Ethiopian Encounter
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**Notice**
You may have heard of the recent incident, involving tourists in Afar. Even though this tragic and very unusual event occured a long way from the places we visit on our itinerary, we would encourge you to check the latest embassy updates for your country, before booking.
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Trip Highlights
- Meaningful interaction with the Ethiopian people and insights into their lives through volunteering
- Lake Tana's monasteries - in splendid isolation
- Gondar's castles - the Camelot of Africa
- The stunning Simien Mountains and the endemic, handsome Gelada Baboon
- Axum (or Aksum) and the Ark of the Covenant
- The incredible rock hewn churches of Lalibela
Your Taste of Volunteering Project
Make a difference in the lives of Ethiopian children in three main ways:
- Accompany staff on their house visits. Take notes and write reports for sponsors (your English skills can enable these to be done more quickly, and thus more children visited)
- Help the accountant with her tasks (accounting skills preferred, but even if you have just computer skills, you can still help)
- Visit hotels and ensure that they are well stocked with material promoting the charity which encourages guests to sponsor children
Project update:
Sufficient funds were available to run a youth club this summer. The children were split into their age groups and for three hours a week they were treated to a blend of fun activities and education. The rainy season did reduce the options for outdoor activities, but this meant more time could be dedicated to education. The session would end for the children with a hot cup of ginger tea and a small loaf of bread before leaving the compound.
Suggested Trip Summary
(we are always delighted to tailor-make this to suit you)
Ethiopia is arguably the country with the most mis-conceptions surrounding it. The reality is a lush country where the vast majority eat very well, many living at over 6,000 ft.
Ethiopians are friendly and welcoming, with legendary hospitality, and a rich history, tracing back to when local lady Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon in Jerusalem and reportedly became his lover and fathering a child, Menelik I, who later brought the Ark of the Covenant and thousands of Jews with him.
There is so much to see here, and what follows is just a sample.
Upon arrival in Addis Ababa (the world's 3rd highest Capital City) you are taken to check-in to your hotel, and then embark on a tour of two fascinating museums: the National Museum with its superb archaeological artefacts, and the Ethnographic Museum housed within Addis University, where you can gain an overview of the myriad ethnicities that comprise this vibrant country.
Your tour finishes with a brief walk through the Mercato - Africa's largest open air market, where you can stroll through the spice and basket ware section, gaining further insights into Ethiopian life.
The next day we fly to Bahar Dar, on Lake Tana - host to gorgeous monasteries, and the source of the Blue Nile. These days, the Blue Nile Falls are not nearly as impressive as they once were, but the walk out to the viewpoint is still pleasant.
We then drive to Gondar, the Camelot of Africa, with its impressive castles from the Middle Ages. This is your base for your volunteering, where you help make a meaningful difference with a child-focused charity.
After four fulfilling and enriching days helping here, we drive to the spectacular Simien Mountains, with its incredible scenery and endemic species, namely the Gelada Baboon, Simien Wolf, and Ibex. The baboons are common, whereas the others are not. You have a couple of days to relax, go hiking, or mountain biking, all from the only eco-lodge inside the National Park.
Axum is our next destination, which is reputed to house the Ark of the Covenant, along with the Queen of Sheba's palace and huge stelae.
We then fly to Lalibela, arguably the 'crown jewel' of Ethiopia's historic circuit, with its awe-inspiring churches cut out from single pieces of rock...one is inclined to believe the locals story that these were made with the help of angels.
There are 12 of these churches to explore before flying back to Addis for your flight home. Alternatively, extend your trip to encounter the incredible ethnic tribes down in the south, and enjoy the lakes of the Great Rift Valley.
Feel free to contact us if you have any enquiries about this trip.
With one person booking, please contact us for the price of your trip.
