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Bole, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Fasika Ethiopian Easter Tour
Fasika is the biggest feast in the Ethiopian Orthodox year and it follows the Julian Paschal calculation, so the date moves. In 2027 it falls on 2 May.
Read moreAbout The Tour
Overview
Fasika is Ethiopian Orthodox Easter and the largest feast of the Ethiopian year. Unlike Genna and Meskel it has no fixed date: it follows the Julian Paschal calculation, so it drifts against Western Easter and against the Gregorian calendar generally. In 2027 it falls on 2 May.
It is also different in character from the other festivals. Timkat and Meskel concentrate on one square or one pool and you go to watch. Fasika is nationwide and domestic, and it is preceded by Hudadi, a fast of fifty-five days in which observant Ethiopians eat no animal products at all. That matters practically as well as spiritually: the fast is why the food on Easter Sunday is itself an event, and why the weeks before it are the best time in the country to eat the vegetarian dishes Ethiopian cooking does better than almost anywhere.
The heart of it is the Saturday night vigil, a service that runs late and breaks the fast around midnight or after. This itinerary is timed so that you are in Axum for that vigil, at one of the oldest centres of Ethiopian Christianity, and then moves to Lalibela for the rock-hewn churches once the feast is over.
Duration
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Day 1: Arrival in Addis Ababa and Transfer to Your Hotel
You land at Bole International Airport and we meet you and transfer you to your hotel. A light first day, and a buffer against a delayed connection before a fixed festival date.
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Day 2: Addis Ababa City Tour
The capital, which normally takes in the National Museum, Holy Trinity Cathedral and a view over the city. If you are travelling in the fast, this is a good day to eat: Addis Ababa is where the vegetarian cooking of Hudadi is at its best.
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Day 3: Fly to Axum and the Northern Stelae Field
A flight north to Axum, seat of the ancient Aksumite kingdom. The afternoon is for the northern stelae field, where carved granite monoliths stand over the tombs of Aksumite kings and the broken sections of the Great Stele lie where they fell.
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Day 4: Axum: Saint Mary of Zion and the Fasika Vigil
Saint Mary of Zion and the churches of Axum during the day. In the evening to the vigil, the long service that runs late into the night and breaks the fifty-five day fast.
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Day 5: Fasika Sunday at Axum, then Fly to Lalibela
Fasika itself, and a slow morning after a late night. The feast is the point of the day. Later we fly on to Lalibela.
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Day 6: The Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela
A full day among the eleven rock-hewn churches, cut down into the rock and still in daily use, with the country quiet again after the holiday.
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Day 7: Fly Back to Addis Ababa and the Tour Ends
The flight back to Addis Ababa, where the tour ends. We can arrange a day room if your international flight leaves late in the evening.
Fasika Ethiopian Easter Tour Highlights
- The Saturday vigil at Axum The long night service that breaks the fifty-five day fast, at one of the oldest centres of Christianity in the country.
- Fasika Sunday The feast itself, after nearly two months without animal products. This is the day Ethiopian hospitality is at its most generous.
- The Axum stelae field The carved granite stelae of the ancient Aksumite kingdom, including the fallen Great Stele, in a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Saint Mary of Zion The church compound at the centre of Axum and of Ethiopian Orthodox tradition.
- Lalibela after the feast The eleven rock-hewn churches, reached once the holiday has passed and the country has gone quiet again.
Best Time to Go
This tour is dated by Fasika, which moves. It fell on different Gregorian dates in recent years and falls on 2 May in 2027. Because the Ethiopian Orthodox church uses the Julian Paschal calculation, Fasika does not usually coincide with Western Easter, so do not assume the two are the same week. Ask us for the date in your year before you book anything.
The season depends on where the date lands. A late April or May Fasika sits at the start of the belg period in the highlands, which can bring afternoon showers without disrupting travel, and the country is greener than in the January peak. Ask us what the date in your year implies for the roads on any extension you are considering.
Getting There
You fly into Addis Ababa Bole International Airport and we meet you there. The northern legs to Axum and Lalibela are flown, because the roads between them are long mountain routes and not a sensible use of a seven-day trip.
Everything on the ground is by private vehicle with a driver. Fasika is a public holiday and the Saturday vigil runs into the night, so having your own transport and a driver who knows which service is worth attending matters more on this trip than on most.
FAQs About the Fasika Ethiopian Easter Tour
When is Fasika?
It moves. Fasika follows the Julian Paschal calculation used by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, so it drifts against the Gregorian calendar and usually does not fall on the same day as Western Easter. In 2027 it is 2 May. Ask us for the date in your year before booking flights.
Is Fasika the same as Genna?
No, and the two are often confused. Genna is Ethiopian Christmas and falls on 7 January. Fasika is Ethiopian Easter and moves each year. They are different festivals in different seasons.
What is the fast before Fasika?
Hudadi, a fast of fifty-five days in which observant Ethiopians eat no animal products. It is broken at the Saturday night vigil, which is why the Sunday feast is such an event. It also means the weeks beforehand are an exceptional time to eat vegetarian food in Ethiopia.
Can I attend the vigil service?
Visitors are generally welcome at Ethiopian Orthodox services, and the Saturday vigil is the heart of Fasika. Dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered, expect to remove your shoes at the church, and follow your guide on where it is appropriate to stand. The service runs late into the night.
Is Fasika a good time to travel in Ethiopia?
It is a good time to see the country at its most celebratory, and it falls outside the January festival peak, so the northern sites are less crowded than at Genna or Timkat. Fasika is a public holiday, so some businesses close on the day.
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