11 Days Tigray Ashenda Festival Tour
Day 1. Arrive in Addis Ababa and Make City Tour
Start visiting with the National Museum, home of the 3 million year old skeleton “Lucy’’ , continue also to see the Trinity/ cathedral church, where Emperor Haile Silassie and the former prime Minister of Ethiopia ‘‘Mele Zenawi ’’were buried before lunch.
In the Afternoon, our tour continues to see Merkato –the biggest open market in Africa; which reflects the majestic life of Ethiopia. After that, drive to see the African Union building then back to hotel. Accommodation: Sidra International Hotel
Day 2: Addis Ababa -Bahir Dar
Fly to Bahir Dar and expedition to Lake Tana and after lunch drive to Blue Nile falls and visit the top view of Nile river at Bahir Dar. Accommodation: Abay Minch Lodge
Day 3: Bahir Dar – Gondar
Drive on the chain mountains to Gondar and visit Royal palaces and castles of 17th century kings and a church of Debre Birhan Silassie. Accommodation: Goha Hotel
Day 4: Fly to Lalibela
Morning departure to Lalibella and visit the wonders of 12th century rock churches of King Lalibella. Accommodation: Sora lodge
Day 5: Lalibela -Axum
Flight to Axum and Sightseeing of attraction at Axum. Accommodation: Sabean hotel
Day 6. Aksum –Gherealta
After breakfast drive to Gherealta on the way visit Yeha Temple and debre damo monastery. Accommodation: Gherealta Lodge
Day 7. Gherealta Churches
In the morning, drive east of Hawzien to see the church of Medhani Alem Adikosho /Holy savour /drive back for lunch. In the afternoon, visit the famous church of Tigrai, Abune Yemata.
Accommodation: Gherealta Lodge
Day 8. Gherealta
Today, we climb to the churches that were built on top of a spectacular view, Mariam Korkor and Daniel Korkor, dated back to 4th -15thc A.D
Day 9. Gherealta –Mekelle
After breakfast, drive to see Abune Abrham church, an hour walk and climb from the main road. On the way back, continue visiting Abraha we Atsibha church and then, stop in Wukro town for lunch .In the afternoon, visit the wukro cherkos church and drive to Mekelle to see the eve of Ashenda festival.
Accommodation: planet or Axum Hotel
Day 10. Mekelle – Attend the Ashenda Festival
Today is the Ashenda festivalday. Ashenda is a unique Tigrian traditional festival which takes place in August 25 to mark the ending of fasting called filseta. This event is mostly for girls and young women, which they await very eagerly every year. It is unique to the people in the state of Tigrai in northern Ethiopia. The name of the festival “Ashenda” comes from the name of a tall grass that the girls make in to a skirt and ware it around their waist as a decoration.
Accommodation: planet or Axum Hotel
Day 11. Fly from Mekelle to Addis Ababa
In the morning, visit the Yohannes IV museum one of the best museum in Ethiopia and it has a lot nice collections, as well as the spicy market of Mekelle in between stop for lunch .In the afternoon, transfer to Mekelle airport to fly Addis. It depends, if you have a connection flight depart home if not stay overnight in Addis Sidra International Hotel.
