Treasures of Eritrea
An 8 days all accommodated trip to discover the main sites of Eritrea.
Possible extension by boat to the wonderful Dahlak Islands.
8 days
Oct-Apr
all accommodated
An 8 days all accommodated trip to discover the main sites of Eritrea.
Possible extension by boat to the wonderful Dahlak Islands.
Possible departures every day – suggested arrival on Friday
Services included:
Arrival at Asmara Airport. Meet and greet with the guide. Transfer at the hotel. Overnight stay at Albergo Italia.
At 2.400 m above sea level, the architecture of Asmara resemble the typical Italian style of the 30ies. Many buildings still show Italian signs (Bar Roma, Cinema Impero, Caffè Alba, Bar Rosina, la Casa degli Italiani…) and also many people still speak Italian. It almost seems to be part of one of Fellini’s movies. Asmara is also a town that’s trying to conquer modernization to get over the many years of independence war.
After breakfast visit the city of Asmara: the Catholic cathedral of Santa Maria (1922), the Coptic church of N’da Mariam (1920), the mosque of Jamie el Kufala (1937). Visit of the old town with its typical districts where artisans and craftsmen still show their abilities.
Overnight at Albergo Italia.
After breakfast excursion on board of the legendary steam train (the train tour can only be confirmed locally about 2 days prior departure) from Asmara to Arbo Roba and back. In the afternoon departure to Keren, crossroad between the highland and the lowland and well-known for its silver filigree works. We will do several stops along the way. Along the journey we will see typical African houses and the main Italian farm of years ago. This city grew in importance during the Italian period, as the railways make it an inescapable stopover on the way to Asmara. It is still one of the most important city of Eritrea, after the capital city and Massawa,
After breakfast, we start the visit of the cattle market in Keren (only on Mondays). This will be an unforgettable experience in the hustle and bustle of this typical African market. After completing the visit of Keren including the main monuments such as St. Michael Church, the Mosque, the Villa of Italian Governor and a quick stop to Mariam Dearit (Our Lady of Baobab), a chapel built inside a baobab tree, we return to Asmara for the overnight. Overnight at Albergo Italia.
Kohaito was a pre-Aksumite settlement that thrived during the Aksumite period. The town was located over 2,500 meters above sea level, on a high plateau at the edge of the Great Rift Valley. Rock art near Qohaito indicate that the area has been inhabited since the fifth millennium BC, while the town is known to have survived to the sixth century AD.
We will leave very early in the morning for a full day excursion to Kohaito archeological area. After the excursion, return to Asmara for the evening.
Today we travel towards the coast where the temperature increases sensibly. Arrival in the fascinating town of Massawa, with its Arabic and African scent, that still is an important port on the Red Sea. Visit the old town or enjoy the beach at Gurgusum.
Walking among the narrow streets of the old town is the best way to appreciate the Moorish architecture of the buildings, the old headquarters of the Bank of Italy and the Palace of the Governo. Everywhere on the walls and especially on these last two buildings you will see the signs left by the liberation war.
After breakfast departure for a short motor boat tour to the nearby Green Island (about 20 min) in order to have a glimpse on how the Dahlak Islands look like. It will be possible to swim and snorkel. Return to Massawa and then drive back to Asmara. Overnight at the hotel.
