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)
• Meal plans
• Fees for entrances, local guides, scouts, boats for activities mentioned above.

NOT INCLUDED:

• 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