Ethiopia Archaeological Tours To Hadar

Itinerary

Lucy is the common name of AL 288-1, several hundred pieces of bone fossils representing 40 percent of the skeleton of a female of the hominin species Australopithecus afarensis. In Ethiopia, the assembly is also known as Dinkinesh, which means “you are marvelous” in the Amharic language. Lucy was discovered in 1974 in Africa, near the village Hadar in the Awash Valley of the Afar Triangle in Ethiopia, by paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

Day 01: Arrival – Sightseeing Addis (The new Flower)

You will be met upon arrival and transferred to your hotel. Refresh and begin your sightseeing of Addis with a drive up to mount Entoto for a panoramic view of Addis. Descend down and drive to National museum where you will have a chance to spot the oldest hominids of ‘Lucy’ fossil. Visit and proceed to the Holy Trinity built during the WWII. Then proceed to Ethnographic museum, which use to be the palace of Emperor Hailesellase. To wrap up you drive to merkato, the biggest market in East Africa. Overnight in Addis.

Day 02: Drive to Awash National Park
After breakfast, you will drive to Awash National Park (225 Km from Addis). On the way, you will visit Lake Basaka and its aquatic birds. Up on arrival at the park, you will check into a lodge. In the late afternoon, you will do sightseeing at the Awash waterfalls and see the wild life. In the evening, you will have dinner, rest & spend the night there.

Day 03: Drive to Semera (348 km. asphalt)
You will have an early breakfast and drive to Semera (357km from Awash NP). There you will check into a hotel. Finish all the formalities in Semera where you will get your Afar permits and you will pick up the mandatory scouts and road leaders. In the evening, you will have dinner and stay the night at the hotel. Overnight stay in Local hotel.

Day 04: Semera- to Hadar
Right after breakfast, an early morning drive will take you to Hadar via Eli wuha. 2 days extension from Semera to Hadar(130 km. southwest of Semera), the site where the famous “Lucy” was discovered in 1974 by a team of American archeologists. There is not so much to see so it is only the idea that you’ve been there! In Semera you have to get permission document to visit the site. You will camp 1 night at the Hadar site.

Day 05:Hadar -to Kombolcha

This day we will have another half day at Hadar then drive to Kombolcha.

Overnight Kombolcha

Day 06: Drive Kombolcha– Addis – Departure

After breakfast, drive to the town of Awassa. En route visit the fish market around Lake Awassa. Around the lake you could encounter different birds. Visit and drive back to Addis sightseeing en route.

In the evening attend a folkloric dinner where you will have a chance to taste several national dishes and watch dances of the various ethnic groups of Ethiopia. The traditional coffee ceremony will also be served.  Later you will be transferred to the airport for your departure.