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 Bale Mountains

Day 10  Arba Minch - Wendo Genet
Day 11  Wendo Genet - Bale Mountains
Day 12  Bale Mountains - Addis Ababa

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 leave early and go to the Bale Mountains. Today you can spend the day in the park. Steep cliffs of lava-covered mountains characterize the area. Definitely worthwhile is a walk on the beautiful Seneti plateau, a rocky plateau with Juniper Bushes and Erica, beautiful green fields and various mosses. From here you have a wonderful view of the unique surroundings. With a little luck we see a mountain nyala, Menelik Bos antelope and Colobus monkeys. Another optional activity is horseback riding.

The next day we drive back to Addis Ababa. Perhaps you have some time to explore Addis Ababa. 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.

Libanos Debre, Debre Markos, Bahir Dar

Day 13 Addis Ababa - Debre Libanos - Debre Markos
Day 14 Debre Markos - Bahir Dar, Lake Tana cruise

We leave Addis Ababa early in the morning with our own bus. Heavily loaded donkeys, goats and cows share the busy roads with rickety buses, old trucks and blue Fiat minibuses. We now enter the historic route. In the afternoon we reach the Debre Libanos monastery founded in the 13th century. It sits atop a cliff over a deep canyon. The famous monastery is dedicated to Saint Tekle Haimanot. A narrow road leads to a cave in the tomb of the saint, which is a busy pilgrimage stop.

After our visit we will travel north to the impressive gorge of the Blue Nile. The road has many sharp hairpin bends and brings us to a guarded bridge over the Nile. Contrary to the name “Blue Nile” the water is brown. The road goes on through Dejem and Debre Markos, where we spend the night.

The next day we drive to the middle of the town of Bahir Dar. We will make a boat trip on Lake Tana. The largest lake in Ethiopia is almost entirely surrounded by dense papyrus reeds. The fisherman’s boats, called tanqwas, are made of papyrus. On the twelve islands you find monasteries and churches.

During our cruise we visit one of the islands. The structures are simple, mostly made of clay and wood and painted with scenes from the Bible. The churches also contain beautiful illustrated manuscripts and precious religious objects.

Gondar and the Simien Mountains

Day 15 Bahir Dar - Blue Nile Falls - Gondar
Day 16 Gondar - Simien Mountains

In the morning we travel on a rugged road to the waterfalls of the Blue Nile, locally known as Tissisat. To get here, you cross on old stone bridge to the Tisoha Dildil pass, which includes the narrow gorge and flows of the Nile. A small climb brings you to the waterfalls, which have a width of approximately 400 meters. In the morning here you are invariably treated to a spectacular rainbow. The water vapor creates a continuously moist environment where produces luxuriant vegetation, but also slippery paths. We then travel on to Gondar, where we see castles and palaces from the 16th to 19th century, which are representative of the capital of the Ethiopian empire.

From the castle Fasilades you have a good view of the surroundings. Until 1992, this is the location of the cages for the royal Abyssinian lions. 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 wood ceilings and stonework. The baths, situated in a rectangular complex, were a source of relaxation for the rulers of Gondar. On the outskirts of the city lies the beautiful walled church of Debre Birhan Selassie, which was built in the 17th century during the reign of Yohanis I. There is a beautifully painted ceiling with 80 angelic faces and other beautiful wall paintings.

The trip to Simien Mountain route offers beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. In September there are many wild flowers in bloom. The town Debark is the entry to the Simien National Park. Simien Mountain is one of the highest mountains in Africa with unique flora and fauna. We will take a wonderful day hike. You can enjoy the beautiful scenery and with any luck you will catch a glimpse of the endemic Gelada baboons, or the bearded Simienvos vultures. You stay overnight in a hotel.

Axum and Lalibela

Day 17 Debark - Axum
Day 18 Axum
Axum Day 19 - 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.