Tigray Ashenda festival tour and package - 11 days

Day 1. Arrive in Addis Ababa and Make City Tour
Start visiting 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 the hotel. Accommodation: Jupiter 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 the 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 Lalibela and visit the wonders of 12th century rock churches of King Lalibela. 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 to visit Yeha Temple and debre damo monastery. Accommodation: Gheralta Lodge

Day 7. Gheralta Churches
In the morning, drive east of Hawzien to see the church of Medhani Alem Adi Kasho /Holy saviour /drive back for lunch. In the afternoon, visit the famous church of Tigray, Abune Yemata.
Accommodation: Gheralta 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 Atsbeha 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 festival day. Ashenda is a unique Tigrian traditional festival which takes place on 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 into a skirt and wear it around their waist as a decoration.
Accommodation: Hz Grand or Axum Hotel

Day 11. Fly from Mekelle to Addis Ababa
In the morning, visit the Yohannes IV museum, one of the best museums in Ethiopia and it has a lot of nice collections, as well as the spicy market of Mekelle in between stops for lunch .In the afternoon, transfer to Mekelle airport to fly to Addis. It depends, if you have a connecting flight depart home if not stay overnight in Addis Jupiter International Hotel.