On arrival we will meet you at Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa and transfer you to your accommodation, where you can relax, settle in and meet your fellow travellers. Addis Ababa is both the cultural and food hub of Ethiopia and a great spot to prepare for the adventure that awaits!
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Guest House
Today we fly from Addis to Jinka, the largest town in the Omo region and often referred to as the ‘Paris of the South’. We’ll visit the South Omo Research Center Museum, set in a stone hilltop building overlooking the city and dedicated to preserving traditional tribal life in the Omo Valley. We’ll also visit an Ari village, where we’ll gain a deeper understanding of the Ari people, the biggest group in the Omo region.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Guest House
After breakfast today, we set off on a drive to Turmi, a market town in south-western Ethiopia. We’ll start the day with a visit to one of Ethiopia’s most fascinating tribes, the Mursi. Famous for their lip plates, they still adhere to their traditional and unique culture and are one of the last remaining tribes in Africa to still wear traditional dress and accessories. Turmi is also famously known for its weekly market, so in the afternoon we’ll take in the bustling atmosphere and peruse the huge variety of stores, selling everything from vegetables, spices, butter and milk to more traditional items like incised calabashes, head stools and metal arm bracelets.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Guest House
Today we continue down the Omo Valley to visit two more of Ethiopia’s tribes. The valley itself is fed by the Omo River and along the river hundreds of small tribal villages pepper the landscape, each of them with their unique customs and even their own language. The Karo tribe are known for their chalk body painting for celebrations, whereas the Dassanetch tribe speak a completely different language and are the only Kushite-speaking group of the Omo Valley.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Guest House
Our day starts with another tribe visit, this time the Hamar, known for their ochre hair and the fact they are agro pastoralists, which means they grow crops, keep livestock and place particularly high value on cattle. Later in the day we continue on to Konso.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Guest House
Thought of as the gateway to the Lower Omo Valley and declared a World Heritage Site, today we’ll spend some time exploring the ancient town of Konso, brimming with stone walls and ceremonial structures. Next we set off to Arba Minch, one of the biggest towns in Southern Ethiopia to visit the Dorze Tribe, who live in the misty climate of the nearby Guge mountains and are famous for their beehive huts and cotton weaving skills.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Guest House
Today we enjoy a spectacular boat ride on Chamo Lake. The lake’s northern shores lie in Nechisar National Park resulting in stunning panoramic views of open savannah plains and soaring mountain ranges. Look out for hippos, zebra, various Antelope, water birds and of course, the crocs!
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Guest House
This morning we make an early departure for Addis. We can drop you into central Addis or at the airport for departures after 6pm. Alternatively, why not spend an extra night in Addis and further explore this exciting city.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
