Eritrea with Timkat (Round 11)

Jan 19th (Day 2) – Timkat festival

Timkat is a festival from both Ethiopia and Eritrea celebrated by the Orthodox Curches of both Ethiopia and Eritrea.

During this festival, hundreds of thousands of people gather to celebrate the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan.

This is the best day of the year in Eritrea for people-watching watching, and photography and basically, we’ll spend the entire day in Asmara trying to enjoy this beautiful, traditional event.

Overnight in Asmara.

Jan 20th (Day 3) – Decamhare and Senafe

Travel to Decamhare, a town southeast of Asmara that served as the industrial hub for Italian Eritrea. At its peak in 1938, almost half the town’s inhabitants were Italian citizens.

Decamhare is known for its vineyards and flour mills and, despite considerable fighting in the War of Independence, Decamhare still has good examples of colonial architecture.

Lunch in Senafe, from where we will climb to a monastery located on the top of the highest mountain, a 2-hour hike.

Overnight in Senafe

Jan 21st (Day 4) – Qohaito and Soho tribe

Quohaito is a pre-Axumite archaeological site about 20km from Adikeyih, located at 2,600m on the edge of the Great Rift Valley.

We will also discover some pretty ancient rock art, as well as meet members of the Soho tribe.

Back to Asmara and overnight in Asmara.

Jan 22nd (Day 5) – Keren

Day 5 of the expedition will visit Keren. Predominantly a Muslim city, Keren, the capital of Anseba region, has a sort of Middle Eastern feel, or Sudanese, but what is obvious is that this is a completely different world from Asmara.

Keren is a super traditional city, where you’re likely to find more donkeys and camels than cars.

We will take our time visiting the market, including plenty of free time for taking pictures, interacting with locals and just discovering it on our own.

After lunch, we’ll visit the rest of town and surrounding areas.

Overnight in Keren.

Jan 23rd (Day 6) – Massawa

Early in the morning, we’ll take the long drive to Massawa on the Red Sea coast, Eritrea’s main port city, an old town that has been occupied by the Portuguese, Arabs, Egyptians, Turks, British, and Italians.

It gained prominence in the 16th century when it was captured by Ottoman forces, who developed the old town using traditional Ottoman architectural styles, often using coral instead of bricks.

After checking into the hotel, we’ll take a quick stroll through the old city, followed by some great seafood.

Overnight in Massawa.

Jan 24th (Day 7) – Massawa & around

We’ll drive to the outskirts of Massawa to meet Rashahida tribe, an ethnic group that lives across the coast plain of the Red Sea, from Port Sudan to Massawa. They are the descendants of Arab tribes from the 19th century and are nomadic people characterized by their colorful dress and camel breeds.

We’ll also go a to a local sea resort that it’s quite popular among Eritrans from Asmara. 

After lunch, we’ll do a proper visit around the Old City Massawa, including their Ottoman and Italian Heritage. 

Overnight in Massawa. 

Jan 25th (Day 8) – Back to Asmara, Asmara city tour

Wide, palm-lined boulevards, art deco, more Fiat Cinquecentos than Italy itself, and a great coffee scene. Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, might be the most charming city in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Things we will visit include: Fiat Tagliero building, Cinema Roma, Cinema Imperio, Saint Joseph Cathedral, Medemer Market, and the famous bowling center, among other things.

Overnight in Asmara.

Jan 26th (Day 9) – Departure

In the morning, visit the remaining sites in Asmara.

Then, time for a last cappuccino before your transfer to the airport.