Eritrea · Architecture

Explore Eritrea in 12 Days with Dahlak Archipelago

12 Days Round trip from Asmara Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Explore UNESCO-listed Asmara and its modernist and Art Deco architecture
  • 02 Visit landmarks including Fiat Tagliero, Cinema Asmara, cathedrals, mosques, and markets
  • 03 Experience Keren’s colourful market and historic cemeteries
  • 04 Travel the dramatic Asmara to Massawa road through changing landscapes
  • 05 Enjoy a boat trip to Durgham and Durgella in the Dahlak Archipelago
  • 06 Relax on sandy beaches and discover coral-rich Red Sea islands
  • 07 Visit the ancient port sites of Adulis and the Gulf of Zula
  • 08 Discover Qohaito, Senafe, and local communities around Adi Keyh and Mendefera

Discover Eritrea on a 12-day journey through historic cities, archaeological sites, mountain landscapes, and the Red Sea coast. From UNESCO-listed Asmara and the cultural atmosphere of Keren to the ancient remains of Qohaito, Adulis, and Senafe, this itinerary combines architecture, heritage, and local traditions in one wide-ranging experience.

You’ll also travel to Massawa and the Dahlak Archipelago, where boat trips, island scenery, sandy beaches, and opportunities for swimming and snorkeling add a coastal dimension to the tour. Along the way, explore markets, meet local communities, and experience the varied landscapes and cultures that make Eritrea so distinctive.

You’ll also travel to Massawa and the Dahlak Archipelago, where boat trips, island scenery, sandy beaches, and opportunities for swimming and snorkeling add a coastal dimension to the tour.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 12 Days
Tour type Shared
Activity level Easy
Accommodation Included
Transport Not included
Wheelchair access No
Cities Keren, Mendefera, Asmara, Massawa, Adi Keyh, Senafe, Dahlak Archipelago
Languages Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Asmara

Arrival to Asmara, Upon arrival at Asmara International Airport, the clients will be met, assisted with our one of the experienced guide transfer to their hotel.

Arrival to Asmara. Meet, assist and transfer to hotel (Overnight Asmara) Upon arrival at Asmara International Airport, you will be met, assisted and transferred to your hotel.

Asmara, Eritrea

Our company always offers BB(Bed and Breakfast)hotels.Breakfast is a Continental Breakfast unless you want it otherwise.

Asmara, Eritrea

Overnight at Asmara, Crystal Hotel or other similar choices.( Hotels with Good Services)

2
Day 02

Asmara City Tour

Asmara City Tour- After have breakfast -City tour Asmara - a UNESCO heritage site since July 2017 in recognition of its eclectic modernist and Art Deco architectures, world's 4thbest comeback city

and Africa's best city, stroll through its architectures including the Fiat Tagliero building, Benito's old party headquarters (currently the Ministry of Education main office),

the fabulously detailed old Opera house (now Cinema Asmara), the National Museum, the Main Post Office, the Roman Cathedral, the Grand Mosque, the Orthodox Cathedral, the colourful market square including the popular Medeber recycling market , Tank Graveyard and more.

Explore the capital Asmara inscribed as a UNESCO heritage list and discover its modernist architectures. Asmara - a UNESCO heritage site since July 2017 in recognition of its eclectic modernist and Asmara, the city called as “Piccola Roma” (Little Rome) and observe its most shining collection of Art Deco (A style of design, marked by stylized forms and geometric designs, which was popular in the 1920s and 1930s) architectural wonders portrayed in many of its buildings such as:Art Deco architectures, world’s 4th best comeback city and Africa’s best city, stroll through its architectures including the Fiat Tagliero building,Benito's old party headquarters (currently the Ministry of Education main office), the fabulously detailed old Opera house (now Cinema Asmara),the National Museum, the Main Post Office, the Roman Cathedral, the Grand Mosque, the Orthodox Cathedral St. Mary , the colorful market squares[Vegetable, spices, souvenir, Medeber (recycling depot)], Tank graveyard , Visit Greek Orthodox church, Jewish Synagogue church , Cinema Impero, Cinema Roma, Italian cemetery , Testing centre, old World Bank now Ethiopian Embassy,Old Italian market Municipality etc and more.Our company always offers BB(Bed and Breakfast)hotels.Breakfast is a Continental Breakfast unless you want it otherwise.Overnight at Asmara, Crystal Hotel or other similar choices.( Hotels with Good Services)

3
Day 03

Visit to the Cultural Centre of Eritrea, KerenAfter some 3 hours drive and 90 km from Asmara, we reach the city of Keren and explore the Monday’s colorful market that comprises camel, livestock, pottery, silverware, etc. which attract traders and tribes from the surrounding area; WWII British and Italian Cemeteries, old railway station and more.Our company always offers BB(Bed and Breakfast)hotels.Breakfast is a Continental Breakfast unless you want it otherwise.Overnight at Keren, Sarina Hotel( Best in Town)

4
Day 04

Drive Back from Keren to AsmaraAs time allows there will be short stops on the way : interesting spots such as Halibmentel, Fruit and Vegetable plantations in Elabered, traditional Tigrigna tribe houses in Embaderho.Our company always offers BB(Bed and Breakfast)hotels.Breakfast is a Continental Breakfast unless you want it otherwise.Overnight at Asmara, Crystal Hotel or other similar choices.( Hotels with Good Services)

5
Day 05

Masssawa- the Pearl of the Red SeaDrive to the Port city of Massawa, downhill from Asmara with innumerable zigzag bends, jaw-dropping vistas, cool air and sometimes a veil of mist which adds a touch of the bizarre via the major highway to port city of Massawa. This route takes you through some of the most dramatic and diverse landscape in Eritrea, commonly dubbed as “three seasons in two hours”, traversing three different seasons and landscapes within the span of three hours. On the Asmara-Massawa highway, you can spot distinct bird species. As time allows take in towns such as Ghindae, home to several vegetable and fruit plantations. Gurgsum beach swimming, rest and recreation. Gurgusum beach is part of Massawa’s mainland coast, not far from city center, with clean sandy beach stretching to Gurgusum Hotel, where people with their families go picnicking, vacationing, swimming and relaxation.Our company always offers BB(Bed and Breakfast)hotels.Breakfast is a Continental Breakfast unless you want it otherwise.Overnight at Massawa, Dahlak Hotel( Best in Town)

6
Day 06

Boat Trip to the Islands Durgham and DurgellaDurgham & Durgella Islands are part and parcel of the Dahlak Archipelago, lying 19 miles and 21 miles off the coast of Massawa. These islands boast white sandy beaches, beautiful corals and sea life such as Dolphins, Mantas and sea turtles. There is also a chance of seeing big sea turtles. Both are excellent for diving, snorkeling and camping.Overnight at the islands of Durgham and Durgella( Camping)

7
Day 07

Boat trip back to MassawaAfter breakfast, take a walk along the sandy beaches and do some recreational activities. After Lunch,Boat trip back to Massawa. And discover the rest of the city of Massawa, one of the two port cities of Eritrea.Overnight at Massawa, Dahlak Hotel( Best in Town)

8
Day 08

Massawa- Foro -Adulis- Zula- MassawaIn the morning, Visit the town of Foro, situated at the ending of the mountain range. Visit ancient port of Adulis and the Gulf of Zula, located some 6km from Foro. Visit ancient port of Adulis that was once a renowned gateway to ancient civilization, a major trade route, once numbering among the greatest ports of the ancient world that has links to the Roman, Egyptian and Greek World Empires. Visit Gulf of Zula – a deep cleft in Eritrea’s coastline which is the birthplace of the Great Rift Valley on the African continent. Drive back to Massawa.Our company always offers BB(Bed and Breakfast)hotels.Breakfast is a Continental Breakfast unless you want it otherwise.Overnight at Massawa, Dahlak Hotel( Best in Town)

9
Day 09

Drive from Massawa to Adikeyh

Qohaito archaeological site, Adikeih

After early breakfast, drive some 115km to the town of AdiKeih. Visit the market and the Saho ethnic group that mostly reside around Adikeih. The Saho ethnic group, belonging to the Cushitic stock, are mainly pastoralists and sedentary farmers who mostly settle around Adikeih. Being expert herdsmen, aside from tending their own cattle, they also tend livestock of neighboring tribes in exchange for grain. The Saho are known for their penchant for honey, which is an important part of their diet, and for their skills of beekeeping. 11km from Adikeih and with 2700m elevation, ancient city of Qohaito is among the country’s famous and largest archeological site, spreading over an area of 2.5km wide by 1.5km long. The remains in Qohaito attest to a once bustling city and important staging post between the southern highland and ancient port of Adulis.Our company always offers BB(Bed and Breakfast)hotels.Breakfast is a Continental Breakfast unless you want it otherwise.Overnight at Adi keyh, Central Hotel( Best in Town)

10
Day 10

Adi-keyh- Senafe and back to AsmaraThe small town of Senafe is located 136 kilometers south of Asmara.The word Senafe is derived from “Sanafen” which in Arabic means “Where is Sana?” this is said to have come from the question asked by the Middle Eastern (Yemeni) traders who used to pass through this area and climb the high San’a. While Metera is an important archeological site near the town of Senafe, 135 km south of Asmara, it flourished in the 6th century AD.Our company always offers BB(Bed and Breakfast)hotels.Breakfast is a Continental Breakfast unless you want it otherwise.Overnight at Asmara, Crystal Hotel or other similar choices.( Hotels with Good Services)

11
Day 11

Asmara - MendeferaTravelling from Asmara some 56 km down to Mendefera, rolling down the mountains and hills covered with vegetation mostly acacia with some bare land in between is a pleasant experience. The town derived this name from the local language Tigrinya meaning ‘nobody dared’, after the resilience shown by the locals when they defended themselves on the hill against the Italian advance. The town is dominated by two hills on either side of the main road. Visit the Tigrinya ethnic group, experience firsthand their livelihood, houses called Hidmo, traditional cupboard, etc. The Tigrinya ethnic group, making up almost half of the Eritrean population, mainly inhabits in the densely populated central and southern regions and are mostly agriculturalists and business men. They speak a language called Tigrinya, which is one of the country’s official languages. Mingle with the locals and enjoy coffee ceremony.Our company always offers BB(Bed and Breakfast)hotels.Breakfast is a Continental Breakfast unless you want it otherwise.Overnight at Asmara, Crystal Hotel or other similar choices.( Hotels with Good Services)

12
Day 12

Free to Discover Asmara your wayFree to Discover Asmara. As per your flight schedule, transfer to airport for departure.Our company always offers BB(Bed and Breakfast)hotels.Breakfast is a Continental Breakfast unless you want it otherwise.

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Asmara 7 cities · 12 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Admission Fee
  • BB(Bed and Breakfast) Hotels
  • Travel Permit (Land and Sea)
  • Tourist Guide

What's Not Included

  • Dinner except those mentioned above
  • Lunch except those mentioned above
  • Air tickets
  • Gratuities
  • Use of bicycle
  • Use of SCUBA equipment
  • Use of Snorkelling equipment
  • Use of Trikke
  • Use of Segway

Know before you go

  • PASSPORT REQUIRED
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Not stroller accessible
  • Not suitable for pets
  • No public transportation nearby
  • Infants must not sit on laps
  • Infant seats unavailable
  • Infants and children are allowed as long as under the survaillance of the parents
  • The guide will come to pick you up at the airport with a sign board for the tourists to identify us easily without a scratch of a problem

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Asmara, ER
Tour start
Asmara, ER
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 12 days finish where they began, in Asmara.

Watch the tourHQ film Watch the film

Create your own adventure

Can't find the perfect tour? Tailor your dream trip.

  • Tell us your destination, dates and group size.
  • Our travel experts and local guides design a tailored itinerary, just for you.
  • Enjoy your trip with peace of mind, knowing everything is taken care of.
Plan my holiday

Say goodbye to travel stress.