Women only tour to Ethiopia
| country: | Ethiopia |
| departures: | 2009: 21 Oct |
| price: | From £2350 (14 days) excluding flights. Price includes accommodation on twin share basis, transport, transfers, domestic flights, guide, entrance fees and all meals except those on "free" days, where you can eat where you like at your own cost |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
On this women only tour we cover all the highlights of Ethiopia
Ethiopia has to be Africa’s best kept secret. Visit this undiscovered destination and you will be amazed! Discover Ethiopia’s treasures: rock-hewn churches, bustling African markets, 17th century churches, stunning mountains and plateaus, great food and coffee, fascinating tribes and a rich culture and history. It will change what you thought of Ethiopia forever.
Our tour includes these fantastic highlights:
Exploring the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, the unofficial 8th wonder of the world Taking a boat trip on Lake Tana to see the historical island monasteries with their old Christian treasures Exploring bustling African markets, full of life and colour, exotic smells and curious things! Giving back: visiting a women’s project that helps solo mothers support their families - we bring them supplies from our countries Seeing the 17th century castles of Gondar Hiking in the stunning Simien mountains: see friendly Gelada baboons Experiencing a traditional "coffee ceremony" – the best coffee in the world! Going to traditional music and dance shows - try the traditional “shoulder dance” yourself! Hiking up to a monastery high on a mountain, with stunning views Visiting the Muslim town of Harar, a Unesco World Heritage site Meeting with and learning about the nomadic Afar tribe
Ethiopia has to be Africa’s best kept secret. Visit this undiscovered destination and you will be amazed! Discover Ethiopia’s treasures: rock-hewn churches, bustling African markets, 17th century churches, stunning mountains and plateaus, great food and coffee, fascinating tribes and a rich culture and history. It will change what you thought of Ethiopia forever.
Our tour includes these fantastic highlights:
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Addis Ababa. Welcome to the vibrant capital of “Addis”, the third highest capital in the world! You will be picked up from the airport and transferred to the hotel to freshen up. In the afternoon we embark on a city tour, which includes: a visit to the Trinity Cathedral, commemorating the patriots who fought the Italian aggression in the 1930s, and the National Museum, rated one of the best sub-Saharan museums - this gives you a good introduction to Ethiopian history and culture, and is a good starting point for the trip. |
| Day 2: | Addis Ababa to Harar. Today we visit the Fistula Hospital, established in 1974 by the Hamlins, a pair of gynaecologists from New Zealand and Australia. The hospital cares for women with childbirth related injuries – the women are usually destitute, rejected by their husbands, and have often walked for days or weeks to get to the hospital. It is an interesting insight into a side of life not many know about, and will help you understand rural customs and life, and is, of course, a very touching experience. We also bring pre-arranged donations to the hospital. In the afternoon we take a flight to Dire Dawa – and then transfer to the old walled, medieval Muslim town of Harar, with its 99 mosques. Harar is situated on the east wall of the Great Rift Valley near the Somali border, and is the place where Islamic ideas entered into Africa from the nearby Arabian Peninsula. On the agenda this evening is a visit to "Hyena man" – he feeds wild hyenas every night on the edge of town – you can have a go too. |
| Day 3: | Harar. We kick off the day with a tour of this fascinating city, so different to the rest of Ethiopia. Your visit will include the Harari Museum, Rimbaud House and Harar Market. Shop for indigenous handicrafts and jewellery. Harar is East Africa’s equivalent to West Africa’s Timbuktu – it is a busy trading town, with an old Arab-style town centre called Jugal. Jugal, has been registered by UNESCO as a world heritage site. We visit the market, traditional Harari houses, and all the sights within the walled city, not forgetting the coffee factory, because Harar is, after all, famous for producing the best coffee in Ethiopia. |
| Day 4: | Harar to the Afar Region. This morning we get an early start for a long but very scenic drive to the Afar region. The drive not only gives you impressions of the Ethiopian landscape, but you will also witness a lot of Ethiopian "life", as people tend their fields, collect wood and take laden donkeys to the market. We spend the night in an eco-lodge. The lodge is located on Elalyetu, a hill overlooking the hot springs of Bilen and the vast sea of reeds which fringes them. You may see warthogs, greater and lesser Kudu, Gerenuk and Dik Dik, hear hyenas at night and, for any twitchers in the group, you will love the bird life! After arriving we go to visit the local Afar tribe, to see how these nomads live in their wood and thatched huts – witnessing them go about their daily lives, baking bread in earthen ovens, milking their goats, watering their camels etc – learning about their customs is truly a fascinating experience, like why the women smoke themselves.... |
| Day 5: | Afar Region to Addis Ababa. We pay a visit to the local hotsprings where the Afar water their camels and goats – and then we head for Addis. En route we drive through the Awash National Park. The park takes its name from the Awash River; the longest river in Ethiopia. Fun evening dinner in a national restaurant with traditional music and dancing. |
| Day 6: | Addis Ababa to Bahir Dar. This morning we fly to Bahir Dar, one of the Ethiopian's most attractive towns, and situated on the shores of the vast Lake Tana. A scenic drive and a short hike takes us to the Blue Nile Falls, at their best after the rainy season. In the afternoon we take a leisurely boat trip across Lake Tana, famous for the 20 monasteries established on its 37 islands. We visit Zeghe peninsula and its two churches of Ura kidane mehirat and Azuwa Mariam which were built in late 13th and 14th century, respectively. Christianity has a long history in Ethiopia, and the whole ancient culture, architecture and art surrounding it is fascinating. Tonight we join the locals in one of their cultural bars to see some traditional music and dance – you may even get the chance to try out some local dances yourself… |
| Day 7: | Bahir Dar to Gondar. After breakfast we drive to Gondar, through a patchwork quilt landscape of barley, tef, beans and wheat. In Gondar we visit a local womens’ project, set up in 1994 by a British man to help solo mothers who have no skills or means of income. Here we also have the opportunity to give back, or support them by buying some of the pottery, scarves and other handicrafts that they produce to support themselves. Emperor Fasilidas founded Gondar as his imperial seat in 1636 and the city was both the capital and a great commercial center from the 17th to the mid-19th century. We visit the Royal Enclosure or Fasil Gibbi and also the castles built by the various emperors of Gondar. A 2 km drive from the town center you will bring you to the bath of King Fasilides, where, during Timkat (Ethiopian Epiphany) a nearby river is diverted to fill an area the size of a small swimming pool. Worshippers plunge into the cold water in a re-enactment of the baptism of Christ in the River Jordan. We finish off the afternoon by visiting the impressive Debre Berhane Selassie church, whose interior is decorated with beautiful old murals. |
| Day 8: | Gondar to Simien Mountains National Park. Today we head for the stunning Simiens Mountains National Park. High up in the Simien Mountains we look down on landscapes similar to those of the Grand Canyon (only greener!) – a high plateau that gives way to deep, sloping valleys. The Park was added to the world heritage site list in 1978 with a total area of 190 km2. 57 tree species and a variety of herbaceous plants, 22 large, 13 small mammals and about 180 bird species have been recorded; from these Walia ibex, Ethiopian wolf, Menelik's bushuck and the Gelada baboon are endemic. In the afternoon we go on a 2 hour walk where we are likely to see the peaceful, vegetarian Gelada baboons. Tonight is spent in a very special traditional style eco lodge, with wonderful views at over 3000m. |
| Day 9: | Simien Mountains to Gondar. We do another short walk this morning in another part of the park, then head back to Gondar for the night, where we will go out for more of that great local food and fun traditional music and dance show. |
| Day 10: | Gondar to Lalibela. Today we fly to the amazing hillside town of Lalibela. Situated at 2,630m, it is as beautiful as the name sounds. Lalibela is known for it’s 11 rock-hewn churches, which were literally carved out of the ground, and have to be seen to be appreciated. King Lalibela had these churches made at the end of the 12th century so that it would no longer be necessary to take the long pilgrimage to Jerusalem – he called the series of rock churches the New Jerusalem. The first group of six churches lies in rock cradles, one behind the other: Bet Golgotha, Bet Mikael, Bet Mariam, Bet Meskel, Bet Danaghel and Bet Medhane Alem. Bet Medhane Alem, the largest, is built like a Greek temple. In a corner are three empty graves symbolically dug for biblical patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Bet Giyorgis, possibly the most famous due to it’s cross-shaped roof, is set apart from the others on a sloping rock terrace. The group of four south of the Jordan River comprise of Bet Emanuel, Bet Mercuiros, Bet Abba Libanos and Bet Gabriel-Rufa'el. The churches are still all in use today as a place of worship and contain many old treasures: beautiful coloured frescoes, ancient books, and processional crosses. Prepare to be amazed! |
| Day 11: | Lalibela. Free day! Today you have time to do as you please – stroll around town, catch up on postcards, or possibly visit some locals in their homes (you may get invited home for a “coffee ceremony”, where the beans are roasted, pulverized, and the most delicious coffee in the world is made before your eyes!) Saturday is also market day in Lalibela, and it is truly a colourful and interesting market - spend some time here watching the activity. |
| Day 12: | Lalibela. Today we hike or take mules up to another monastery, Asheton Maryam, situated at around 3,600m. The views on the way up are breathtaking, as is the monastery, which has been carved out of a cliff face. After lunch we drive 40kms through beautiful scenery to the monastery of Yemrehanna Kristos built by the king of the same name before the reign of King Lalibela. Set at an altitude of 2,700m and almost hidden high up in a cave, this old church has interesting architectural features. The huge cave houses not only the church, but also the remains of hundreds of pilgrims who came here to die. This evening after dinner we visit the local Tej House. Tej is a locally brewed mead-like drink made from honey, it’s very tasty and drnk contained special tiny bottles. |
| Day 13: | Lalibela to Addis Ababa. We leave Lalibela this morning and enjoy a very scenic flight back to the capital. With what is left of the day we have time to visit some traditional weavers and do some final shopping. Late afternoon we go to the Mercato, a bustling, thriving and busy African market, selling all manner of weird and wonderful things – vegetables, coffee, traditional clothes and handmade baskets, recycled metal goods – you name it! For our last evening together we eat at a very special restaurant |
| Day 14: | Addis Ababa. Sadly, it is time to leave this wonderful country, with its amazing history, wonderful cultures, friendly faces and stunning landscapes. You will no doubt be left with many fantastic impressions. Transfer to the airport for flight. |
women only tours
Our company specializes in holidays exclusively for women over 25. If you have no-one to to travel with, well, now you do! You get to travel with a group of like-minded women in a safe, supportive and fun atmosphere – no male-female dynamics, no being the third wheel, and no single supplements! It’s a chance to relax, enjoy your holiday and be yourself. Our trips are small-group, mid-range and all-inclusive. We travel in small groups to have more interaction with the locals, we partake in great little adventures, and being just women, you get to do things that women enjoy – like indulging in a local spa, learning to cook local food, and of course, retail therapy! Short and sweet: women-only trips are great fun!
how this holiday makes a difference
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Environment
All of our present staff come from a variety of backgrounds which lend themselves to sustainability of our planet: we have worked in National Parks, for Greepeace and for volunteer organisations. Needless to say, conservation and preservation comes naturally to us, from our office to across the globe! Community We are passionate about the people and places we visit: when in other countries we want our visit to be a mutual exchange with the locals, we want to have contact with them, learn from them and them from us in a positive way. Travelling in small groups allows us to visit locals in their homes and thus have a more authentic experience – like visiting schoolboy Sisay in Lalibela and his grandmother in their tiny mud hut for a coffee! Interaction is a big part of our trips – we like to make you feel like you are part of a place, and not protect you from it. In Ethiopia, our local guide and “main man”, Firew Ayele, has an immense knowledge and passion for his country and gives us a deep insight into Ethiopia through his years guiding and documentary-making experience. Along the way we also use other local guides and drivers who contribute to our experience and also become a part of our group. We patronise locally run restaurants and hotels at all times. As we use local service providers, the majority of the cost of this trip goes to Ethiopians. To educate our clients, we send out a Responsible Travel Code of Conduct with the pre-departure information: these are guidelines for respecting local environments, peoples and places. We give back to specially selected charities, usually those that support women: in Gondar we visit and support the Ploughshare project for solo mothers. Poor and destitute, these women are trained to make handicrafts to sell – we buy their crafts and make financial donations also. In the capital Addis Abbaba we visit the Fistula hospital for women with childbirth injuries run by Dr Hamlin, an Australian who started this project with her Kiwi husband in the 70s. We take supplies of wool for recovering patients to learn to knit – once their recovery is over they have a wonderful handmade blanket to take home. We also encourage our clients to bring their unwanted clothes with them so that they can wear them and then give them away on the trip - making more room for local crafts in their bags, thus supporting the local economy! With the help of Ethiopian friends we have selected two Ethiopian children to educate, Liya and Ermais, whose solo mothers struggle to raise them. Our company and clients make donations, and we use the profits from water bottle packs which we have locally made and sell to our clients. Ethiopian sewing and weaving communities also benefit from this project. We visit Liya and Ermais when we are in Ethiopia to see how they are progressing. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |