Departure: Estimated time after midnight from Rome to Addis Abeba, Ethiopa's capital city, on Ethiopian Airline commercial flight.
Overnight on the plane.

Arrival.
Early morning arrival at the capital's airport where you'll be met by RVS staff and accompanied to your hotel. Fast check-in formalities and lunch at the hotel's restaurant. Tour of the city in the afternoon: Railway station, City Hall, Churchill Road, "Piazza" commercial district, St. George's and Trinity (also known as Selassiè church) cathedrals where many small funeral temples and historical descriptions of Jesus life are preserved. The day ends with a visit to the National Museum, where a copy of the 3,5 million years old hominid is kept. This museum hosts a permanent exhibition of formal dresses worn by the kings and queen that reigned over the country for many centuries. Addis Abeba became capital of the empire in 1889; the city is located at 2500 mt., leaning against an extraordinary huge valley of eucalyptus. The city enjoys a very pleasant climate throughout the year.
Welcome dinner at a typical restaurant, with traditional music and dances.

Breakfast in the hotel, transfer to the airport and departure for Mizan Teferi, accompaned by a staff member of RVS; arrival late in the morning and lunch at the hotel. In the afternoon tour of Mizan Teferi city, the ancient capital of the Bench people. The city is a good departure base for a visit to the nearby coffee planation in Bebeka, distant 30 kilometres. With its 6537 hectares, it is Ethiopa's largest and most ancient plantation, surrounded by 240 kilometres of road. It has a yearly production of 15.000 quintals. This plantation is really worth a visit; there are also experimental plantations of fruits and spices, and coltivations of organic coffees from all arounf the world.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel, departure early in the morning for Maji on cross-country 4x4 Toyota vehicles. Arrival foreseen at noon. The Maji area was in the past times the border between Britain's colonial domains and the free Ethiopian empire; the area was conquered and annexed to Ethiopia by Menelik the Second, in 1900. In spite of the fact that a century has passed ever since, this area is still on the fringes of the country's political and economic infuences. Maji is the land of the Dizi people, an ethnic group of 22.000 individuals that are also called Sizi and Twoyu. Arrival at Tulgit late in the afternoon.Check-in formalities and dinner at the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel.
Tulgit is the land of the Surma tribe, one of the last ethnic groups whose lifestyle and habits have remained unchanged, a primitive people that lives on the hill-side of the tablelands, west to the Omo River, bordering Sudan's marshes and Kenya's vast savannas. A tribe of warrios that survives growing poor quantities of corn and sorghum and breeding cattles and goats. Men have their faces and chest marked by deep scarifications that identifies the group one belongs to, its bravery, its merit, the number of enemies killed, etc. etc. Their naked bodies are painted with imaginative patterns using kaolin (a white fossil). Women are covered by strips of goat's skin decorated with small shells; married women wear numerous earrings and practice the extension of lower lips, using earthen or wooden round plates. A typical tradition amongst the Surma is the "donga", young men fighting using a stick. Donga takes place two or three times per year and lasts from three to six weeks. Usually it begins in November. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel.
Departure for Jima, chief town of former Caffa province. The Gimma region is on the west of the great Rift Valley, between 1399 abd 2100 metres hight. Its temperate climate, temperatures are never below 0° and do not surpass 29°, make this an ideal place for coffee cultivations and for groving various cereals; a paradisiacal ethiopian garden. During the Thirties the Italians had many expectations and planned the construction of a new urban centre. In ourdays examples of fascist architectures are still visible, such as the theatre, ths post office, the old hotels and the City Hall. The arrival in Jima is foreseen late in the afternoon; the day ends with a guided tour to the Museum Muuziyemil Jima. Dinner and overnight at the Wolde hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel;
guided tour of the Abba Jiffar Palace situated 7 kilometres from downtown Jima towards north-east, on a hill close to the Jiren village.
The Abba Jiffar Palace is a two-storey building constructed 160 years ago: it was the royal palace of King Jiffa(1852-1933), one of Caffa's most important kings, that reigned at the end of the XIX century. The recently restored royal palace offers and great view. Departure for Sodo at the end of the visit, admiring along the way the numerous coltivations of cofeee, corn and tea. Lunch in Chida or Waka: this part of the journey offers fascinating panoramas. Arrival in Sodo late in the afternoon.
Dinner and overnight at the Bekele Molla hotel

Breakfast in the hotel and departure early in the morning for Arba Minch, where the arrival is foreseen at noon. Lunch at the Shewanes hotel, a newly built complex situated on a hill overlooking the park. Visit to the city of Arba Minch, chief town of the former province of Gamo-Gofa, the largest city of southern Ethiopia. Located in a sloap that gives on Lake Abaya towards the north, on Lake Chamo towards the south and at the base of the western side of the Great Rift Valley. The Great Rift Valley is a vast geographical and geological feature, caused 50 million years ago by the geological process of rifting. The rift valley varies in width from thirty to one hundred kilometers, and runs for approximately 5,000 kilometres from Syria to Mozambique. A fourth of its entire lenght runs within Ethiopia's borders, splitting in diagonal the Country's tableland, from south-west to nord-east. Due to its volcanic origins, the soil is incredibly fertile making this a very populated area. Southern to the town of Addis Abeba the Rift Valley presents a border line of seven lakes, rich of fauna and vegetation. These lakes in the past were larger than today. Althought these lakes are'nt as big as other more famous African lakes (such as Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Turkana) they are of great interest and are a mandatory gateway towards the southern part of the country. The city of Arba Minch is an ideal start point for explorations towards the nearby lakes of the Rift Vally, Nechisar's National Park and the mountain cities of Dorze and Chenca.
The day ends with a fresh fish meal at a city's restaurant.

Breakfast in the hotel, transfer to Lake Chamo for a visit to a croccodile farm. Lake Chamo is located to the south of Lake Abaya, both considererd the most beautyful of the Rift Valley. These lakes are covered by plants typical of the savanna. The isthmus that separates the two lakes is known as "the Bridge of God" or "Paradise", due to its wonderful panorama. The visit to the croccodile farm ends with a boat trip to admire almost 5000 croccodiles in their pens. Lunch and then visit to Nechisar National Park (meaning "White Grass" in Aramaic). The park covers an area of 514 square kilometers. Early in the morning and at dusk the grass seems golden, but at noon under the sun's glares the grass turns into a white/silver colour. Wildlife in the park includes 91 species of mammals: Hartebeest, Burchell's Zebra, Grant's gazelle, Guenther's Dik-dik, and the Greater Kudu.
The park supports also 30-50 Abyssinian lions.

In the evening, return to Arba Minch, fresh fish dinner at another restaurant and overnight stay at the same hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel, departure for Yabello, that dists 5 kilometers from the main road that runs from the north to the south of the Country. This is an ideal spot for visiting Yabello's Fauna Reserve that covers an area of 2496 square kilometres. This Reserve was established to protect Swayne's Hartebeest; in ourdays the reserve is known for its almost 194 species of birds, including the White-tailed Swallow and Zavattari's den. The reserve gives shelter to 25 species of mammals that populate the acacia scrub and the savanna.
Dinner and overnight stay in a hotel in Yabello.

Breakfast in the hotel, excursion in the Borana's territory for a visit to the famous "singing wells" near Dublock village at approximately 70 kilometres from Yabelo. Presently nine wells are in function since a century ago, from which a very precious dark salt is extracted. The village of El Sod, 12 kilometres south from Dublock, is situated close to one of Ethiopia's largest deposit of natural salt. El Sod, meaning "The House of Salt" is famous for its deep crater lake (100 metres of depth). The lake has a diameter of approximately 800 metres; its waters are soo dark that seem an oil slick. Salt is transported on donkeys' back: these animals can be seen climbing the crater's steep slopes covered by dark mud. Lunch is eated during the ecursion.
Dinner and overnight stay in the same Yabello hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel,
departure early in the morning for Lake Abaya to observe the hippos. Lunch and transfer to Wondo Genet hot springs, that dist approximately 15 kilometres southeast from Shashemene. The springs are plunged into a dense forest that echoes with birds songs. Arrival and accommodation at the Wabe Shebele hotel; the hot springs and the thermal swimming polls are 300 metres from the hotel. Another place worth a visit is the Wondo General Agricultural College, located at 2 kilometres from the hotel, with its forest areas where many variety of plants have been reintroducted and where one can admire Ethiopia's territory before its deforestation.
Dinner and overnight stay in the hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel; visit to Shashemene, a small town full of traffic and commercial activities. This town is on the way back to Addis Abeba; like all passage towns, Shashemen is dirty, noisy and chaotic. The only interesting aspect is that this town has become the unofficial capital of the Rastafarian settlement in Ethiopia. Its official name is Ethiopian Wold Jamaica Federation Inc, but here it is simply called Jamaica. The Rastafarian community is at approxmately 1.7 kilometers north of Shashemene.

Coffee stop al Lake Langano, set against the Arsi Mountains soaring 4,000 meters, to enjoy a breathtaking panorama.
The waters of the lake appear brown, but are clear and tested safe from the risk of Bilharzias.

Lunch at Ziway; located 158 kilometers distant from Addis Abeba, this place has a fishing centre, and large coltivations of vegetables and fruits. Distant 1,5 kilometres there is Lake Ziway, the northernmost of Ethiopia's Rift Valley lakes. Its salty waters are rich of fish, amongst all the Nile's telapia. The lake is sorrounded by volcanic mountains and has five volcanic islands: on the largest one are the ruins of three monasteries. Few monks still live in the main one, which according to local legends housed the Arc of the Covenant during the IX century.
Arrival in Addis Abeba late in the afternoon.
Dinner and overnight stay at the Gion hotel.

PLEASE NOTE:
Those clients interested in purchasing only this travel package should consider an extra day, i.e. the first day of arrival in Addis Abeba.
Therefore the total lenght of this tour is 10 days.
The 2nd day of this travel tour corresponds to the following 13th  Day Dessie.

Breakfast in the hotel; departure early in the morning for Dessie, capital city of the Wollo Region surrounded by hills covered by eucalyptys. Dessie is a passage way, it represents a convenient stop on the journey towards Lalibela, Mandala and the Danakil, passing through Mille going to Serb, along the new path built in 1995. Lunch at Debre Berhan, 130 km north-east from Addis Abeba; this town has church built in the XV century and is famous for its woool rugs. After lunch visit to Kombolcha, Dessie's twin town: the two are only 25 kilometres distant. Alike Dessie, also Kombolcha has good facilities and is closer to the airport (2 kilometres). At 41 kilometers from Kombolcha is the small town of Bati, known for its large and pittoresque market that on Mondays attracts up to 10,000 Afar, Oromo and Amer people.
Dinner and overnight stay in Dessie, at the Fasika hotel.

Breakfast in the hotel; departure early in the morning for Serdo, driving for 180 kilometres along the new path built in 1995; this new path has increased all the activities connected to the salt collecting. This line of communication has abolished people's isolation and has mande possible the control over the Dancalo territory. Arrival in Afdera, in the heart of the Danakil Depression, 140 metres below the sea level. Hot springs from the Erta Alè Volcano flow by a small brakish water lake surrounded by black basalt. Visit to the salt mine.
Dinner and overnight stay in the camp.

Breakfast at the camp, early morning departure for Abdallali, crossing the volcanic desert sands of the Rorom plain. Abdallali is located at the limit of the volcano's lava base and is the start point for climbing the Erta Ale. Its Afar name (an ethnic group of the Danakil region) means "the smoking mountain". It is a shield volcano, which has a base diameter of 30km and is only 600m high; it is located at the centre of the Danakil Depression, which used to be part of the sea, at some points is 120 meter below sea level. This is the land of the Afar people, an ethnic group of warrior race, strong and fierce, now adapted to leading a poor nomadic life. Dinner and overnight at the camp.

Breakfast at the camp, departure for Galafi crossing the Danakil desert that at some points is 100 meters below the sea level, known to be one the hottest spots on earth. We arrive in Alalobet with its wonderful color combination minerals originating from the emissions of hot water springs from the volcano. Here we cross the salt deposits originating from the evaporation of the Read Sea that originally occupied this valley, then transformed into a salt water lake and finally a depression below the sea level. This region is inhabited by the nomad Afar people, known in the past for their legendary cruelty. For centuries the Afar people have extracted and transported salt from the Danakil lakes to the markets in the tableland. In the evening arrival in Galafi and accommodation in the camp.
Dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast at the camp. After having completed all formalities, we cross the Djibouti state border on our way to the salt water Lakes of Assal and Goubet-Al-Kharar. An easy access allows admiring all its natural beauties. The variety of birds is impressing: storks, flamingos, ibis, white herons, vultures and birds of prey. In the afternoon we reach the small town of Tadjoura which offers a spectacular view of the mountains - some of which surpass 1300 meters of height and that are only 10 kilometres far from the town.
Dinner and overnight stay at the Resort hotel.

Two days at the beach, swimming with turtles, barracudas, sea-bass, etc. on the wild and impressive barrier reef, accessible both to snorkelling and scuba diving lovers. The beach is of "white sand". Various boat excursions are organized for visiting the superb barrier reef and to reach the places where turtles lay their eggs. Dinner and overnight stay at the Resort hotel.
In the afternoon of the 19 th Day we arrive in the town of Djibouti. Accommodation at the Menilik hotel.
After dinner the evening ends with a visit to the characteristic town of Djibouti and its "Grand Marché", the huge permanent market open on evening hours.

Breakfast in the hotel. During the morning visit to the town and its port. After lunch, transfer to the airport and flight to Addis Abeba, where the arrival is foreseen late in the afternoon. Accommodation at the Ghion Hotel. Farewell dinner at a typical restaurant of the capital city

Breakfast in the hotel. Transfer to the airport and departure for Rome.