt. All taxes, service charges, port charges, and entrance fees to sights mentioned included as well. All transfers, meeting and assistance and baggage handling are also included.
Extensions & Optional Tours: Extra days and optional tours to sites are available upon request.
Pricing
$5849
The Best of Egypt & Ethiopia
$865
Single Supplement
**Please keep in mind that if you are traveling alone, you are single occupancy.
