Full Day City Tour Of Addis Ababa
Overview
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s sprawling capital in the highlands bordering the Great Rift Valley, is the country’s commercial and cultural hub. It’s National Museum exhibits Ethiopian art, traditional crafts, and prehistoric fossils, including replicas of the famous early hominid, “Lucy.” The burial place of the 20th-century emperor Haile Selassie, the copper-domed Holy Trinity Cathedral, is a neo-baroque architectural landmark.
Day 1 in Addis Ababa
First of all, find a taxi and book it for the day, this will simply take the pressure off of getting from A to B and will let you enjoy your day a bit more.
To begin with, head to the National Museum of Ethiopia, regarded as one of the most important in sub-Saharan Africa. The most famous exhibit is the paleontological showcase, found in the basement. There you can see two casts of Lucy, the partial skeleton of a specimen of Australopithecus afarensis, one sitting flat and the other standing like she might have 3.3 million years ago. It’s amazing to see how small our ancestors were and imagine them as hunters and gatherers. In the museum, you will also find exhibits of the remains of extinct creatures such as a huge sabretooth and a gigantic savannah pig, and portholes into Ethiopia’s cultural history and artwork. You should grab a guide when you begin as their knowledge really brings the place to live and be sure to tip them afterward.
Day 2 in Addis Ababa
After a night of trying some of the best local food, it’s time to try and recreate some of it. Book and spend the morning learning how to make Injera, flatbread, and all the stews you might find in the main course.
Afterward, you might be in need of a break from traditional food, so head over to lunch at La Mandoline.
La Mandoline serves delicious traditional French cuisine and is one of the city’s best restaurants.
After lunch, it’s time to learn about one of the hardest times in Ethiopia’s history, the Derg. In the ‘Red Terror’ Martyrs Memorial Museum you’ll find a deeply moving exhibit of what life was like during the Derg dictatorship where over half a million Ethiopians were killed.
There are English-speaking guides available however you may prefer to visit the museum in silence.
Included
- Airport transfers and road transport by private car
- Full board, including mineral water.
- Full camping equipment including tents, mattresses and sleeping bags for camping and trekking.
- Recommended to bring your own sleeping bag.
- Fees for entrances, local guides, compulsory scouts/ security personnel for activities mentioned in the itinerary.
- All government taxes for the services included in the tour price
Excluded
- Additional food and drinks
- Personal expenses
- Souvenirs