Cultural Tour Of Djibouti, Sudan & Eritrea

Day 1:Djibouti

Arrive Djibouti; meet assist and transfer to the hotel.

Overnight at Sheraton Hotel or Similar

Day 2: The City of Djibouti

After breakfast, experience a full day tour of the city of Djibouti. You will visit the city’s numerous monuments and markets.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Sheraton Hotel or Similar

Day 3:Lac Abbe

After breakfast drive to Lac Abbe, a salt lake situated in an incredible scene of nature. Watch as limestone chimneys belch sulfur. Its scenery is so other-worldly that it even served as a set for the classic science fiction film ‘Planet of the Apes.’ En route you will visit Grand Barra, the remains of an ancient lake that offers great opportunities for spotting wildlife.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Sheraton Hotel or Similar

Day 4: Lac Assal

After breakfast visit the Bankoualeh Oasis with its beautiful waterfalls and gardens. Later on in the day travel to the village of Ardo, before finally continuing to Lac Assal, a crater lake that is considered one of the most spectacular natural phenomena in Africa.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Sheraton Hotel or Similar

Day 5: Lac Assal/Djibouti/Khartoum, Sudan

After breakfast travel to Lac Assal, and explore its surrounding volcanic region including the Ardoukoba volcano and its hot springs. In the afternoon drive back to Djibouti to transfer to the airport for your flight to Khartoum. Upon arrival you will be met, assisted, and transferred to your hotel. Afterwards enjoy the rest of your day at leisure.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Al Salam Rotana Hotel or Similar

Day 6: Khartoum

After breakfast take a tour of Khartoum. Attractions include a visit to the National Museum and the Ethnographic Museum. Afterwards continue your day with a drive to Omdurman to visit the Khalifa House, the Mehdi Tomb and the old souk, the local marketplace.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Al Salam Rotana Hotel or Similar

Day 7: Meroe

After breakfast drive to Meroe, an ancient city along the Nile and home to spectacular Nubian ruins. Visit the Lion Temple of Naqa and Musawwarat es-Sufra as well the Nubian pyramids of Meroe. Afterwards enjoy local cuisine cooked at your camp.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Meroe Tented Camp or Similar

Day 8:Meroe/Khartoum/Asmara, Eritrea

After breakfast continue your tour of Meroe, also known as Nubia, one of the earliest civilizations to develop along the Nile River Valley. Later return to Khartoum where you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Asmara. Upon arrival you will be met, assisted, and transferred to your hotel.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Hotel Asmara Palace or Similar

Day 9: Asmara City Tour

After breakfast visit the sites of Asmara, affectionately referred to as Piccola Roma (Little Rome). Sites of interest include the exquisite collection of 1920s Italian architectural designs in many of the buildings including:  the Catholic cathedral, the former Governor’s palace built in 1897 and was a regular retreat for Emperor Haile Selassie, Enda Mariam Orthodox cathedral, The famous landmark- Fiat Tagliero (a futuristic-style service station) designed in the form of an airplane and was completed in 1938. St Mary Coptic church, the National Museum and the Al Khulafa al Rashedin market. You may also visit a curious   monument dedicated to Alexander Pushkin, one of Russia’s greatest poets. There is always the opportunity to sit and enjoy a cappuccino (iced or hot) at one of the many outdoor cafes.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Hotel Asmara Palace or Similar

Day 10: Asmara/Keren

After breakfast leave the capital and head north through the highlands past steep terraces of coffee and orange groves to Keren, set on a plateau at 1392m surrounded by dusty ochre mountains. One of the country’s most attractive towns, Keren is also the heart of Eritrea’s agricultural community. Keren is the capital and administrative center of the Anseba region and is one of the most well-known cities in the Anseba region. This beautiful city located less than 10 miles from Asmara is a trading center and naturally a crossroads of many languages, ethnic groups and religions. Here you will see camel caravans, Turkish style mosques, and Eritreans dressed in turbans and caftans reminiscent of the Middle East.  Here also is the interesting camel wood market that attracts people from all corners of the region. Interestingly a street runs through the center of the market.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Sarina Hotel or Similar

Day 11: Keren

After breakfast,  continue the tour of  Keren focusing on the historical and architectural areas of the town. Visit a prominent shrine dedicated to St Mary of Da’arit popularly known as Mariam Da’arit. The shrine is inside a large Baobab grotto, which was inaugurated by the fifth Vicar Apostolic Monsignor Touvier in July 1881. Visit the famous as the site of heavy military engagements between the British and the Italians during the Second World War including the Italian cemetery with its beautifully marked gravestones of the perennial bougainvillea is also a site worth a visit.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Sarina Hotel or Similar

Day 12: Keren/Massawa

After breakfast drive to the city of Massawa. En route you will travel through the Filfil, home of the last remnants of Eritrea’s tropical forest. The area is particularly noted for its bird watching opportunities. The rainforest is part of a larger region known as the Semenawi-Bahri, a hilly region that slopes downward to the coastal plains. Not only is the area full of rare species of flora and fauna, but the snaking road recently built through the region’s mountains in 2005 affords view after view of breathtaking scenery.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Red Sea Hotel or Similar

Day 13: Massawa

After breakfast experience a tour of Massawa, a city composed of a series of island and immersed in the history of a number of different kingdoms. Once named the ‘Pearl of the Red Sea’, Massawa has been has been one of the region’s most important ports for centuries. With its exquisite Turkish-style architecture and shopping arcades, beautiful mosques and delicious sea food, Massawa is the perfect destination for the adventurous traveler. In addition to the city’s many attractions, it also offers pristine beaches and world-class swimming only short distance from the city center.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight at Red Sea Hotel or Similar

Day 14: Massawa/Mendefera/Asmara

After breakfast enjoy a pleasant return drive to Asmara with a stop in the town of Mendefera. Dominated by hills on both sides of its main road, the town offers beautiful views of natural scenery. You will arrive in Asmara later in the day.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Hotel Asmara Palace or Similar

Day 15: Asmara – Depart

Time permitting an depending on your flight departure time, you will have the opportunity to see the sites that might have been missed on DAY 9 including where you can bargain for that most interesting souvenir

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast