Ethiopian Christmas Tours – 7 days
Day 1: Arrive Addis Ababa
Arriving in Addis Ababa, Upon arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, you will be welcomed and assisted by your tour guide and driven to your hotel. If you arrive in the morning, an optional city tour can be arranged.
Overnight: Hotel, Addis Ababa
Day 2: Fly Addis Ababa to Bahirdar
After breakfast, we will take a boat ride on Lake Tana to visit the ancient 14th-century island monasteries of Lake Tana. After lunch at the hotel, we will drive 35 km to visit the majestic Blue Nile Falls.
Overnight: Hotel, Bahirdar
Day 3: Bahir Dar to Gondar
After breakfast, we drove to Gondar through the beautiful countryside scenery arriving around lunchtime.
After checking into Hotel and having lunch there, we will start a tour of Gondar that includes the Royal Enclosure, the pool of King Fasiledas, and the famous Debre Berhan Selassie adorned with brilliant interior frescos.
Overnight: Hotel, Gondar
Day 4: Excursion to Simien Mountains National Park
After an early breakfast, we will drive to Simien Mountains National Park. Enroute we will visit the “Felasha”, or Black Jewish village.
Driving from Gondar up to Simien Mountains National Park, nothing prepares you for the spectacular scenery that awaits at the top of the massif. For the rest of the day, we trek around the park to explore the stunning views and wildlife of the park.
Overnight: Hotel, Gondar
Day 5: Drive from Gondar to Lalibela, Night Eve Ceremony
After breakfast, we drove through the spectacular landscape to Lalibela. Enroute we will stop at Awramba. This community was founded by Zumra Nuru in 1972 with the aim to live together peacefully and work collaboratively, sympathetically, and cheerfully. Community members treat each other as brothers and sisters.
In the evening we will attend the Christmas Eve ceremony with the pilgrims to be held at Bete Mariam Church. The dancing by the deacons and the priests continues throughout the night while the pilgrims clap and ululate to the drum beat. At midnight, there will be a candlelight ceremony to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Day 6: Ethiopian Christmas day, Lalibela
In the morning, we will once more drive back to Bete Mariam where the biggest festival will be held outside the church on the cliff surrounding the church. This will mark the final church ceremony of Ethiopian Christmas. On this day, as it has been for centuries, the priests will be standing in line with their drums on the cliff edge of Bete Mariam, at the bottom of the church, there will be more priests dressed differently to those up on the top of the cliff. The priests at the bottom symbolize the shepherds, and the priests on the top of the cliff symbolize the angels announcing and celebrating the birth of Jesus.
After lunch and a rest at the hotel, we will continue a visit to other Lalibela churches. The rock-hewn churches that we will visit this afternoon include Bete Gebriel, Bete Merkorios Bete Amanuel, Bethlehem, and Bete Aba Libanos. Overnight: Tukul Village or Harbe Hotel, Lalibela
Day 7: Lalibela, back to Addis Ababa, Departure
After breakfast, transfer to Lalibela airport for the flight to Addis Ababa. Depending on your departure time, an optional city tour of Addis Ababa can be arranged.
In the evening, there will be Covenant Ethiopia Tours farewell dinner party with a traditional special buffet and local drinks. At the end of the dinner, transfer to Addis Ababa airport for the flight back home.
We can integrate the festival with visits to other places on the Historic Route, Axum, to the rock hewn churches of Gheralta, Danakil Depression, and/or other parts of the country, the Omo valley, bird watching, trekking and other activities.
