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A Water 1st Tour is a once-in-a-lifetime journey for the adventure traveler that will give you a first-hand look at the incredible work being done by our local partner organizations to bring safe, sustainable water supplies to the world’s poor. Water 1st provides grants to non-governmental organizations based in developing countries in order to support the implementation of projects that include the provision of drinking water, hygiene education, and sanitary latrines. Once each year, we escort groups of people to witness these extraordinary programs.
2012 Ethiopia Water Tour: Februrary 4 – 11 (in-country dates)
February 4: Join tour in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
You will be met at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia by a Water 1st representative. Transfer to hotel. Welcome drinks and short orientation. Overnight: Global Hotel (3-star). Meals: dinner
February 5: Addis Ababa
Visit the headquarters of Water Action, a leading water and sanitation organization in Ethiopia and a Water 1st local partner, for a presentation of their work and our visit goals. Afternoon visit to the Ethiopian Ethnological Museum. Dinner at the Top View Restaurant, with a spectacular view of Addis Ababa. Overnight: as above. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
February 6: Addis Ababa to Oromia
Breakfast in Addis Ababa. Travel to our project area, two hours west of Addis Ababa. Meet with local Water Action field staff for an overview of their program and progress update on the projects supported by Water 1st. Ethiopian lunch and coffee ceremony. Dinner and overnight in Woliso. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
February 7 and 8: Dawo Woreda, Oromia
Half-day work party to experience the construction of a new water system. Visit a completed project and meet the water committee and community members. Visit a community in need of a water project and funding. Walk to communities’ current water source. Dinner and overnight as above. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
February 9: Oromia to Addis Ababa
Travel back to Addis Ababa. Visit the Merkato, the largest open air market in Africa. Overnight in Addis Ababa. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
February 10: Tour ends, Addis Ababa
City tour. Visit the National Museum to see the remains of “Lucy”, a 3.2 million year old fossil of the first human, St. George’s Church, and other Addis Ababa highlights. We will celebrate our final evening together with dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant with traditional dancing. Transfer to airport for overnight flights to Europe/USA. Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight in Addis Ababa for those flying out February 11.
“I thought I was going to Ethiopia for a cultural experience, but it turned out to be a life changing one. After seeing the faces of the people in these villages, and watching the women and children walk to and from watering holes carrying heavy containers of water on their backs, my life was forever changed. No longer could I look at this as someone else’s problem, it was now my problem, too.”
What to Expect
Travelers accompany Water 1st staff to communities with in-progress or completed water projects, interact with community members, meet with representatives of our local partner organization, and have the opportunity to participate in a one-day work project in a community building a water system. There will also be plenty of free time to wander or rest, as well as discuss the experience. Travelers have a unique opportunity to witness the transformations being made in the lives of our project beneficiaries through the provision of safe water, latrines, and hygiene education.
Register
Please complete the registration form and return to Water 1st. A $500 deposit is due no later than Nov 30, 2011 to hold your reservation for the 2012 Ethiopia Water Tour. This deposit is nonrefundable if you decide to cancel. The balance is due January 15, 2012. Please note that there are a limited number of spots available on this tour, and Water 1st will be taking reservations on a space-available basis. Please send your deposit in as soon as possible to reserve your space.
Medical Insurance and Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance
Medical insurance is required for this trip. Be sure your current policy covers you while you travel in a foreign country. Some policies, including Medicare, do not cover international travel. If your policy does not cover you during the trip, you must obtain travel medical insurance. Water 1st can provide the names of several companies that offer policies. Your trip fee covers emergency medical evacuation insurance, which supplements your medical insurance. We purchase a short-term policy from International SOS that covers the costs incurred to transport the policy holder to high quality medical care in case of emergency.
Vaccinations
It is important that you consult with your health care provider to determine what medications and immunizations you need for this trip. You can also visit a local public health clinic, such as the King County Public Health Clinic or the UW Travel Clinic for Seattle residents, for good medical advice. Water 1st will not be able to refund your travel costs or delay the trip if you have not taken the necessary health measures to participate.
Trip Pricing 2012 Ethiopia Water Tour: Februrary 4 – 11
Water 1st makes all in-country arrangements, including: in-country transportation, translation services, hotel accommodations, and group meals. International airfare, airport taxes, medical insurance/travel insurance, and tourist visas are additional, and travelers are responsible for purchasing their own tickets to/from Africa. Water 1st staff can assist in making air reservations. Trip conditions/cancellation policy and travel insurance information available on request.
$1,600 per person based on double occupancy, $250 per person single supplement
- Hotels or similar
- Meals per itinerary
- Land transfers only
- English-Amharic speaking local guide for city tour
- Water 1st representative
- Supplies for work project
- Pre-trip documents, including health information and packing list
- Emergency medical evacuation insurance
If you are interested in going on this trip, or for more information about the Ethiopia Water Tour,
please contact Kirk Anderson at 206.297.3024 or KirkAnderson@water1st.org.
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