Tour to Harar City 12Days
Visit Harar CityThe spiritual city of Harar is considered by some Muslims to be the forth holiest city in…
Visit Harar City
Visit Harar City
The spiritual city of Harar is considered by some Muslims to be the forth holiest city in the world after Jerusalem, Mecca and Medina. The city state of Harar was Muslim religion teaching center from the first quarter of the 16th to the last quarter of 19th century. Here, Mosques and Islamic centers of learning and pilgrimages have been the depositors of culture, traditions and literature of indigenous Muslims. At the same time Muslims of Harar have maintained close links with the Islamic centers of Arabia, Egypt, and the Yemen through trade, pilgrimage and visits undertaken for religious training. Even today, Harar is the pleasant walled city in Ethiopia. Its old walls with gates, the hyenas and the people of Harar are still impressive! Harar can be visited - flying or driving from Addis Ababa to Dire Dawa – the nearest big city to Harar. If a visit could be by car, possible tourist sites are Awash national Park, Awash River and Afar people.
Travel to Harar; Visit the Old walled City of Harar, Jogol or Jugal or Jegol, Rimbaud’s House, Ras Mekonnen Palace… Lega Oda, Babile Dakatta Rocks, Babile Elephant Sanctuary, Dire Dawa & Awash National Park
Itinerary
Program: Historic Route & Harar, Dire Dawa, Dakatta and Lega Oda paintings
Tour Code: East 01
Duration: 11 Nights (12 Days)
Transportation: Air and Land
Tour starts: Addis Ababa
Tour Ends: Addis Ababa
Day1: Arrival/ Addis Ababa
Arrive in the evening transfer to your Hotel. Overnight – at chosen hotel - Addis Ababa
Day2: City Tour of Addis Ababa
City tour for full day. Overnight – at chosen hotel - Addis Ababa
Day3: The Blue Nile and Lake Tana
Fly from Addis to Bahir Dar and visit the Blue Nile Falls, Portuguese Bridge, Woito Basket market, and the hill top of Bezawit. After Lunch, Monasteries on Lake Tana: Ura Kidane Mehret, and Azwa Maryam (in Zeghie Peninsula), Kibran Church (prohibited for women), Entos Eyesus. Overnight – at chosen hotel – Bahir Dar
Day4: Gondar Castles, 17 Century Churches and Semien Mountains Excursion
After breakfast; fly to Gondar and visit all sites in the town of Gondar and after lunch; drive to the Semien Mountains national Park- until Sankaber to explore the park. Overnight – at Semien Lodge/tented camp – Semien N. Park
Day5: Semien Mountains and back to Gondar
After breakfast; explore the park and drive back to Gondar. On the way; visit the Felasha/Jews village. Overnight – at chosen hotel – Gondar
Day6: the birth Place of Ethiopian History
Morning; fly from Gondar to Axum and in the afternoon; explore the city of Axum. Overnight – at chosen hotel – Axum
Day7: The 11 Rock Hewn Churches
Morning; fly from Axum to Lalibela and visit the first group of churches in the afternoon. Overnight – at chosen hotel – Lalibela
Day8: Bete Giyorgis
Early morning; trek to Asheten .After lunch, visit the 2nd group of Churches and the cave church of Nakuto Làabe. Overnight – at chosen hotel
Day9: Awash National Park
Morning; fly from Lalibela to Addis and then drive to Awash National Park (225 km modern asphalt road). Stopover at Lake Beseka (Nearby the park) for several birdlife. Game view after having entrance tickets at the head office of the Awash National Park. Overnight – lodge or – Awash Park
Day10: the Hyena Man show
Early morning; game view in the Awash National Park. After breakfast; drive from Awash Sebat to Harar (300km from Awash Sebat) and after lunch; visit the walled city of Harar. In the evening, attend the most astonishing and bizarre Hyena Man show. That Man feeds as many as 30 hyenas with his bare hands and with a wooden steak- holding by his mouth. If you feel courageous and no fear at all, you can try it with no any harm. Hyenas in Harar are considered as domestic dogs that anybody has no hesitation to fear them. Overnight – at chosen hotel –Harar
Day11: Babile and the Valley of Marvels
Morning; drive from Harar to Babile on the Jijiga Road. There are General Market on every Saturday, Camel Market on every Monday & Thursday at Babile. Visit the market if your schedule coincides with the market day otherwise proceed to the Valley of Marvels. The most visited one is the rock formation of Dakatta Rock, sited at 3km from the town of Babile. Drive back to Harar for lunch and drive about 51km for Dire Dawa. The main attraction of Dire Dawa known also as Queen City of the Rift Valley is: Taiwan Market, the stimulant leaf knows as "Chat” Market and the big market place which is frequented by Oromo, Somali Issa and Afar people. Overnight – at chosen hotel –Dire Dawa
Day 12: Dire Dawa – Lega Oda - Addis - Departure
After Breakfast; drive to Lega Oda for about 7 thousand years olds of paintings on huge rocks. Afternoon, fly from Dire Dawa to Addis Ababa and departure in the evening (End of the trip)
Notice: This itinerary can be amended up on request