Timket – Ethiopian Epiphany

Festival tour – Axum, Gondar, Lalibela and Bahir Dar

Historic Route – Axum, Gondar, Lalibela, and Bahir Dar

Travel to Ethiopia, the land of legends, one of the world’s most fascinating destinations. Our adventure begins in Addis Ababa and traverses the northern historic route visiting Lake Tana, Gondar, Lalibela, and Axum, featuring several UNESCO world heritage sites. In this fabled land where legend and history are deeply entwined, hike among the villages to the sacred island monasteries of Lake Tana, and explore the Castles of Gondar where you enjoy a private coffee ceremony. At dawn, wander through the ethereal subterranean churches of Lalibela glowing in the early morning light, and wonder at the towering stelae of Axum, coming as close to the legendary arc of the covenant as possible. Equipped with the best vehicles and escorted by expert guides immerse yourself in the ancient history, cultures, natural habitats, and spirituality of this captivating country and its people. This itinerary can easily be modified as a custom trip and if your travel dates are flexible we recommend visiting Ethiopia in conjunction with the colorful Timkat festival on January 19.

Timket /Epiphany

One of the main festivals in the Ethiopian year is Timkat (often confusingly called Ethiopian Epiphany) which falls on the 19th of January in most years. This commemorates the baptism of Jesus by John and begins on Timkat Eve (Timkat waziema)- with Tabots being joyfully paraded and taken down to a special place where they will camp for the night. The followers from that church will accompany the procession sometimes with dancing and singing. The priests dress in their best garments and the Tabots are shaded by brocade umbrellas.

In Lalibela, the night is spent drinking local beer (Tela) and dancing to the big drums (Kebero). The next morning –Timkat itself- a special mass is said, water is blessed and the splashing begins. This is most famous at Gondar with people jumping into the Fasilidas baths but it is full of tourists. A genuine and intimate version of the events can be seen in Both Lalibela and Meket communities which are more than happy to have a few guests join their celebration. Once the water festivities are done the tabots are processed back to their church — all except Mikael whose holy day is the next day and so gets to be joyfully processed back on the day after Timkat. The day following Timkat is also called Kana Zagalila commemorating Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana.

Day 1: Addis Ababa – City Tour

Arrive in Addis Ababa in the morning. After a leisurely morning to relax we will spend the afternoon on a site-seeing tour of Addis Ababa. you will visit the National Museum which houses some of the country’s historic treasures. The collection of fossils and bones of early hominids discovered in Ethiopia includes the 3.5 million-year-old remains of “Lucy”, the oldest hominid ever found. We will also visit the Holy Trinity Church, Ethiopia’s main cathedral and home to the remains of the last emperor, Haile Selassie. Finally, we will visit Menelik”s Mausoleum.

Meal: breakfast /lunch /Dinner

Overnight Hotel

Day 2: Fly to Axum

After breakfast, you will be transferred back to Bole airport for your flight to Axum.

According to local legend, Axum was home to Queen Sheba and the current resting place of the Ark of the Covenant.

As we explore Axum, and its ancient relics, a sense of adventure and imagination guides us through this mysterious and historic place.

On arrival, you will get your first glimpse of the history of this area with a city tour that includes the Archeological museum of Axum and the Cathedral of St. Mary of Zion. The original church was built by Emperor Fasilides, founder of Gonder, in 1665. It’s thought that this church is built on the original foundations of a temple built by King Ezana or King Kaleb in the 4th or 6th centuries, making this the oldest Christian site in Africa. Keep your eye out for the guarded chapel, which is said to be the home of the Ark of the Covenant. The modern St. Mary’s of Zion cathedral dates from the 1960s when Emperor Haile Selassie had it built. The architectural style is painfully out of place within the ancient city, but the contrast between the buildings on the site is fascinating. We also spend time exploring the on-site museum under the church, which houses many of Ethiopia’s priceless relics.

In the afternoon, we will visit the famous ‘Stele field’ (4th Century AD and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ruined palace and tomb of King Kaleb and King Gebre Meskel (5th and 6th Century AD), and the residence of the legendary Queen of Sheba (9th century BC). The North Stellae Park contains over 120 Stellae, some are upright, some are buried and others have been removed. The Rome Stellae, the tallest at 25m high, was shipped to Italy in 1937 under orders from Mussolini but has since been returned and re-erected.

Meal: breakfast /lunch /Dinner

Overnight Hotel

Day 3: Fly to Lalibela

After breakfast, you will be transferred back to Bole airport for your flight to Axum.

According to local legend, Axum was home to Queen Sheba and the current resting place of the Ark of the Covenant.

As we explore Axum, and its ancient relics, a sense of adventure and imagination guides us through this mysterious and historic place.

On arrival, you will get your first glimpse of the history of this area with a city tour that includes the Archeological museum of Axum and the Cathedral of St. Mary of Zion. The original church was built by Emperor Fasilides, founder of Gonder, in 1665. It’s thought that this church is built on the original foundations of a temple built by King Ezana or King Kaleb in the 4th or 6th centuries, making this the oldest Christian site in Africa. Keep your eye out for the guarded chapel, which is said to be the home of the Ark of the Covenant. The modern St. Mary’s of Zion cathedral dates from the 1960s when Emperor Haile Selassie had it built. The architectural style is painfully out of place within the ancient city, but the contrast between the buildings on the site is fascinating. We also spend time exploring the on-site museum under the church, which houses many of Ethiopia’s priceless relics.

In the afternoon, we will visit the famous ‘Stele field’ (4th Century AD and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ruined palace and tomb of King Kaleb and King Gebre Meskel (5th and 6th Century AD), and the residence of the legendary Queen of Sheba (9th century BC). The North Stellae Park contains over 120 Stellae, some are upright, some are buried and others have been removed. The Rome Stellae, the tallest at 25m high, was shipped to Italy in 1937 under orders from Mussolini but has since been returned and re-erected.

Meal: breakfast /lunch /Dinner

Overnight Hotel

Day 4: Excursion – Mule Riding

Mule riding: an excursion out of town to Asheten Mariam. We visit Asheton Mariam, atop a mountain overlooking Lalibela, by mule back. The mountain views are impressive and panoramic.

In the afternoon, visit the Second group of churches representing the heavenly Jerusalem. In this group are the Bete Gabriel & Raphael, Bete Merquorios, Bete Emmanuel, and Bete Abba Libanos Finally, visit the most interesting cross-shaped church of Bete Giorgis (St. George), which is said to be the symbolization of Noah’s ark. The cruciform-shaped Bete Giorgis is the most perfect and beautiful church here; its interior is dominated by depictions of Saint George killing the dragon.

Meal: breakfast /lunch /Dinner

Overnight Hotel

Day 5: Fly to Gondar (January 19)

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport and fly to Gondar.

With the castles of the Royal Enclosure, ornate churches, and resplendent bathing pools, it’s easy to imagine Gondar in all of its glory as the capital of Ethiopia in the mid-1600s. King Fasilides named Gondar as the capital in 1636 and by his death in 1667, Gondar’s population had reached 65,000, and its wealth and beauty were well known throughout the land.

A morning is spent exploring the Royal Enclosure and its buildings, the nearby bath of King Fasilides (where modern-day Timkat ceremonies are performed). The enclosure is surrounded by a 300-foot wall, the fortress is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The oldest and most impressive structure is the two-story palace of Emperor Fasilides, built of solid basalt stones. Other royal buildings that will be visited include the library of Emperor Yohannes I, the House of Song where royal ceremonies took place, the elegant reception and banquet hall of Emperor Bakaffa, and the palace of this king’s wife.

Finally, we climb the hill to visit the Church of Debre Birhan Selassie, an imposing structure with its harmony of brightly colored ceilings completely covered with intricately painted and endearing angel faces.

Meal: breakfast /lunch /Dinner

Overnight Hotel

Day 6: Bahir Dar (January 20)

After breakfast, you will depart for a three-hour drive to Bahir Dar- the beautiful lake-side city.

You will pass rural villages, cross mountain passes with stunning vistas and get your first glimpse of the impressive city of Bahir Dar.

In the afternoon, you head out on Lake Tana to the Zege Peninsula and its famous monasteries. While on board, keep an eye out for a variety of bird species and the traditional tankwa crossing the lake.

After a short hike through local villages and coffee farms, you will reach the monastery of Ura Kidane Meret, which is home to an important collection of crosses and crowns dating back to the 16th century. The painted maqdas, colorful and well-preserved, tell the stories of Ethiopian saints.

The second monastery that you will visit is Azwa Maryam, a small and pleasant site with gardens and a humorous young priest. Then sail back to Bahir Dar overnight.

Meal: breakfast /lunch /Dinner

Overnight Hotel

Day 7: Return to Addis

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport and fly back to Addis Ababa. On arrival, you will be taken for lunch at the hotel and thereafter on a short tour of Addis Ababa.

Addis Ababa is the third highest capital in the world and one of the largest cities in Africa with a population of well over 5 million. It is located at 2500 m above sea level at the foothills of the highest peak of the Entoto Mountain chain (3200m above sea level), it enjoys an excellent climate all year round; with an average temperature of 16 C. Addis Ababa is a pleasant city with wide avenues of Jacarandas, interesting museums and one of the largest open-air markets in Africa, known as Merkato.

In the evening, you will be invited to a farewell dinner party at one of the best traditional restaurants in Addis where you will have a chance to a taste variety of Ethiopian meals, and watch the folkloric dancers and music diversity of Ethiopia, as your trip to Abyssinia comes to an end.

After dinner, you will be transferred to Bole international airport for departure flights.

Meal: breakfast /lunch /Dinner

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