Ethiopia 2013

HA-13 Horn of Africa (Egypt, Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia) Date of travel: Feb 9 - Feb 26, 2013 ITINERARY: On Feb 9, 2013 in the morning I take a Lufthansa plane from Prague, Czech Republic, to Munich, Germany. Here I switch to another Lufthansa plane to Cairo, Egypt. In Cairo the plane lands in midafternoon. A guide picks me up at the airport and takes me to the “Hotel Sonesta.” I get a day room to rest in. Later on I meet the other members of the group. Some of them I know. After 9 PM departure to the airport. The plane to Asmara, Eritrea, takes off before midnight. Asmara landing is before 2 AM on Feb 10. In our hotel early in the morning. Asmara sightseeing bus tour starts at noon. Midafternoon we leave the city for town Keren in the north. We see rusting tanks from the war with Ethiopia along the highway. Our bus reaches Keren in the evening. Next morning sightseeing of the town with its Monday and Camel Markets. This is a Moslem part of the country. After lunch drive to Massawa, main harbor of Eritrea. Next morning sightseeing of Massawa on foot and return to Asmara in the afternoon. On Feb 13 drive south of Asmara to excavation of ancient city of Qohaito and to a 1000 year old dam. Overnight in the town Adi Keyh. The following day visit to Senafe and its Christian Orthodox Church on a mountain Amba Metera. Here we are in the Christian part of the country. The ruins of historical town of Metera are close by. Final is a tour of another ancient city Keskese. For night back to Asmara. Last day in Eritrea another sightseeing of Amara. At night flight from Asmara, Eritrea, to Sanaa, Yemen, and from there to Djibouti, where very early in the morning on Feb 16. Before noon and in the afternoon sightseeing of Djibouti City. On Feb 17 starts a 3 day 4WD car tour through Djibouti (the country). The first day, after traveling mostly in lava desert, we come to Lake Abbe. Overnight in tents. The next day again driving through very forbidding countryside and overnight in a motel in Tadjoura at a gulf of the same name. The third day of our Djibouti trip leads us to Lake Assal, which is -150 m under the sea level. It is the lowest point in Africa. At noon we photograph the Rift Valley at the spot, where it cracks the African Continent. By the nightfall we are back to our hotel in Djibouti City. We expected to fly to Somaliland on Feb 20. But for problems in that area we fly to Addis Ababa instead. We land there early in the afternoon. After lunch we drive west of Addis Ababa to the Negash Lodge in the town of Ambo. The next day a trip to Wenchi Crater. On Feb 22 we leave Ambo and with few stops at historical places like Adadi Mariam Church we return to Addis Ababa. Next day flight east to Dire Dawa and drive to the town of Harar. In the afternoon sightseeing of the walled Harar. In the evening we see the “hyena feeding” by a local man. The following morning we circumnavigate the walls of the city and photograph their gates. In the afternoon we leave Harar. On our way back to Dire Dawa we stop in one town at its “chat market.” Overnight in Dire Dawa. Following day flight to Addis Ababa. There I go by a taxi to Trinity Church, where is buried Haile Selassie. In the evening to an interesting entertaining restaurant. On Feb 26 I fly with Lufthansa from Addis Ababa to Frankfurt, Germany, and to Prague, Czech Republic. Travel office: Spiekermann Travel Service Who took part: I traveled with 10 tourists (in Eritrea also Ihab) and guides during the trip.