Cultural journeys
Candles, white shawls and Ge’ez chant through the night of 6 January, then a doro wat feast that ends a 43-day fast.
Overview
For most Orthodox families, Genna ends 43 days without meat or dairy, and the first plate of doro wat, the chicken stew that simmers for hours, carries the whole wait. On the night of 6 January, churches fill with worshippers wrapped in white cotton shawls, holding candles while priests chant in Ge’ez, the old liturgical language. The next day belongs to family tables and to genna, the stick-and-ball game the holiday is named after.
Ethiopia keeps its own calendar of 13 months, and here Christmas falls on 7 January. Your guide explains the service as it unfolds, and you can leave quietly whenever you are ready.
Itinerary
Your guide meets you at Bole International Airport on Tuesday 5 January. Over a welcome coffee ceremony in the evening, we walk through the vigil ahead: what happens, what to wear and how to take part with respect.
Morning: the National Museum’s human-origins gallery, with casts of Lucy (3.2 million years old) and Selam, the child found at Dikika (about 3.3 million years old), then Haile Selassie’s tomb at Holy Trinity. After an afternoon’s rest, we dress in white for the vigil at a city church, chanted until early morning. You can leave with a guide at any point.
A late start after the long night. At midday the Christmas table is set with doro wat, injera, fresh bread and other holiday dishes. In the afternoon we look for a genna match or walk the festive streets.
A farewell coffee ceremony at the hotel, then a transfer to the airport.
Itineraries can change with weather, road and flight conditions. We will tell you promptly if they do.
Gallery
Photo: Unsplash
Good to know
Dress code: Modest clothing with shoulders and knees covered; women cover their hair with a shawl, which we provide.
This tour follows the Strict policy. Days are whole calendar days before departure.
| When you cancel | What you get back |
|---|---|
| 30 or more days before departure | 50% refund |
| Fewer than 30 days before departure | No refund |
Questions
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