to a trip itinerary

Pricing Information
Payment Dates­
$3,600 per person on a double accommodation basis
$525 single supplement
• October 1, 2013: RSVP to Linda Orzechowski.
Early reservations are encouraged as trip size is capped
at 25 participants. Email [email protected]
or call 320-363-3514.
• November 1, 2013: 50% of trip cost is due at HMML
as deposit.
• January 15, 2014: Balance of trip cost is due at HMML.
HMML accepts all major credit cards. Checks should be made out
to the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library.
(Subject to change depending on group size)
Includes: Meals and soft drinks; transport by bus and air
throughout Ethiopia, including airport transfers; guides;
entry fees; gratuities.
Not included: Airfare to and from Addis Ababa; alcoholic
beverages; trip cancellation or other insurance.
www.hmml.org | P.O. Box 7300 • Collegeville, MN 56321
Travel note: Ethiopian Airlines operates a daily nonstop from Washington-Dulles to Addis Ababa (the return flight stops in Rome)
as well as service from major European cities; travel on other airlines requires a connection in London, Frankfurt, Rome, Nairobi, or
Dubai. Travelers will need to depart the USA on February 22 (or even February 21, depending on routing) to arrive by February 23.
Blue = Driving routes | Red = Flights
HILL MUSEUM & MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY
Millennium Club and Legacy Society Members*
Experience
ETHIOPIA
With HMML Executive Director Father Columba Stewart, OSB
February 23­–March 11, 2014
Weather will be sunny, with
pleasant daytime temperatures
and cool nights. While the
temperature is not extreme, the sun
can be fierce. There will be a good
deal of walking over rough surfaces.
The land of Ethiopia is thought to be the origin of the human species, and its written
history extends over three thousand years. World-class ancient monuments and a
breathtaking natural environment make a journey to Ethiopia truly the trip of a lifetime.
Visit the historic monasteries and libraries where HMML and its Ethiopian partners have
preserved almost 10,000 Ethiopian manuscripts—including the oldest known copies of
the Ethiopic Bible. Experience Ethiopia’s stunning landscapes, spectacular wildlife, and
unforgettable peoples with Fr. Columba and local guide, Daniel Tesfaye.
*Millennium Club members contribute $1,000 or more annually to HMML. Legacy Society members have made provision for HMML in their estate plans.
—
­ Itinerary—
Feb 23 (Sunday): Arrive at Addis Ababa and transfer to
hotel. Free day, welcome dinner in the evening for those
who have arrived in time. Overnight Addis.
Feb 24 (Monday) / Day 1 Addis Ababa: Addis Ababa
city tour, including the Mercato (the biggest open-air
market in Africa), Saint George Church, the National
Museum, and Institute of Ethiopian Studies Museum.
Possible meeting with HMML partners.
Overnight Addis.
Feb 25 (Tuesday) / Day 2 Bahir Dar/Blue Nile Falls:
Morning transfer to Bole Airport for flight to Bahir Dar,
transfer to hotel. After check-in, a morning birdwatching
walk along the shore of Lake Tana, Ethiopia’s largest
body of fresh water and source of the Blue Nile River.
Lunch at a local restaurant, and then a drive to Tis Isat
village 33 km south east of Bahir Dar to see the Blue
Nile waterfall. Overnight Bahir Dar.
Feb 26 (Wednesday) / Day 3 Bahir Dar/Lake Tana:
All-day and very relaxing boat excursion on Lake Tana
to visit Azuwa Maryam Church on the Zege Penninsula
and the Narga Selassie Monastery on an island in the
middle of the lake. These churches with their remarkable
18th-century paintings also feature manuscripts, crosses,
and other treasures. The boat journey to Azuwa Maryam
is about an hour, and then another 2.5 hours to Narga
Selassie. We will take a picnic lunch and be back to
Bahir Dar by sunset. Overnight Bahir Dar.
Feb 27 (Thursday) / Day 4 Gondar: Morning drive
from Bahir Dar to Gondar (3-4 hours) climbing up into
the highlands from the volcanic caldera in which Lake
Tana sits, with dramatic views back to the Lake, and an
opportunity to visit a village market or school on the
way. Upon arrival in Gondar, Ethiopia’s capital in the
17th-19th centuries, lunch and then a visit to the Royal
Enclosure (Fasil Ghebbi), with its 1632 Castle of King
Fasilides, and the Debre Birhan Selassie Church (Mount
Light Trinity Church), famous for its wall and ceiling
paintings. Overnight Gondar.
Feb 28 (Friday) / Day 5 Gondar / Simien Mountains
National Park: A day-long excursion from Gondar
to Simien Mountain National Park, a World Heritage
Site famous for native animals, birds, and vegetation.
The drive from Gondar is about 2 hours; upon arrival
a 2-hour nature trek and lunch in the Park Lodge,
returning to Gondar for the night. Overnight Gondar.
Mar 1 (Saturday) / Day 6 Lalibela: Morning transfer
to Gondar airport for the flight to Lalibela, UNESCO
World Heritage Site famed for its incredible 13th-century
monolithic rock-hewn churches. On arrival, transfer
to the hotel. Afternoon visit to the first group of
monolithic churches. Overnight Lalibela.
Mar 2 (Sunday) / Day 7 Lalibela: Morning excursion
to Yemrehanna Kristos (Christ’s Mercy) church (40
km from Lalibela by bus, and then 20 mins easy walk).
One of the most famous monuments of Tigray, the
church is built inside a cave and has a unique Axumite
architectural style. In the afternoon, visit the remaining
monolithic churches of Lalibela. Overnight Lalibela.
Mar 3 (Monday) / Day 8 Axum: Morning transfer to
Lalibela airport for flight to Axum, Ethiopia’s ancient
capital from ca. 400 BC-10th century AD, and first
capital of Christian Ethiopia. On arrival, transfer to
hotel. Afternoon visits to Gobedra, the quarry for the
great Axumite stelae (4 km outside of town, then a
30-minute easy walk).
On the way back to Axum, visit the ruins of the 6th
century (or even earlier) Dongar palace.
Overnight Axum.
Mar 4 (Tuesday) / Day 9 Axum: In the morning
visit Axum Archeological Museum, the stelae park
(1st-century), Tsion Maryam Church (where the Ark of
the Covenant is kept). After lunch, and a break from
the fierce sun, we will take a later afternoon visit to the
4th-century Ezana Inscription (in Sabaen, Greek, and
Ge‘ez), the Tombs of Caleb and Gebre Meskel with
views of Adwa mountains. From there we will walk to
Saint Pantaleon Monastery on a hilltop just outside the
city, with its impressive treasury of manuscripts and
other artifacts. Overnight Axum.
Mar 5 (Wednesday) / Day 10 Abba Garima
Monastery, Gheralta: Drive from Axum to Gheralta
(5 hours), discovering the astonishing Tigrayan
countryside with its magnificent mountains. On the
way, visit Abba Garima Monastery, where HMML
digitized the oldest-known Ethiopian manuscripts, and
if time permits, the Yeha Temple. Continue to Gheralta,
the base for exploring Tigray’s churches carved into rock
cliffs and hillsides. Overnight Gheralta Lodge.
Mar 6 (Thursday) / Day 11 Gheralta and Rock-cut
Churches: In the morning, a 50-minute walk up to
Debre Maryam Korkor, one of the Tigrayan rock-cut
churches (7th-8th-century)­—older than the Lalibela
monolithic churches—and famous for wall paintings. In
the afternoon, relax at the lodge or visit another rock-cut
church as interest and agility suggest (some require a bit
of rock scrambling or climbing). Overnight Gheralta
Lodge (possible drive to Mekele that evening and
overnight Mekele, depending on flight schedules).
Mar 7 (Friday) / Day 12 Awash National Park:
Transfer to Mekele airport for flight to Addis Ababa, on
arrival drive into the Rift Valley to Awash National Park,
a large savanna reserve famous for its wildlife (200 km
from Addis; 3 hours). Overnight Awash Falls Lodge.
[At this point travelers who need to go home early could
leave the tour.]
Mar 8 (Saturday) / Day 13 Awash National Park /
Harar: Morning drive through the National Park to
see kudus, gazelles, oryx, baboons and bird life, and the
beautiful Awash Waterfall. Afternoon drive to Harar
(3-4 hours) climbing up onto the plateau through a
magnificent landscape of mountains and fertile valleys.
Overnight Harar.
Mar 9 (Sunday) / Day 14 Harar: Full day exploring
the old and very colorful walled town of Harar, famous
for its handsome traditional houses, Muslim shrines, and
street markets. Visit to the Sherif Harar City Museum,
which has partnered with HMML to preserve Islamic
manuscripts. Possible morning liturgy at the small
and charming Catholic Cathedral, built by French
missionaries in the 19th century. In the evening see the
“Hyena Man” feeding wild hyenas on the outskirts of
the town. Overnight Harar.
Mar 10 (Monday) / Day 15 Addis Ababa: Drive from
Harar to Dire Dawa airport (1 hr) for flight to Addis
Ababa, on arrival transfer to hotel. Depending on
departure plans, there could be time today or tomorrow
for shopping. Overnight Addis Ababa (unless departing
in the evening).
Mar 11 (Tuesday) / Day 16 Departure