ERITREA 12 days

1° day: saturday
Welcome in airport and transfer to the hotel .
Start guided tour of Asmara, according with available time due to your arrival hours.
Overnight stay in Hotel Midian or equivalent. B&B
NB: if you arrive early in the morning 01.00-03.00 am, you will need an extra night, as check in is expected after 02.00 pm

2° day: sunday
Asmara: Excursion on board the legendary train, pulled by locomotives “Mallet” (tour subject to availability). In the afternoon Drive to the lively city of Keren (1,392 Mt. high), crossroad between the highland and the lowland and well-known for its silver filigree works.
Overnight stay in Keren, Sarina Hotel or equivalent. B&B

3° Day: monday
Sightseeing tour of the city and its Monday camel market. Worth-seeing places are: the Italian and British war cemeteries, the mosque and the little Greek church near the market, the governor country-seat, the Romanesque Saint Michael church and the old Fortress (1,460 Mt. high). Last but not least, a visit to “Mariam Deàrit” (Our Lady of Baobab), a chapel built inside the tree itself. It was made by some Italian soldiers as their thanks to God because they took shelter there during the British bombings in 1941. In the afternoon return to Asmara.
Overnight stay in Hotel Midian or equivalent. B&B

4° day: tuesday
Excursion by 4WD car to Adi Ugri, Adi Quala and Daaro Khonat (sightseeing tour of the city, Enda Mariam Tzion Coptic church, among the best church in Eritrea, Saint Rita catholic church in Adi Quala in which is located the plaque in memory of the dead of Nova Scotia, the Memorial to the Adua Fallen, from which you enjoys a splendid view of Mareb valley) .**
Return to Asmara in the late afternoon.
Overnight stay in Hotel Midian or equivalent. B&B

5° day: wednesday
After breakfast guided tour of the city of Asmara, will be visited the Catholic and Coptic cathedrals, the mosque, the market, the Caravanserraglio, the Italian cemetery, the National Museum. Overnight stay in Hotel Midian or equivalent. B&B

6° day: thursday
Excursion by 4WD car Asmara-Dekamerè-Segheneyti (Sycamores Valley), where we could appreciate the extraordinary dimensions of secular sycamores that lop up in the valley, we will come up till Adi Keyh and Kohaito, where we’ll admire the ruins of the ancient axumite cities of Coloe and the prehistoric graffiti of Cutublè Galbà Senafè (city remains axumita of Metara).
Return to Asmara in the late afternoon
Overnight stay in Hotel Midian or equivalent. B&B

8° -9° day: Friday-saturday
Departure to Massawa and start a cruise boarding a fast boat, for next three days.
You will settle a home camp in one of the island, and will visit one or teo more island every day. Lot of time free at leisure at the beach, snorkelling, fishing.
Overnight stay in mobile tented camp, full board including 4 pcs local drinks per pax per day.

10° day: sunday
After swimming and visiting the island, return to Massawa in the afternoon and after a short visit of Massawa procced to Asmara.
Overnight stay in Hotel Midian or equivalent. B&B

11° day: monday
Full day will continue the guided visit of Asmara. In the evening dinner in a typical restaurant, where you can enjoy authentic traditional cuisine, taste beverage (sua, mies, areki) and participate in the ceremony of coffee. After dinner transfer to the airport for the return flight.

Editorial geographical and approximately program
The proposal is aimed at those who want to get an idea of Eritrea and its most significant places without undertake the efforts of a raid in Dancalia. Nevertheless, the journey requires a quite good adaptability, as the cruise to the Dahlak implies to spend night in tent on the islands. Also in this case is valid the advice to carry a sleeping bag and pillow cases. The beauty and authenticity of the spots, the emotion of being in places that belong to the Italian history and the friendliness of the people are worth certainly to bear these small sacrifices.
We’ll have the first day, to admire this enchanting city, in which still are strong memories of Italian presence, and its most distinctive monuments: the Lombard style Catholic Cathedral of Santa Maria (1922), the Coptic one N’da Mariam (1920), the Mosque of Jamie el Kufala (1937), all of them built on Italian projects.
On sunday, if it is possible, we will do a very special trip: we’ll cover some of the 26 miles of Asmara-Nefasit distance, on board the “Littorina” or on a steam locomotive, both dated 30’s years, the originals and functioning. A truly unique experience. The afternoon will be free to continue the visit of the enchanting city that is Asmara.
We’ll leave in the afternoon to the western lowland, and after a hundred kilometres from the capital, we’ll arrive in Keren, an old city in which the Italians that are living in Asmara spend their holydays, here we can visit the market, the Heroes’ cemetery, where are buried close by together the 1600 Italian and Eritrean Fallen in the most important battle of World War 2 ^ in eastern Africa and the shrine of Mariam Daarit, where a black Madonna is put in the hollow of a huge baobab.
The next day, an interesting and without effort tour, led us to visit the towns of Adi Ugri-and Adi Quala **, where we’ll visit the shrine of S Rita. At Daaro Khonat we’ll visit the War Memorial of the Battle of Adwa, recently restored. Here from the overhang in which flows the river Mareb, almost on the border with Ethiopia we’ll be able to admire a breathtaking spectacle. In the afternoon return to Asmara.
The following day from Asmara we’ll direct to the southern upland of Senafè¨, crossing the villages of Dekamarè, where are still traces of Italian colonialist presence, Segheneyti, that is situated in proximity of Sycamores Valley, the largest of which, Mai Serao, still houses, under its shadow the meetings of neighbouring villages people. Excursion to the ancient ruins of Cohaito (II-IV century BC.), and at the stone carvings, the remains of Metara. Dinner and overnight stay in Senafè.

The next day departure to the Dahlak islands, reaching Massawa from where will immediately sail to the islands. The fast boat on which we’ll embark will led us to some of the most beautiful islands of the Dahlak: with microscopic coral sand banks of Madote, Assarca and Enteara, Dissei that house a little village of Afar fishermen, where we are greeted by dozens of children ready to show their shells. At Shumma, besides the beautiful reef, we will do a short trip to see the rests of the Italian naval battery of 2 ^ World War
Last leisure day in Asmara, to complete the visit, and to do the latest purchases. In the evening farewell dinner in a typical restaurant, located a few km outside Asmara where you can enjoy traditional cuisine in authentic way, test local beverages (his mies), and attend the ceremony of coffee.
In the evening, after dinner, transfer at the airport for departure
*****
The Dahlak Archipelago deserves further details:
Dahlak Islands are one of the last paradises submerged. Isolated from tourism for over thirty years, because of Eritrea independence war, which ended in 1992, they are still very little known because it lacks hotels, tourist and sports (diving) adequate structures. These islands must be experienced with a certain spirit of adaptation, as overnight are expected on tents on the various islands), and finally it needs spirit of adaptation to concern the availability of fresh water: the Dahlak are, as a matter of fact a very arid archipelago, as they are situated between the desert of the Arabian peninsula to the east and the dancalian one to the west, so every dhow must bring with it a good supply of drinking water (bottles of mineral water) and fresh water for cooking and light rinses (if it needed, it will be boiled or using additives such Micropur, Steridrolo or Amuchina) These small sacrifices are repaied by a view, above and under the sea, unique and nowadays very rare, which allows you to feel very strong excitement.
The more than 200 islands of the archipelago, many of them unnamed on charts, are, except four (Dahlak Kebir, Dissei, Norah and Dehel) uninhabited. Almost of all are of coral origin (except Dissei in the south and some of volcanic origin in the extreme north), are usually formed by tableland of fossil coral, high on the surface of the sea only a few meters, with coasts as well of fossil coral interrupted by little beaches. The smaller (Madote, Assarca, Enteara, Dahret, Dohul Bahut just to name a few provided in the three proposed itineraries) are nothing more than coral sand banks, whose highest point is a few metres above sea level and with a poor vegetation, consisting of low shrubbery). In the islands the wildlife is very rich: birds (various types of gulls, cormorants and waders, pelicans, fisher hawks, sea eagles, terns, ibis) and crustaceans (crabs and pagurians). On the peopled islands, that are also the largest one, are also pets, often in absolute freedom (dromedaries, donkeys, goats and sheep). At Dahlak Kebir there are also gazelles and, inner, it is said there are vipers. Almost absent are bothersome insects, but in the greater islands or those who have mangroves, during the rain time, it is possible there are flies and mosquitoes.
The marine life is the best we can think about in these tropical seas: are easily to be seen, endless species of barrier fish (butterfly, angel, scorpion, bat, glass, parrots, coris etc.), various kinds of races and stingrays, many types of eatable fish (though let to dhow’s crew fishermen to get them for us): bonitos and albacore tuna, mackerel and maquerel, snappers, groupers and greater amberjack, small spotted dart and the mysterious one fish that Gianni Roghi christened “cefalone”. Frequent also for those who do snork encounters with dolphins and barracuda, not rare, especially if it goes somewhat beyond the low seabed around the corals, to see turtles and sharks (blacktip and whitetip reef shark, gray reef shark). Uncommon for those who swim just on the surface or dive only on apnea are the encounters with hammerhead sharks and manta reys.
For those who want to dive with oxygen bottle and cinefotosub gear some recommendations: the transparency of Dahlak sea is not good because of plankton is very ric;, it is essential to be accompanied by a government divemaster; diving on some wrecks are forbidden (particularly the most recent, dating from the war of independence, and concentrates all between the Nokra and the Dahlak Kebir island, but even some of the oldest, like Nazario Sauro, Mazzini, Panaria) ; at present time there is not still a hyperbaric chamber in Massawa, or fast emergency vehicles.
To all, two recommendations: in order to adequately protect themselves from sunlight not only use appropriate creams, but also the first day for most sensitive skins, you have to wear T-shirts and fuseaux, even when you swim, and the prevention of bruising caused by the presence of plankton may require providing yorself with suitable medicines.

Some mention, at last, on the islands, cited alphabetically:
Assarca: twin islands of coral sand with beautiful reef around t the southern one.
Dahret: “jewel” of sand, with beautiful coral. On the southern tip spotted several times herds of dolphins that were making their way to shore and manta reys that grazing on the sandy bottom
Dahlak Kebir: the big island, the largest of the archipelago. With at least four villages is characterized by a wide gulf (Gubbet Mus Nefit), within which lie many shipwrecks dating back both 2° Mondial War (the most famous are the Urania, Nazario Sauro, Mazzini, Panarea. Only the first one is viewed by snorkelist) and more recent ages (a large recovery ship, a freighter and two smaller Soviet motomissil ship, the Ethiopian freighter Ras Dogon). Nearby the village of Old Dahlak Kebir is open to visit the Arabic and Turkish necropolis, in there are some tombstones that have engravings cufic characters. You can also see some of as well as 360 wells that allow people and animals to survive in this very hot island. There is also a radiotelephonic position on, the tourist village of Luul and a military police post. In front of the tourist village, in the north channel that allows you to exit the Gubbet Mus Nefit (usually it enters from the south one), you can see from the boat the nearby island of Nokra, with the ancient Turkish prison, that became Italian, then Ethiopian and nowadays it is Eritrean. The presence of soldiers still prevent the landing.
Dissei: the only island of the archipelago which heights (fifty-sixty metres). A typical Afar fishing village, with a market in which they sell wonderful shells
Dur Gaam: twin of the neighboring Dur Ghella, has beautiful reef both on the south side and on the north. Here frequently are seen sharks (the sea floors collapse with suddeness). On the eastern tip, there are grove of mangroves and traces of Italian military settlements
Dur Ghella: sandy island with beautiful coral barrier
Enteara: other beautiful coral sand island, with equally beautiful reef
Madote: microscopic coral bench, with a trellis lantern and splendid depht
Shumma: nearby Dahlak Kebir, provides an anchorage for boats within two great submerged coral docks. In this island you can go to visit a couple of wells repaired by a grove of acacia trees, the ruins of a Italian military settlement ages 2° Mondial War (naval battery “Quarto”), the lighthouse and a grove of mangroves