Saturday 23rd May – Asmara

• Arrival at the airport at your convenience, according to your flights.
• For those who arrive early, free day to explore Asmara slowly and do some shopping, according to your interests.
• Meet up with the rest of your group in the evening in our hotel, the Top Five Hotel.
• We will meet our new group members at the hotel before heading out for our first group dinner and drinks in Eritrea at Harnassien Restaurant.
• Tonight, Harnett street should be busy with the carnival so we will head there to check out the various pre-Independence Day celebrations including modern and folklore dances.
• Festival continues into the night culminating in a massive fireworks show at midnight to celebrate independence.
• Overnight in Asmara

Sunday 24^th May – Independence Day!

• For those brave enough there will be a 6 am 21-gun salute to mark Independence Day.
• Free time to walk around the city after breakfast and mingle with locals.
• There will be various art exhibitions along the pedestrianized streets of the Main liberation avenue.
• After lunch, we join the celebrations at Asmara Stadium. There will be various displays by the Military music band, and the Eritrean Air force will fly over the stadium in a spectacular color show! Multiple dramas will be shown by many artists during the afternoon.
• The Eritrean President will deliver a speech on the occasion of the Independence Day. The show will come to an end at about 7 pm.
• Dinner and drinks to close out the Independence celebrations at a traditional restaurant, Hed Mona, where you can sample injera and local alcohols… Followed by a dance party!
• Overnight at the hotel in Asmara.

Monday 25th May – Asmara

• After breakfast, we will have a walking tour of the center of town. We will see the spectacular art deco of Asmara built by the Italians at the turn of the last century, such as the Post office built 1916, Albergo Italia built in 1899, the presidential palace built in 1907, and the Hotel Hamasien built in 1916. Great photo opportunities!
• We check out the Tank graveyard where we can see out-of-use tanks that were demolished during the war with Ethiopia.
• Visit the City Hall to see various photo displays in commemoration of the thirty-years bitter struggle and the post-independence progress. The City Hall was established by the Italians in 1890 and is one of the oldest institutions in Africa. There will also be various inventions on display by young people.
• Overnight in Asmara

Tuesday 26^th May – Asmara

• Early start and some breakfast as we have an exciting day. Today we will board a 100-year-old train and ride all the way to Arbaroba or the end of the maintained track.
• Along the way, we will go through tunnels and winding roads. This is definitely a trip highlight!
• On board the train we will be offered a traditional coffee ceremony.
• Arrive back in Asmara.
• In the afternoon, we will have some time to walk around and visit more of Asmara, possibly heading to the recycling market or the National Museum of Eritrea
• Head to the incredible bowling alley for a step back in time.
• Dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Wednesday 27^th May – Massawa

• Hit the road for the 3 hour drive to Massawa
• On arrival, we’ll check in at our seaside hotel
• We’ll visit Gurgusum Beach, where we can swim and relax with local people.
• Walking tour to take in the unique mixture of Turkish and Italian architectural design.
• Dinner at the “Salam Restaurant”. Fresh fish prepared in traditional oven. This is a real local experience.
• After dinner, we explore the nightlife of Massawa and find some bars.
• Overnight in Massawa at an hotel reminiscent of the era of the Italians, the Grand Dahlac Hotel.

Thursday 28^th May – Massawa

• After breakfast, we visit a local school in Massawa to learn about Eritrea’s education system and meet with the children.
• Take a boat to Dahlac Marine National Park, the Red Sea’s largest archipelago of which just four islands are inhabited.
• We visit ruins from the early Arabic/Islamic settlers of the 8th century, and also some local Tigranyan villages.
• Those who have a diving license can experience a dive in the Red Sea! (additional cost for diving). Don’t dive? No problem – snorkelling equipment is also available.
• In the late afternoon/early evening, we will make our way back to Massawa.
• Dinner at Almaz Bar & Restaurant, YPT’s favourite meal in Massawa. There, we can try Ja-Ja fish, an incredible stir-fry made up of thick pieces of fish
• Drinks and overnight in Massawa

Friday 29^th May – Asmara

• After a late breakfast, we will hit the road back to Asmara.
• Arrival in Asmara at around 4 pm – we will have free time in Asmara. We may be lucky enough to watch football in the famous Cinema Roma or, if interested, have a chance to briefly talk about your country or profession to young Eritrean students.
• Dinner and group drinks in Asmara.

Saturday 30th May – Asmara

• After breakfast, we head to Keren city.
• We visit the shrine of Mariam Dearit.
• Lunch in Keren
• Free time in this quaint town to check out the local markets and explore the lively streets.
• In Keren, we will have the chance to catch some great views from the top of Hotel Keren
• We will then visit the old train station of Keren and stop by some architecturally interesting buildings in this town which used to be a very important part of the Italian colony.
• Drive back to Asmara and stop by some destroyed Ethiopian tanks along the way!
• Last group dinner at the National Union of Eritrean Workers Restaurant (what a YPTesque name!) and overnight in Asmara.

Sunday 31st May

• End of tour.
• YPT is able to arrange airport transfers for those who require, depending on flight times.

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