US$

3,990/ pp

Timkat Festival, Blue Nile & Camelot

Ethiopia

Dates:
13 - 25 January 2025

Duration:
13 days

Group:
12 ppl

US$3,990 / pp

A truly unforgettable tour

Join us on this small-group tour to Ethiopia for the Timkat Festival which is the Ethiopian Orthodox Church's celebration of Epiphany. Discover Ethiopia’s natural beauty as it reveals itself in the Simien Mountains and Blue Nile Falls. Explore Africa's Camelot, stunning Gondar. And there is more to discover on this exciting adventure!

Itinerary

Addis Ababa → Adigrat and Tigray → Mekelle → Axum → Simien Mountains → Gondar → Bahir Dar → Blue Nile Falls and Lake Tana → Lalibela

Day 1: Addis Ababa

Arrive in Addis Ababa and transfer to hotel accommodation. The rest of the day is free to relax. Overnight at Nexus Hotel or similar.

Day 2: Addis Ababa – Adigrat and Tigray churches

A morning flight takes us to Mekele and on by road to Adigrat. We explore the sites of Tigray, visiting some of the region’s 130 rock churches including Medhane Alem Adikusho, Wukro Cherkos and Abraha Atsbeha. The architecture is notably different here. Churches are in part or wholly excavated within the living rock, rather than carved from it. Overnight at Agoro Lodge or similar.

Day 3: Mekelle - Axum

Axum passes through spectacular landscapes. Axum is Ethiopia’s holiest town and since 1980 a World Heritage Site. Highlights include a remarkable collection of ancient stelae, the bath and palace of the Queen of Sheba, and St Mary of Tsion Church, claimed by some to hold the Ark of the Covenant containing the original stone tablets handed down to Moses. Overnight at Yared Zema Hotel or similar.

Day 4: Axum - Simien Mountains

The journey to the Simien Mountains is long, but as we ascend towards the mountains the scenery is rewarding. Along the way, it’s worth keeping an eye out for endemic Ethiopian wildlife, including Gelada Baboons and many species of birds. Depending on our arrival time there may be an opportunity for a short walk in the park to glimpse the breath-taking beauty of Simien mountainscapes. Overnight at Ras Dejen Hotel or similar. Please note it can be very cold in the mountains at night so you should bring warm clothing to wear.

Day 5: Simien Mountains

Today we walk in the mountains, taking in awe-inspiring viewpoints and spotting some of the endemic wildlife. The effects of altitude, though mild, will be apparent. We’ll make frequent stops, stay well hydrated and travel at the pace of the slowest. Shorter hikes are possible for those preferring not to walk for the whole day. Overnight at Ras Dejen Hotel or similar.

Day 6: Simien Mountains - Gondar

Drive to Gondar, once Ethiopia’s imperial capital, and famous for its beautiful castles and palaces. This afternoon, you can witness the Eve of the Timkat Festival celebration. Overnight at Goha Hotel or similar.

Day 7: Timkat Celebrations

Early in the morning, we will go to the church to see the Timkat celebration and the crowd waiting to be baptized by the holy water. The water which symbolizes the Jordan River is blessed by the priest, and the patriarch then dips a golden cross into it, and extinguishes a burning consecrated candle on the altar. He then sprinkles water on the assembled congregation in commemoration of Christ's baptism in the Jordan River. The ceremony will be over around 8 am and afterwards, we visit some of the town’s main sites, which include the Bath of King Fasiladas and the ornately decorated Debre Birhan Selassie Church (Light of Trinity) known for its colourful murals. Overnight at Goha Hotel or similar.

Day 8: Gondar - Bahir Dar

After breakfast we continue to explore Gondar before the drive to Bahir Dar, close to Lake Tana, stopping at points of interest en route. On arrival check into our hotel which overlooks Lake Tana, source of the Blue Nile. Overnight at Avanti Blue Nile Hotel or similar.

Day 9: Blue Nile Falls and Lake Tana

From the town we drive to the Blue Nile Falls, taking a short walk to view the falls themselves, before returning. We take boats out onto Lake Tana to explore its collection of ancient monasteries, dramatically situated on the lake’s islands and peninsulas. Overnight at Avanti Blue Nile Hotel or similar.

Day 10: Bahir Dar - Lalibela

After breakfast, start the journey to the town of Lalibela, stopping at points of interest along the way. Overnight at Mountain View Hotel or similar.

Day 11: Lalibela

This morning we will begin to explore the rock-hewn churches known in some circles as the 8th wonder of the world. This afternoon we will continue visiting these intriguing monuments to discover more of Ethiopia’s enigmatic past. Overnight in Mountain View Hotel or similar.

Day 12: Lalibela - Eve of Timkat Celebrations

This morning we will visit the first group of rock-hewn churches known in some circles as the 8th wonder of the world. This afternoon, you can witness the Eve of the Timkat Festival celebration in one of the Rock-Hewn churches. Overnight in Mount View Hotel or similar.

Day 13: Departure

At a suitable time, you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight. Tour ends.

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What's included

Acomodation

12 nights at the hotels

Meals

Day 2, 3, 4 - Breakfast and Dinner

Day 5 - Breakfast and Lunch

Day 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 - Breakfast and Dinner

Day 13 - Breakfast

Guided tours

Guided tours as per itinerary (only local guides)

Transport

Transfers as per itinerary

Support

24/7 phone/WhatsApp support line

English-speaking guide

ABTA and ATOL bonded

Not Included

International flights

Meals not mentioned

Optional tours and activities

Personal expenses

Why Us

Discover Ethiopia’s natural beauty as it reveals itself in the Simien Mountains

Visit the annual Timkat Festival, which celebrates the Ethiopian Epiphany

Spend time in Lalibela exploring both the main churches and lesser-known ones

Explore the sites of Tigray, visiting some of the region’s 130 rock churches

Learn about the history of the ancient Axumite Empire at Axum

Travel to ‘Africa’s Camelot’ – the wonderful castles and palaces of Gondar

Our reviews

Christen Sposi

USA - Paris Summer Games 2024

We have had a fantastic trip! Thank you so much for everything your team did to make this such an incredible experience. I will Gladly share a review and hope to book another trip with you soon!

Willam Watt

Australia - World Cup 2018

I am a Sydney-based journalist who travelled to the 2018 World Cup with World of Discoveries. Following is my review of that fabulous experience ... What a trip ... the World Cup, five cities, amazing camaraderie, and great tour leadership against the background of one of the globe’s most amazing countries ... Russia. My World Cup tour with World of Discoveries was one of the great experiences of my travel life. The World of Discoveries team provided a wonderful platform with an itinerary both practical and flexible. The local tours in each of the venue cities - Moscow, Kazan, Samara, Sochi and St Petersburg were informative and, importantly, fun. Considering the accommodation pressures created by the huge influx of Cup tourists, the hotels selected by World of Discoveries were more than adequate. Special mention goes to the Grand Hotel Tchaikovsky In St Petersburg. The tour leadership provided by the company was both expert and considerate. Importantly each traveller’s individual enjoyment and safety appeared to be the paramount consideration. This World Cup holiday was meant to be a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience for me but I am now planning for the next Cup. Bring on 2022 in Qatar

Tillie Stephen

Australia - 2024 Euro

Not only the Euro 2024 final game but the whole trip was amazing, the team at World of Discoveries did an amazing job looking after every detail making it 100% trouble free, they were totally committed to making it the best experience possible Thanking you from the bottom of my heart. Many thanks again Lina and Barbara you have been very professional to deal with and 100% will be hoping to work with you again.

Lidia & Carlos Gonzalez

Mexico - Abu Dhabi F1

The Formula 1 trip to Abu Dhabi with Wofdi was an amazing experience! Everything was perfectly planned, making the whole weekend stress-free and exciting. The Yas Marina Circuit looked incredible, and watching the race at sunset was really special. The atmosphere was electric, with fans from all over the world cheering for their favorite teams. One of the best parts was the pit lane walk, where we got to see the cars up close and watch the teams work. Wofdi made sure we had great access and an unforgettable experience. We also did a tour of the circuit, visiting the control room and even standing on the winner’s podium! Absolutely loved the time we spent in Abu Dhabi .From start to finish, Wofdi made this trip unforgettable. If you’re an F1 fan and want a hassle-free, VIP-style experience, I highly recommend booking with them!

Steve Giannoress

Australia - World Cup 2018

Traveled to Russia for the world Cup 2018 with Angelo. Alex and myself with World of Discoveries. They were exceptional in every way, I want to thank Varya , Alex Tati and there team for there support and service during our trip there in Russia. I highly recommend anyone that wants to travel to use the great service of the above people, contact Varya to book you in now. Thanks again guys, well done and we all look forward to catching up again in the near future.

Kristine Labou

Australia - Women's World Cup 2023

We had an amazing experience in New Zealand! Everything is tailored to what we want and like! After a short conversation Varya knew exactly what to offer! We saved so much time and money booking with her, instead of trying to look ourselves and then getting disappointed. cannot recommend enough. Will be back