Ethiopian Great Run Tours

Tour Highlights

Ethiopian Great Run Festivals

Ethiopian Great Run is 10 KM annual  road running event which held in Addis Ababa Ethiopia  in late of November and this  competition was first envisioned by neighbors Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie, Peter Middlebrook and Abi Masefield in late October 2000, following Haile’s return from the 2000 Summer Olympics. Middlebrooks established the proposal which Masefield presented to Brendan Foster, originator of the Great Run series at the advice of her mother and close friend, Andrea Won for. Richard Nerurkar arrived in March 2001 at which point Peter Middlebrooks shared the idea with former British Ambassador to Ethiopia Myles Wick stead, who subsequently championed the race.

The elite race attracts a number of prominent runners. Haile Gebrselassie won the inaugural men’s race and at the second edition many of the country’s top long-distance runners competed, with Gebre Egzyabher Gebremariam, Sileshi Sihine and Kenenisa Bekele comprising the top three in the men’s race and Worknesh Kidane and Tirunesh Dibaba taking first and second in the women’s race. Although more established competitors do take part, the race is known for highlighting the best of Ethiopia’s up-and-coming running talent – many of the race’s podium finishers, little-known at the time, have gone on to achieve success on the global stage

Tour Itinerary

Nov 16: Arrival – Sightseeing Addis

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.

Nov 17: Fly Addis – Bahir Dar (45 min) (Lakeside Town)

You will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Bahir Dar.  Be met and transferred to your hotel.  Later, you will take a boat cruise on Lake Tana to visit the 14th century Monastery of Ura Kidane Mihret which is the most famous of the Zege peninsula monasteries. Afternoon, you will drive to the village of Tis Isat to see the Blue Nile falls.  (Note that the volume of the water could be minimal because of the construction of the new dam.) Overnight in Bahir Dar.

Nov 18: Drive Bahir Dar – Gondar (180 kms 3 – 4 hrs drive) (The Camelot of Africa)

After having your breakfast, you will begin your journey to Gondar. The Royal Capital of Ethiopia, Gondar was founded in 1636 by Emperor Fassiladas. In the afternoon you will visit the city of Gondar with the drive to the Castles and Churches built by Emperor Fassiladas and his descendants.  Proceed to the fascinating Debre Birhan Selassie (The Enlightening of Trinity) with Wonderful murals art, Qusquam Church. Overnight in Gondar.

Nov 19: Fly Gondar – Axum (30 min) (Mysterious Monolithes)

You will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Axum. A city more than 2500 years of history, once the center of a great empire and ancient civilization, home of the original Ark of covenants, Axum is the prime historical site in the north of Ethiopia. Take a city tour that include the St. Mary’s Church, the sanctuary Chapel which is the repository of the ‘Ark of covenant’, the coronation yard, Stelae Park, Tomb of Kaleb and his son Gebre Meskel, Ezana’s Inscriptions, Queen of Sheba’s Bath, Queen of Sheba’s palace ruins and Axum Museum. Overnight in Axum.

Nov 20: Fly Axum – Lalibela (30 min) (The Eighth Wonder of the World)  

You will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Lalibela. Be met upon arrival and transferred to your hotel. ‘Eighth wonder of world Heritage’ Lalibela is famous for its underground rock-hewn cathedrals.  In the afternoon you will visit top attractions of Lalibela that will simply stagger you.  Overnight in Lalibela

Nov 21: Fly Lalibela – Addis

This day you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Addis. 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. Overnight in Addis.

Nov 22: Great Run – Departure

This Moring you will participate the great run, the biggest road race in Africa. It will happen once in a year and more than 35 thousand peoples will participate on this race. Great Ethiopian Run, an event management company with the mission of staging mass-participation running events in Ethiopia, was started in 2001. Tonight you will be transferred to the airport for your departure.