Lupine Travel

Take a visit with us to a country that doesn’t officially exist; Somaliland, and a country that has long struggled to shake off its media image of poverty and famine; Ethiopia.

Itinerary

Day One, Feb 16 2027
Arrive in Addis Ababa

• Arrive in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. Our driver will transfer you to the hotel. Spend the day at leisure.

• For those taking our Danakil extension trip, the group will arrive from Semera in the evening and be transferred to the hotel.
Day Two, Feb 17 2027
Tour of Addis Ababa

• Full-day tour of Addis Ababa. In the morning, we will visit the National Museum to view many other historical relics, including Lucy, the world’s oldest humanoid skeleton, dating back over 3 million years. Afterwards, we head to St George’s Cathedral before stopping for lunch and sampling some Ethiopian coffee—arguably the best in the world!

• Move on to Holy Trinity Cathedral after lunch to see the tomb of Hailie Selassie before going to the Red Terror Martyrs Museum, a place to hear accounts of the torture and killing carried out by The Derg, the military junta during the late 1970s.

• Evening at leisure.
Day Three, Feb 18 2027
Dire Dawe

• Take the domestic flight from Addis to Dire Dawa.

• Spend the rest of the day at leisure, relaxing in the outdoor swimming pool or going for a stroll around the city.
Day Four, Feb 19 2027
Dire Dawe Tour

• Tour the Dire Dawe Railway Museum, a great site which is partly still in use. The station was built over 100 years ago and has barely changed; most of the original French-built machinery is still functional.

• Visit the khat, camel and spice markets. Watch the locals sit in the sun, chewing their khat without a care, and take in the overpowering smells of dried chilli being crushed down into a powder.

• Afterwards we’ll head to the UNESCO-listed city of Harar, where we’ll have the option to feed hyenas in the evening!
Day Five, Feb 20 2027
Harar City

• Today we’ll explore the historic walled city of Harar. We’ll see the colourfully dressed local women, wild eagles circling the butchers’ shops, fresh coffee being processed and khat being made into a paste to make tea.

• We’ll visit many sites here, such as the Jugol Wall and city gates, the tomb of Sheikh Abadir, Arthur Rimbaud Centre, Ras Tafari’s House, Ras Makonnen’s Palace and Jamia Mosque.

• Evening spent at leisure, or you can join us on an optional sunset walk along the city walls.
Day Six, Feb 21 2027
Journey to Hargeisa

• Off to the unofficial country of Somaliland we go! We’ll take a three-hour journey to the Togwajale border, pass border control, then drive a further two hours to the capital, Hargeisa.

• Time permitting, we’ll take a walking tour of the city centre, where we will see moneychangers with their piles of Somaliland shillings, the Hargeisa war memorial (MiG Jet Monument) and livestock market.
Day Seven, Feb 22 2027
Laas Geel Cave Paintings

• After breakfast, we’ll journey to see the Laas Geel cave paintings – ancient art created between 9000 BC and 3000 BC. They are some of the best-preserved cave paintings in the world and were only discovered by the Western world as recently as 2002 by a French archaeological team.

• We’ll then continue to the coastal city of Berbera, where we’ll have free time to relax on the beach.
Day Eight, Feb 23 2027
Berbera and Sheikh

• In the morning, we will have a walking tour of the city, seeing the historic old town and the Ottoman and colonial-era architecture.

• Next, we’ll journey into the picturesque Sheikh Mountains, where we’ll enjoy breathtaking views and tranquil surroundings.

• We’ll have a short stop at the former British colonial station of Sheikh town before continuing on the road back to Hargeisa.
Day Nine, Feb 24 2027
Cheetah Conservation Centre

• We’ll start the day with a visit to the Cheetah Conservation Centre, where rescued cheetahs are rehabilitated. We’ll learn about wildlife conservation efforts and have the opportunity to observe the cheetahs.

• Next, we’ll head to Dhagax Khoure (Camel Rock), home to more famous rock art. We’ll enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding landscapes as we explore the area.

• We’ll pass through small semi-nomadic communities and villages to see everyday life, before returning to the capital for our final night of the tour.
Day Ten, Feb 25 2027
Tour Ends

• We’ll transfer to the airport for our onward journeys.

Extra info

Please note:

*The wild hyenas that roam Harar have been fed by a local family for over 60 years. For a payment of 100 Birr (£3) , you can feed the hyenas along with the ‘Hyena Man’ who will entice them onto your back or to feed from your mouth! However, although there have been no incidents with feeding these hyenas, you must be aware that they are wild animals and potentially dangerous so if you wish to join in with the feeding you do it entirely at your own risk!

Somaliland & Ethiopia Tour
Tour Price: £1545
Deposit: £300
Single room supplement: £150

Tour Price: £1545
Talk to a travel rep
info@lupinetravel.co.uk

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