13 Days Christmas Festival Tours

Day 01:

Addis Ababa

Arrive in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Welcome to Ethiopia! 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.

Day 02:

Addis Ababa, Bahirdar

In the morning, drive to Bahirdar through the Great Blue Nile Gorge with stops at different small towns like Dejen, Chancho, and Goha Tsion.

Day 03:

Lake Tana, Blue Nile Falls, Bahir Dar

After breakfast, we will take a boat cruise over 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.

Day 04:

Bahir Dar, Gondar

After breakfast, we drive to Gondar through the beautiful countryside scenery to arrive at Gondar around lunchtime.After check in to Goha Hotel and lunch there, we will start tour of Gondar that includes the Royal Enclosure, the pool of King Fasilidas, and the famous Debre Berhan Sellassie church adorned with brilliant frescos inside.

Day 05:

Gondar, 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.On the drive from Gondar up to Simien Mountains National Park you will enjoy the spectacular scenery including at the top of the massif. For the rest of the day, we will trek around the park and Sankaber to explore the stunnining views and wildlife.

Day 06:

Simien Mountains National Park, Axum

After breakfast, we drive to Axum through the beautiful scenery of the Simien Mountains and the Tekeze River Gorge.

Day 07:

Axum

After breakfast, we will visit the ancient city of Axum. Your visit in Axum includes the Stele Square, Kaleba Tombs, the 4th-century Christian inscription of King Ezana, Queen of Sheba’s Palace, Archeological Museum, and Tsion Mariam Church, where the original Ark of the Covenant is housed.

Day 08:

Axum, Hauzien

In the morning, we drive to Hauzien, the center of some of the most ancient rock-hewn churches, through the stunning and historical mountains of Adwa.

Day 09:

Hauzien, Mekele

In the morning, we drive to Mekele enroute visiting some of the most ancient Tigray rock-hewn churches including Wikro Cherkos, Abrha We-atsbeha, and Dugum Selassie.

Day 10:

Mekele, Lalibela, Celebration at Bete Emanuel

After breakfast, we drive north to Lalibela through Sekota. Enroute you will visit Yimrhane Kirstos and different villages of the Agwe tribal people. In the evening, we will drive to Bete Emanuel to attend the special celebration of Emanuel with chanting and dancing by the priests and deacons. The ceremony will be accompined by a capacity crowd of piligrims who came to witness this event from far off hamlets and inaccessible valleys on their bare feet walking, for weeks and even months.

Day 11:

Rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, Ethiopian Christmas Eve

In the morning, we will drive to the sites with the highest concentration of rock-hewn churches of Lalibela from 1200 AD. At night, we will attend the Christmas Eve ceremony to be held at Bete Mariam church. This evening, you will attend the Ethiopian Christmas Eve Ceremony with the pilgrims. The dancing by the deacons and the priests continue 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 12:

Lalibela, Asheten Mariam, Ethiopian Christmas

In the morning, we will once more drive to Bete Mariam to witness the final ceremony of Ethiopian Christmas. On this day, as it has been for centuries, the priests will be lined up with their drums on the cliff edge of Bete Mariam and others at the bottom, representing the shepherds and the angels announcing the birth of Jesus. After lunch and a rest at the hotel, we will continue our journey into Ethiopia’s long and marvelous history with a visit to more of Lalibela’s remarkable churches. The rock-hewn churches that we will visit this afternoon include Bete Gebriel, Bete Merkorios Bete Amanuel, Bethlehem, and Bete Aba Libanos. At the end of the tour, there will be a special Ethiopian traditional coffee ceremony for the group prepared at a local house.

Day 13:

Lalibela, Addis Ababa, Departure

After breakfast, transfer to Lalibela airport for the flight to Addis Ababa. Depending on your departure time, we can arrange an optional city tour of Addis Ababa. In the evening, there will be Grand Holidays Ethiopia Tours complimentary farewell dinner party with traditional special buffet and local drinks (flight schedule permitting). At the end of the farwell dinner, transfer to Addis Ababa airport for the flight back. End of tour.