Welcome to Addis Ababa. On your arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, after clearing immigration and customs, you are welcomed by Gemsbok Safaris staff and transferred to your hotel.

Addis Ababa, the “New Flower”, is the third highest capital in the world. At 2,300 m above sea level it offers bracing temperatures and plenty of fresh highland air, interesting museums and one of the largest open-air markets in Africa, “Mercato”. You then start your sightseeing of Addis:

A visit to the National Archaeological Museum, which ranks among the most important museums in sub-Saharan Africa. It houses the 3.5-million-year-old bones of Lucy, believed to be an ancestor of all humankind, and many ancient exhibits that reflect the importance of Ethiopia as the ‘Cradle of Mankind’. Its historic room features finery worn in wars, such as crowns, weapons and pictures of wartime heroes and kings.

Visit St. George’s Cathedral (Giorgis Cathedral) at the north end of Churchill Road. Designed in the traditional octagonal shape, it was built in 1896 to commemorate Ethiopia’s victory over the Italians at the Battle of Adwa. The cathedral houses the work of Afewerk Tekle, the renowned Ethiopian artist responsible for the stained-glass windows of Africa Hall, and a small museum in the compound.

Visit the Ethnographic Museum. With its two main sections covering local crafts and the regions and peoples, it is an ideal place to start learning about Ethiopia’s rich ethnic diversity. The museum has an impressive array of religious crosses, triptychs and murals, as well as Haile Selassie’s (Ethiopia’s last Emperor) bedroom and bathroom.

A visit to Merkato, the largest open market in Africa, where virtually every possible commodity is on sale, from livestock to computers. It is closed on Sundays, and for a visitor good at bargaining there is a huge selection of Ethiopian arts and crafts.

After breakfast, continue your sightseeing with a national guide. Visit the Entoto Hills, the best introduction to Addis Ababa. Mt. Entoto, the highest peak in the city at 3,200 m, gives stunning views over the city and surroundings. It was the first settlement of Addis Ababa, where Emperor Menelik II lived and built his palace in 1887, and the compound at the peak hosts Entoto Mariam church, a museum of Ethiopian artefacts and Menelik II’s palace. As you drive up, the temperature drops and the air fills with the scent of eucalyptus; roadside stalls offer fresh Ethiopian coffee. If you are interested in traditional Ethiopian clothes, stop at Shero Meda market for fabrics, shawls, scarves, dresses, tops and jewellery.

Visit the Ensera Clay Centre (if interested). Opened to the public in June 2020, it gives mothers from the outskirts of Addis a place to make clay crafts while their young children stay in the on-site nursery, preserving a traditional craft and helping the women reach a wider market.

Later you are dropped at your hotel to refresh and relax. Tonight you enjoy a cultural evening and farewell dinner at one of Addis Ababa’s restaurants. Ethiopia is a mosaic of peoples with more than 80 languages and many lifestyles, costumes and cultural dances; enjoy some of these dances and traditional dishes with a glass of Tej, a wine made from honey.

Transfer to the airport for your departure flight. Many thanks and have a safe flight.