Tour Highlight:

A road tour in the far southern part of the Omo Valley with its immense cultural attractions of  Ethiopia and Addis Ababa city tour.

 

Day 01: Arrive Addis Ababa

Arrival to Addis Ababa, once clearing through Customs & Immigration, you will be met at the exit gate for a transfer to your hotel. Addis Ababa, the name of the city, in Amharic, means "new flower". Founded in 1886 by Menelik II, it is located at 2,500 m (8202 ft) above sea level in one of the highest parts of the Entoto Mountain chain (3,000 m/9842 ft above sea level). Addis Ababa is a pleasant city with wide avenues of jacaranda trees, interesting museums and one of the largest open-air markets in Africa, known as the "Mercato".   Check in time starts from 1400 hrs.
 

Day 02: Addis Ababa / Hosanna

An early morning departure takes us south of Addis Ababa towards the south Western side of the country. Our first stop is at Melka Kunture, one of the most important Paleolithic sites in Ethiopia. Along the Awash River where Melka Kunture is located, have been found the fossils of hippopotamus, rhinoceros, and elephants. Continue to the church of Adadi Mariam, the southern-most rock hewn church in Ethiopia. Contemporaneous with those of Lalibela (in fact local tradition says that it was built by King Lalibela in 1106), the church was carved below ground level and contains 24 windows surrounded by a wide, high tunnel. It is still being used today. Our next stop is at Tiya, classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, where we can see the northernmost example of a peculiar type of engraved, standing stone monoliths that stretch across parts of south Ethiopia. Then we drive down the beautiful landscape and picturesque Oromo and Gurage people rural village to reach our today’s destination, Hosanna. Overnight Hotel -  Hosanna.
 

Day 03: Hosanna / Arba Minch

Drive from Hosanna to Arba Minch: Passing though the wonderful panoramic landscape of the Hadiya and Wolayita People. En route we will visit the highland people of Dorze who live high in the mountains. They are famous for their beehive-shaped bamboo houses. They use ingenious terracing and have a unique traditional life style with their colorful weaving products. Afterwards we commence descending towards the lakes of the Rift Valley. The Rift Valley is a deep fission that extends for over 6,000 km from the Middle East to Mozambique – testimony to the (most recent) violent and massive shifting of the earth’s tectonic plates. The rift contains a marvelous series of lakes, which are teeming with fish and provide a habitat for hundreds of species of birds. We travel along the side of Lake Abaya and arrive at Arba Minch late afternoon. Overnight Hotel - Arba Minch.

 

Day 04: Arba Minch / Jinka

Morning boats ride on Lake Chamo to see crocodiles, hippopotamus and some aquatic birds and more  and  drive to Jinka. On the way, visit the Cushitic speaking Tsemay people in the Weyto Valley (where we will have lunch) and the Bena and Ari people. There is a big Thursday market in Key Afer where you can see the Tsemay, Ari and Bena people. Overnight - Jinka

 

Day 05: Jinka – Mago National Park –Mursi village- Turmi

Today you will experience the most famous and extraordinary people of Mursi. The Mursi people are typically known for the clay lip plates the women insert in their lower lips. This practice is regarded as a sign of beauty among the Mursi – the bigger the plate, the more beautiful the wearer. Back to Jinka for Lunch and drive to Turmi, the settlement of the Hamer people, via Key Afer. If this day is Thursday you will visit one of the most colorful multicultural weekly markets whereby the Tsemai, the Ari, and the Benna people meetOvernight Lodge Turmi.

 

Day 06: Turmi - Murulle – Turmi

Make an excursion trip to Murulle to visit the Karo people who are the fewest ethnic groups in the Omo Valley numbering only about 1,500 individuals. The Karos are famous for tattooing, scaring and body painting. They reside by the side of the Omo River.  Afternoon visit around Turmi, visit the Hamer people whose women are famous for their typical skirts and hairdressings. The Hamer people are also noted for their ‘Bull Jumping’ Ceremony where boys jump lines of bulls to show the community that they are old and matured enough to carry the responsibility of marriage. Hamers have remarkable hairstyles made from ochre, water, and binding resin. They rub the mixture into their hair then twist the strands repeatedly to create coppery-coloured locks. This is a sign of wealth and welfare. Hamers are considered to be masters of body decoration. Overnight at a Lodge.

 

Day 07: Turmi / Yebello (Drive)

This morning we depart the Lower Omo Valley. Our route today continues into the savannah, running alongside the mountains of Men, and then rises up into the Karkerte Mountains – providing splendid panoramic views – Visit the Erbore people before we reach the soft, terraced hills of Konso. The people of Konso are known for their terraced agriculture and wooden totems commemorating their ancestors. After lunch drive to Yabelo to see the Borena Oromo people. For 500 years the Borena, Ethiopia’s semi-nomadic pastoralists, have survived their harsh environment by ingeniously sourcing water from wells that are up to 30 meters deep. The dust kicks up as a long line of camels and cows wander down a path dug below ground level, leading to a deep well. Men stand on top of each other, forming a human chain down the well; they toss buckets between each other on a precarious ladder, gathering one of the world’s most precious resources – water. There is a loud chorus of singing, which keeps the rhythm going; the yellow buckets are lowered and raised at a mesmerizing pace and the troughs are gradually filled at the mouth of the well. Overnight Hotel - Yebello

 

Day 08: Yebello / Yirgalem

Driving from Yebello to Yirgalem , you will travel back crossing fertile land planted with bananas, cereal and tobacco, and inhabited first by the Oromo people and then by the Sidamo. visit the Sidama people way of life, enjoy the evergreen place of the country, one of the most known coffee plantation field ,Continue northward to reach the lodge at mid afternoon. Nestled between coffee fields and lush vegetation in Yirgalem town, the lodge is a peaceful haven for those who seek relaxation and is also a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Overnight Lodge - Awassa 

 

Day 09: Yirgalem / Addis Ababa

This morning departure takes us to Lake Awasa. Set in a volcanic crater, Awassa Lake is the smallest in the Ethiopian Rift Valley. Here, we may view hippos, grivet monkeys, and colobus monkeys with their wonderful white faces encircled by deep ebony crowns. Birdwatchers will especially enjoy such avian wonders as the silvery-cheeked hornbill, black-winged lovebird, and Abyssinian black-headedoriole. The city of Awassa with its diverse ethnic mix will be especially enjoyable as we walk through the daily market where colorful villagers negotiate for fish. Visit the Rift Valley Lakes of Abyata and Shala, part of a national park, to view the rich concentration of brightly colored flamingoes. Shala, the southern lake, fills a crater almost 1000 feet deep, while nearby Abyata is a shallow pond – each creating its own environmental niche. . This evening we will enjoy a farewell dinner in the best Ethiopian traditional restaurant then you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight out and it will be end of the trip.

 

The total price will be USD 2,690 per person on a twin bed bases. Minimum 2 pax.

Cost includes

• 8 nights  Hotel accommodation

• Meal on half board bases ( breakfast and dinner) with hot and soft drinks

• All ground transport 4WD land cruiser cobra 2002 Model including fuel with Experienced driver.

• All entrance fee as per the program.

• Two hours boat excursion on Lake Chamo.

•  English speaking local guides in every destination

 Excludes

•  Lunch

• Alcoholic drinks.

• Camera and video shootings. (If you use camera, please expect to pay US$ 5/6 in some places).

• Other expense of personal nature like telephone call, Laundry etc

• All what is not included in the inclusive part above.