General
The Eastern part of Ethiopia with Harar as its tourism capital is nothing like you have experience in the North or the South. A labyrinth of small streets surrounded by old city walls, Harar has a distinct architecture reflecting a strong Islamic influence and world-famed tale of its inhabitants feeding hyenas. UNESCO regards Harar’s unique city houses to be the most spectacular facet of its cultural heritage
Program Duration:
- 2 or 3 days
HIGHLIGHTS*:
- Walking tour around the streets of the old city
- Visit the Sherif Harari City Museum: Set in the wide-balconied double-storey mansion where Emperor Haile Selassie spent much of his childhood. It hosts a superb private collection of antique Islamic manuscripts, Harari coins minted during the 18th century, traditional Harari costumes, musical instruments, and household artefacts.
- Visit the Arthur Rimbaud Museum: Housed in the beautiful fresco-ceilinged house where its namesake poet-turned-trader reputedly lived in the late 19th century. It now functions as a museum with displays dedicated to the poet and a fascinating collection of monochrome photographs of the city taken in the late 19th and early 20th century
- Visit the domed Awaach of Amir Nur: Amir is the 16th century ruler who constructed the walls around Harar Jugol. It is the most important of 438 Awaach (shrines) dotted around the old town
- Visit the Al-Jami Mosque: Reputedly founded in the 10th century and includes one minaret dating to the 1760s
- Visit the Shoa Gate market. Here you will have opportunity to shop indigenous handicrafts and jewelries
- At dusk, you will watch Harar’s famous Hyena men emerge to feed wild hyenas
- Visit Dire Dawa, Ethiopia’s second largest city. On your way to Dire Dawa, you can visit the Awadai khat market. Khat is a leafy plant that acts as a stimulant when chewed and is widely consumed in the region
- “Best of Addis Ababa”, our best selling City Tour of Addis Ababa. You will visit the National Museum (where the 3.5 million-year-old bones of Lucy lie), Merkato (the largest open air market in Africa), Lunch at Taitu Hotel (the first hotel in Ethiopia) and enjoy a panoramic view of Addis from Entoto from Entoto Mountain
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Pick-up from Airport
- Professional English speaking guide
- Transportation and accommodation for the professional guide
- Road transportation cars, drivers, fuel
- Accommodation (Twin/Double Room sharing)
- Fees for entrances, local guides, scouts, boats for activities mentioned above.
NOT INCLUDED:
- Meal plans
- International flights and visas
- Activities not mentioned above
- Photo and video fees
- Other personal expenses
* Some of the descriptions are courtesy of the Ethiopia Tourism Association
Tips
- The usual Islamic holidays are celebrated in Harar, including Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan. At the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, the first day of the month of Shewal is celebrated as Eid-al-Fitr. This is followed by six-days of fasting. The 8th day of the month of Shewal is Shewal Eid - a special Harari cultural festival, consisting of 24 hours of celebrations
- Harar comes alive during the Ashura ceremony, which takes place on the 10th day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar
- Kulubi Gebriel, on the road back towards Addis Ababa, attracts up to 100,000 Christian pilgrims on 26 July and 28 December, holy days dedicated to Kidus Gebriel (Saint Gabriel).
Source: ETO