Tour leader's notes

1. Ethiopia Historical and Contemporary
11th-25th February 2012
Tour Leader
Dr Richard Marsh

2. Dr Richard Marsh
Since we’ve not been able to meet for a briefing, rather than a
slideshow of places you’ll see, I’ll try to give you useful information
about practical things you need to know.

3. What’s in this Presentation?
• A quick overview of where you will stay and
what we’ll try to do (view in conjunction with
your joining instructions)
• Getting there and getting around
• Money – how much will you need?
• Weather and Health
• Food and Drink
• Questions folk have asked me over the years

4. Darwood, your National Guide
Darwood (left) will be our guide throughout the tour. I’ve worked
with him for many years, he’s the best logistician in the business!
Solomon (right) owns the Jerusalem Guest House in Lallibella

5. Addis Ababa
Ghion Hotel
• Central location with pleasant
gardens (maybe a little busy
with weddings in the run-up to
Lent)
• A little run-down
• Thermal swimming pool (the
only one you’ll find on the main
tour)
• Convenient supermarket in
Meskel Square
• Efficient money changing
facilities

6. Addis Ababa
What we’ll do
• Sunday 12th February • Monday 13th February
• Short City Orientation • Introductory Talk (mainly
nuts and bolts)
• Drive to the viewpoint on • National Museum
Mount Entoto overlooking • Fistula Hospital
the city • Institute of Ethiopian
Studies
• Trinity Cathedral (if folk not
too tired may do this
Sunday)
• Talk from an Ethiopian NGO
Chief Exec on challenges
and opportunities

7. Axum
Yeha Hotel
• Wonderful location and
views (watch out for the
midges on the terrace in
the evening)
• A bit run-down
• Internet available in the
lobby
• Food variable (don’t
panic, we’ll eat out
sometimes)
• Efficient, cheap laundry
service

8. Axum
What We’ll do
• Tuesday February
14th
• Fly from Addis (early
start)
• Archaeological tour of
Axum (always carry a
torch)
• Evening talk on the
politics of the Queen
of Sheba

9. Axum
What We’ll do
• Wednesday 15th February
• Visit the Holiest Christian
site in Ethiopia in Axum, the
church compound
• Afternoon, drive (see photo)
to the pre-Axumite Temple
at Yeha via the site of the
Battle of Adwa (1896). I’ll
try to introduce you to the
basics of Ethiopian religious
art and, if there’s time, talk
about water pumps

10. Axum/Lalibela
What We’ll do
• Thursday 16th
February
• Fly Axum to Lalibela
• Check in Roha Hotel
(see next slide)
• Visit Eastern Group of
Churches (remember
your torch and that
you’ll be taking your
shoes on and off)

11. Lalibela
Roha Hotel
• Convenient Location
• New Management
• Food and rooms
reputedly much improved
• Internet access in the
lobby
• Laundry possible

12. Lalibela
What We’ll do
• Friday 17th February
• Visit the Western Group
of Churches and Bet
Giorgis
• Afternoon visit to the
Church of Nakuto La’ab
• Dinner in the Jerusalem
Guest House with live
music (shoulder
dancing compulsory...if
I have to do it...so do
you!)

13. Lalibela
What We’ll do
• Saturday 18th
February
• Yemrehane Chrestos
Cave Church...this one’s
for real connoisseurs and
worth the walk
• Talk about recent
archaeological thinking
about Lalibela
• Free afternoon (bus
available if you want to go
to the centre of town)

14. Lalibela/Gondar
What We’ll do
• Sunday 19th
February
• Fly Lalibela to Gondar
• Check in Goha Hotel
(see next slide)
• Visit the Castle
compound and
Fasilidas’ ‘bath’

15. Gondar
Goha Hotel
• Great location and views
• Free wi-fi in the lobby and
dining areas
• Helpful staff
• Laundry possible
• Decent food

16. Gondar
• Monday 20th February
• Visit Debre Birhan Selassie
Church
• On to Kossoye for views
over the Simien Mountains
and maybe baboons and
colobus monkeys
• Return via the Ploughshare
women’s project in a village
where Felashas once lived
• Talk: the Quest for Prester
John

17. Gondar/Bahar Dar
• Tuesday 21st
February
• By road to Bahar Dar
• Check in Tana Hotel
(see next slide)
• Afternoon tour of
Bahar Dar and visit
an agricultural training
scheme

18. Bahar Dar
Tana Hotel
• Great lakeside location (but
beware the mosquitos)
• A little run-down
• I have seen a hippo in the
lake
• Buffet-style dining
• Laundry

19. Bahar Dar
• Wednesday 22nd February
• All day trip on the lake to visit
the sublime Narga Selassie
Church with on-site talk, return
via Zeghie Peninsular.
• Private boat with a loo!
• Packed lunch

20. Bahar Dar/Addis
• Thursday 23rd February
• Visit the Blue Nile Falls
(actually, I can no more
guarantee water than I
can baboons or monkeys,
but the walk is nice)
• Fly Bahar Dar to Addis,
check in Ghion Hotel

21. Addis Ababa
• Friday 24th February
• Visit Gemini Trust (working
with families with twins and
street children
• Afternoon shopping in
Churchill Road
• Farewell dinner and
traditional dancing
• Group divides to go back to
UK or down the Rift Valley
(separate briefings for Rift
Party)

22. Getting there And Getting Around
Travelling to Ethiopia (these notes principally for those
travelling with me from LHR
• Remember your passport and e-ticket! Of course you
will!
• Make sure your Jon Baines’ Tours (JBT) is on the
outside of your checked luggage
• There are 2 groups travelling with JBT on the same
flight: yours is the ‘Marsh Group’, the other is the
‘Williams Group’
• Ethiopian Airlines is a decent airline...sleep maybe
elusive, however!

23. Getting there And Getting Around
Arriving in Addis (for all tour members)
• Fill in a landing card on the plane (they bring them
round) or in the immigration hall.
• You are staying at the Ghion Hotel
• Its phone number is 1 15513222
• Your tour in Ethiopia is organised by Yumo Tours
• If there are large queues at the currency exchange you
can conveniently change money at the hotel.
• Collect your baggage (you will need your baggage
receipt to exit the building)
• RV with me and we’ll head to the hotel

24. Getting there And Getting Around
Internal Flights
• Ethiopian has a new fleet of aircraft
• Flights are often late/delayed...be prepared for delays
• Co-operate actively and cheerfully with security staff!
• Some airports still have hand-searches of luggage
• Some flights have ‘free’ seating...use elbows etc to
ensure you have the seat you want...play the man not
the ball!
• Flights fly low with great views

25. Getting there And Getting Around
One or two more thoughts....
• Much of your tour is quite high up...take things slowly
• Land transits by bus and 4X4 can be bumpy and dusty
• Programmes change...I’ll tell you if there’s a change and
explain why...
• Oh, and, yes I did once leave somebody behind because
they were late!!!

26. Money
• Ethiopia’s currency is the Birr (ETB)
• You cannot get ETB outside Ethiopia or take it out of Ethiopia
• The exchange rate is set by the government
• You must keep all your receipts
• To change ETB back into your home currency you will need your
receipts and a photocopy of your passport (do it at the hotel,
mysteriously the change-back facility at the airport is always closed.
• £1 (GBP) = 27.08 ETB
• €1 (EUR) = 22.73 ETB
• $1 (AUD) = 18.43 ETB
• $1 (USD) = 17.26 ETB
• $ 1 (HKD) = 2.22 ETB

27. Money
• Debit/Credit Cards are rarely accepted
• I recommend bringing spending money in $USD
• Other currencies may be exchanged but with increasing
difficulty outside Addis
• ATM’s do not recognise non-Ethiopian debit/credit cards

28. Money
How much will you need?
Obviously, that depends on you and your shopping habits.
So, I asked Darwood for up-to-date prices on common
items
• 1 litre still water – between 15 and 22 ETB
• 1 bottle local beer – between 19 and 22 ETB
• 1 bottle local wine – between 100 and 190 ETB
• 1 bottle imported wine...you don’t want to know...your
really don’t!

29. Gratuities
• Each participant pays into a gratuities fund at a rate of £60 GBP =
$94 USD = 1,625 ETB = € 70 EUR
• The money is dispensed according to a formula recommended by
Jon Baines Tours and covers:
• National Guide
• Local Guides
• Drivers
• Extra assistance necessary in and around Lalibela and Gondar
• Donations to churches etc
• Water on the bus from Axum to Yeha
• Water on the bus from Gondar to Bahar Dar

30. Weather and Health
• It should be mostly warm and dry, but there is the
chance of rain
• It may not feel that hot because you are at a high
altitude, do take normal sunblock precautions
• Malaria is common around Lake Tana and down the Rift
Valley
• Upset stomachs etc are regular curses to visitors, you
may wand to avoid eating for a day or so but do drink
plenty of liquids
• Evenings can be cool
• A spare roll of toilet paper and sanitising hand-gell are
useful

31. Food and Drink
• You don’t go to Ethiopia for the food but you won’t starve
• European food in hotels etc tends to be boring
• Ethiopian food is rich spicey and sometimes chilli hot
• Diet or Lite versions of fizzy drinks are rare
• Local beer is fine...try the different varieties until you find
the one that suits you
• Local wine is fine...after the first glass or so

32. Final Thoughts and Things Folk have asked
me
• I don’t really know much about birds or wildlife...but
Darwood’s got a book!
• If you like reading in the evenings, Ethiopian hotels have
patented the 9 watt light bulb, they can be very dim at
night.
• I try to finish days promptly at around 5.30 so we all have
time for showers etc We normally start about 8.30 in the
mornings.
• If you don’t feel like doing something...it’s fine...nothing is
compulsory

33. Conclusion
• Ethiopia has captivated me for so many years now. It’s
always a pleasure to see it through new eyes
• I look forward to travelling with you