Itinerary

1. Excursion In Addis Ababa & Its Surroundings

   • Visit the following landmarks in Addis Ababa:

   • National Museum, one of the most important sub- Saharan museums in all of Africa. It is home to the fossilized humanoid Lucy, as well as an amazing collection of artifacts, royal items and art.

   • Ethnographic Museum, which was the former palace of Haile Selassie and its collection, reflects the lifestyles of different ethnic groups of Ethiopia. In addition, it hosts Ethiopian art and traditional musical instruments.

   • Trinity Cathedral, famous for its stained glass paintings and its grandeur architecture. It is where Hailesilassie’s tomb is found.

   • St’ George Church, built in 1896 by Emperor Menelik II after the victory over the Italian colonizer. The museum inside houses spiritual items and royal relics.

   • Mercato, the largest open-air market in Africa.

   • Entoto Mountain, 9843 ft high and where the city was founded at first. The panoramic view from the peak is spectacular.

   • After a 90 km drive on a very good new asphalt from the capital Addis Ababa, and only 500 m from the main road; Tiya stelae field consists about 40 obelisks which stand between one and two meters high. Recent excavations revealed that the stones mark mass graves of both males and females who died between the ages of 18 and 30 and were laid to rest in a foetal position. Tiya is one of the eight UNESCO world heritage sites in Ethiopia.

   • Detour to Adadi Mariam rock-hewn church; the only southerly rock church in Ethiopia which dates back to 12th c. Short stops to visit the Oromo and Gurage people villages then drive back to Addis.

   • Drive from Addis Ababa to Debre-Zeit 42 km South of Addis Ababa and turn right to drive up the hills and climb the Mountain of Ziquala 3000m. This elevation made it a watchtower of the central Rift Valley region with cool climate on the top.

   • See the Monastery of “Zikuala Abo” at the top of the mountain. Right behind the monastery is the volcanic Crater Lake of Zikuala.

   • Drive back to Debre Zeit for lunch stop and visit some of the many volcanic crater lakes around then drive back to Addis Ababa.