TOUR CODE – EMP/101
DURATION - FULL DAY (City Tour)
DEPARTURE – MORNING
OUTLINE INTENERARY EMP-01

 We will leave the hotel morning at 8.30 drive north up to Mount Entoto, as we drive up the hill there is a drop in attitude and the air is filled the scent of the eucalyptus trees which line the road. From the top there is a panoramic view of the capital and surrounding countryside.

Entoto is an important watershed to the north water flows of the Blue Nile , to the south to the Awash river .

In 1981 Emperor Menelik II made his permanent camp here, after the remains of an old town, believed to have been the capital of the 16 th century monarch Lebna Dingel, were discovered. Menilik took this discovery to be a divine and auspicious sign for his new capital.

We will view the church of St. Mariam, where Menilik was crowned Emperor of Ethiopia in 1989, and in the small museum in the compound there are various clothes, court and household implements and weapons dating from that period.

The church of Archangel Raguel unusual in that it is octagonal rather than round, there is a first story balustrade around which Menelik liked to stroll. Leaving the church we descend to the town stopping at the National Museum and Archeological Museum . Here visitors can visit exhibits dating back to 3.5 millions years old remains of Lucy (locally called Denkinesh) and the Axumite and the monarchs of Tewodros and Menilik.

We will take a break for lunch, there a variety international restaurants in Addis Ababa or visitors may refer to one of Ethiopian cultural food restaurants like Addis Ababa Restaurant, once the home of Empress Zewditu.

After lunch we will visit the Ethnological museum of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies , where we can see clothing from different ethnics along with artifacts, households and in the separate section, paintings reflecting the history and culture of the country. Our next stop will be Trinity Cathedral, where many patriots of the war against the Italian invaders are buried. Then passing Menilik's Palace we proceed to African Hall in the head quarters of The Economic Commission for Africa for a look at the large stained glass artwork designed by renowned Ethiopian artist Afewerk Tekle. We then moved to Merkato, the largest open air markets in Africa , where virtually every possible commodity is on sale.

For the visitor good at bargaining, there is a huge selection of Ethiopian arts and crafts, if possible we can see the Lions Zoo in the capital.

This will the end of our full day city tour, hope you will enjoy is with our maximum care and hospitality.