WHEN SCHEDULING YOUR FLIGHTS…
This program is offered in conjunction with the Djoser, Netherlands office but must be booked through Djoser, in the United States.  On this trip you will join Dutch & Belgium participants.  So that all travelers in the group have the same point of reference, the days in the day-to-day descriptions below correspond with the program description for the Dutch travelers, taking into account their travel time from Amsterdam.

When you book your flight, please keep in mind to the estimated times of arrival and departure of the Dutch participants. You should plan to arrive prior to the Dutch travelers.  

DJOSER MEANS “FREEDOM & CHOICE”
Our day-to-day program is not strictly regimented but is determined by collaboration between the guide and participants. The guide will organize and accompany many activities but will also make suggestions so that you can explore and dine, safely, on your own.

Day 1 Addis Ababa

Day 2 Addis Ababa - Chencha - Arba Minch

Day 3 Arba Minch - Lake Chamo optional cruise



You will be met by our Dutch tour guide (s) at the hotel in the center of Addis Ababa. The next day we drive to Arba Minch. En route we visit to Chencha. This is the habitat of the  Dorze tribe living on the slopes of Mount Gugh. The Dorze tribe are known for their fine weaving and making beautiful blankets and rugs. Their high huts made of wood and bamboo are immediately visible. You can take a look inside. At the end of the day we reach Arba Minch, where we spend the next two nights.

The next day we have a free day in Arba Minch. This is an easy day to explore on your own to discover Arba Minch. You can choose an optional boat trip on Lake Chamo. En route you can see many animals up close, such as crocodiles, hippos and various birds.



Turmi


Day 4 Arba Minch - Turmi

Day 5 Turmi, visit Omo Rate



From Arba Minch we drive to our destination today, Turmi. In Turmi, on market day, you see on the nomadic people of Hamar. The women smear their bodies with oil and red-brown clay. On their arms, legs and necks they wear tin bracelets. They are often adorned with wide leather belts decorated with shells to signify their worth. Both men and women spend much time on their hair. Men who have an enemy or who have slain a  wild animal smear clay in their hair.

There is also a cap that is painted or decorated with an ostrich feather. Women have passed the custom of hair braiding from mother to daughter.  During your visit to the market the chances are that you will be the center of attention and viewed with enthusiasm. On the exchange market goats and tobacco are traded and the news of the day is discussed. 

From Turmi we visit to Omo Rate and end up in very remote areas. The groups, including the Gelleb and Dessanch who live here are hardly aware they that they are part of Ethiopia. Here, our hectic western life almost unknown and absurd. Meter high termite hills and acacia bushes on the horizon give the area a desolate appearance. The bright pink flowers rise from the desert in stark contrast. Along the way we sometimes encounter the surprised Hamar, herding their cattle.

Jinka, Mago National Park and visit to Mursistam



Day 6 Turmi - Karo - Jinka

Day 7 Jinka, Mago National Park and visit Mursistam



Our bus makes its way to the habitat of the nomadic Karo. En route we stop at one of their small villages. In the Key Afer market, various tribes converge, including the semi-nomadic Banna, Ari and Tsemay. It is a colorful spectacle. The lively town of Jinka is the economic heart of the region and has a small airstrip.

From Jinka we make the trip to the Mago National Park, home of the Mursi population. Prepare yourself for a tough ride because the roads  are very rough here. The park is known for its scenic diversity. Mountains and savannahs are interspersed with rolling hills. You will observe giraffes, elephants, and various antelope species. Crocodiles and hippos live in the Neri River.

After our game drive we cross a valley flanked by the Mursi Mountains. We travel through this rugged landscape in search of the isolated Mursi tribe. It is one of the most fascinating populations of Ethiopia. The women are known for their disk lip piercings. The larger the disk, the more beautiful the woman, meaning they were worthy of a higher dowry. The men decorate their bodies with notches that symbolize the heroic deeds performed. After our visit we return to Jinka.

Konso

Day 8 Jinka - Dimeka - Konso
Day 9 Konso - Arba Minch

From Jinka we drive to Konso, the habitat of the agricultural Konso people. From the road you have a good view of their villages and terraces, which are built, against the mountains. High walls surround their villages. The Konso are known for their graves marked with carved totems to honor the deceased.

The totems are very popular with art dealers and unfortunately increasingly, they are disappearing from the landscape. En route we visit the colorful market Dimeka. You meet different tribes here and here you can buy souvenirs for the home front.

The unpaved road to Arba Minch leads through a plain with swamps on either side of the road. Sometimes you see here marabou, scavenging storks, - and white herons in the trees. The small villages provide bananas and mangoes.


Wendo Genet and Addis Abeba



Day 10 Arba Minch - Wendo Genet

Day 11 Wendo Genet - Addis Ababa

Day 12 Addis Ababa - Debre Libanos - Debre Markos



We drive to Wendo Genet, known for its wetlands and natural hot springs. In this idyllic setting you can take a bath and relax.  We spend one night here.

The next day we drive back to Addis Ababa where you have some time to explore. You can visit the National Museum and the Archaeological Museum which is  housed in the former palace of Haile Selassie. 

You can visit the National Museum and the Archaeological Museum, which is located in the former palace of Haile Selassie. Besides the unique collections you can walk around in the bedroom of the old emperor. Not far away lie the hills of Entoto. With clear weather from the colorfully painted Virgin Mary Church there is a beautiful view over the city. Don’t miss a visit to the Mercato, Africa's largest market. This is the perfect place for special souvenirs.




We leave Addis Ababa early in the morning with our bus. Heavily laden donkeys, goats and cows share the busy roads with rickety buses, old trucks and blue Fiat minivans. We are now entering the historic route. In the afternoon we reach the monastery founded in the 13th century Debre Libanos, in a canyon is 700 meters high. The famous monastery is dedicated to St. Tekle Haimanot. A narrow road leads to a cave containing the remains of the saint, which is a popular pilgrimage site.

After our visit we go north to the impressive gorge of the Blue Nile. A road with many hairpin bends brings us to a guarded bridge over the Nile. The road will lead through Dejem and Debre Markos, where we spend the night.


Libanos Debre, Debre Markos, Bahir Dar


Day 13 Debre Markos - Bahir Dar, Lake Tana boat

Day 14 Bahir Dar, Blue Nile Falls - Gondar



The next day we drive to mid-sized city of Bahir Dar. We make a boat trip on Lake Tana. This is the largest lake in Ethiopia and it is almost entirely surrounded by dense papyrus.  This is the materials that the local fishermen use for their boats called tanqwa's.  There are twelve islands in the lake where there are monasteries and churches.

During our cruise we visit one of the islands.  The churches are simple, built mostly of mud and wood. Some of richly painted walls depicting scenes from the Bible. The churches also contain beautiful illustrated manuscripts and precious religious objects.

The next morning we travel on a very primitive road to the waterfalls of the Blue Nile, locally known as Tissisat. To get there, you have to pass over the old stone bridge Tisoha Dildil which crosses the Nile over a narrow, deep gorge.  A short climb takes you to the waterfalls, which has a width of about 400 meters. In the morning you are always treated to a spectacular rainbow. The water vapor creates the constantly wet  surroundings yields  luxuriant vegetation, as well as slippery paths. 

We then travel on to Gondar, where castles and palaces date from the 16th to the 19th century. It was the capital of the Ethiopian empire.

From the castle Fasilades you have a good view of the surroundings. Here is the lion cage in 1992 where the  royal Abyssinian lions were kept. Today, the overgrown cage is an overnight shelter to stray goats. The ruins of the palace of Emperor Mentwab are impressive. Wander through the great halls where you find beautiful wooden ceilings and carved stone. The baths situated in a rectangular complex provided the rulers of Gondar their needed relaxation. On the outskirts of the walled city is the beautiful church of Debre Birhan Selassie, which was built in the 17th century during the reign of Yohanis I. He has a beautiful ceiling painted with angelic faces with 80 beautiful murals.
Gondar and the Simien Mountains

Day 15 Gondar - Simien Mountains

Day 16 Simien Mountains

The drive to the Simen Mountains offers beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. In  September there are many wild flowers in bloom.  We stay overnight in Debark the headquarters location of the Simien National Park.

The Simien Mountains  is one of the largest mountain chains in Africa with a unique flora and fauna. We make a great day hike. You can go enjoy the beautiful scenery and with any luck you catch a glimpse of the endemic Gelada baboons-, or bearded Simienvos vulture.



Axum and Lalibela



Day 17 Debark - Axum

Day 18 Axum

Day 19 Axum- flight to Lalibela

Day 20 Lalibela 

Day 21 Lalibela 

Day 22 Lalibela- Flight Addis Ababa 



We continue our journey through the province of Tigray. Our destination is the city of Axum. Ethiopia is an important religious site and the alleged residence of the famous Ark of the Covenant. For centuries, the city was the center of a great Ethiopian empire. There are impressive tomb built in memory of kings, and excellent examples of the prosperity of this Aksumitisch Empire. The windows and doors of houses are highly decorated.

Around Axum you find ruins of the palace of the Queen of Sheba and various underground tombs of several kings. Also special are the ancient Bibles that are stored in the Maryam Zion Church. Here you can also see the collection of crowns from former emperors. You can also visit a small archaeological museum.

The next day we fly from Lalibela to Axum. Lalibela is situated on a plateau. It is a big village with huts placed closely together. Here, time seems to have stood still. You have the opportunity to visit the rock churches of Lalibela and to take short excursions in the area.

The legend tells that with the help of angels and King Lalibela, in a period of twenty days, a dozen churches “rose from the rocks”. Indisputably, these churches are the most impressive monuments in Ethiopia. The churches are divided into two groups and connected by tunnels. In some churches you find beautiful murals that have a ghostly effect illuminated by candlelight. 

In the morning when the faithful flock to attend a prayer service, the atmosphere is intense. Chanting, the smell of incense and sounds of muffled drums make unforgettable impressions . In dark rooms, priests read the Bible by candlelight or by window light. Also take a walk through the churches.

You will find hermits living in small niches in the cliff. Believers bring gifts. You can travel by foot or mule to see beautiful churches and monasteries. For example, you can visit the church Naäkuto Laab. The journey will lead you through a fantastic landscape with picturesque villages where children always call out ''faranjii” (alien). From Lalibela we fly back to the capital, Addis Ababa. We make a beautiful drive through this national park and end the day at Lake Lagano. You can take a refreshing swim or relax on one of the beaches.