Ethiopia Omo Valley Cultural Route – 10 Days

  Day 1:  Arrival in Addis Ababa 

The name of the capital city of Ethiopia in Amharic (the national language of Ethiopia) means “New flower”. Addis, which was founded in 1886 by Menelik II is located at 2,500 meters above sea level in one of the highest parts of Entoto mountain chain (3,000 meters above sea level). It enjoys an excellent climate all year round, with an average temperature of 25ºC. Addis Ababa is a pleasant city with side avenues of jacaranda Trees, interesting museums and one of the largest open air markets in Africa, known as the “Merkato”. It also has a good number of restaurants, hotels and discotheques. On your arrival you will be welcomed by our staff then transfer to your hotel for overnight, Ghion Hotel.

 Day 2: Addis Ababa – Arbaminch 

Start your drive A.M. by through the crater lakes of Debrezeith and the three Rift Valley lakes of Shala, Abyata and Langano. Visit Sidamo people houses and culture. Lunch on the way, Continue driving to Arbaminch, in Amharic meaning 40 springs. Admire very interesting views and the Wolayta people, their villages, culture, the cultivation of the false banana tree (from which roots they extract their traditional bread, the Kotcho) Dinner and over night on Swaynes Hotel.

 Day 3: Arbaminch 

Morning visit the Netch Sar Park with spectacular views over the lakes and different mammals, as the endemic Swaynes Hartebeest, Zebras, lesser Kudu, and others. Back lunch Arbaminch. Afternoon make a boat trip on Chamo. Admire crocodiles and hippos (here crocodiles are some of the longest in Africa, with length of 6 and also above meters). Dinner and over night on Swaynes or Bekele Molla Hotel.

 Day 4: Arbaminch – Jinka 

Drive to Jinka, Admiring on the way the interesting Konso, Derashe, Ari, Benna and Tsemay People, very famous for hairstyles, their unique culture and traditions, as the ornaments all over their body. Konso people famous for their terracing agricultural works ad villages’ traditions. Overnight in Jinka Resort Hotel.

 Day 5:  Jinka – Mago  

Mago National Park of is located on the east bank of the river Omo and ranges in altitude from 450 to 2,528 meters above sea level. After about 2 hours of rough road, we arrive to the camp where we spend the night in a tent. The campsite is in a beautiful clearing among towering trees, which provide shade, and near the river Neri. We visit the Mursi village, whose women have the custom of expanding their lower lips using disks that gradually get larger and larger. These are people who farm the land and breed livestock; they live in almost complete isolation from the rest of the world. We return to the camp; there are not many animals visible during the day in the park, but by night we are surrounded by thousands of sounds, among which is the trumpeting of elephants. Overnight and dinner is in a camp.  

 Day 6 – Mago - Turmi

 Visit the Hammer people, the Hammer is one of the most beautiful and dignified people of the Omo basin the women color their hair with red earth and butter, and wear elegant leather skirts festooned with tiny pearls, their villages, possibly some dances, and more, If possible we look for the unique marriage ceremonies, with women slashing, bull jumping and more, If the day you arrive is Monday or Saturday admire the very colorful markets of the Hammer, Karo and Dassanech tribes respectively at Turmi or Dimeka villages. These tribes are famous for their hairstyles, ornaments, scarification, culture and more over night on Turmi, Evangadi Lodge.

Day 7- Turmi

 We continue through the savannah along tracks that are barely visible, passing through a vast meadowland with shrubs and umbellifers (‘umbrella’ acacia trees). We pass through the village of Omorate on the Omo River. We encounter the Galeb people in the street; in the river people bathe and wash their clothes. We arrive to Turmi and camp in a square under mango trees. The Hammer people gather water from a nearby well and carry it off to their villages. Dinner and overnight stay Evangadi Lodge .

 Day 8: Turmi – Arba Minch

 We drive to Konso via Woito, The road continues into the savannah, running alongside the mountains of Men, and then rises up the Karkerte Mountains – providing splendid panoramic views – until it reaches the soft, terraced hills of Konso. On the way we visit the interesting Derase, Ari, Benna and Tsemay people, very famous for hairstyles, their unique culture and traditions, as the ornaments all over their body and Konso people famous for their terracing agricultural works and villages’ traditions. Proceed driving to Arbaminch along the side of Lake Chamo, we visit Lake Chamo. We have dinner and stay in the same hotel as previously.

 Day 9: Arbaminch – Langano 

 In the morning we visit the Nech-Sar Park. Nech-Sar located between lakes Chamo and Abaya, where one can see gazelles and zebras. Then we proceed to returning northwards the rift valley lakes. 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, Dinner and overnight in Hotel.

 Day 10: Langano – Addis

 After relaxing in the morning then drive back to Addis Ababa Admiring the crater lakes of Debrezeith, the Rift valley lakes of Shala and Abyata. There will be a chance to visit one of the many museums or the interesting Mercato” (market). Throughout the city there are shops that sell typical artisan wares, materials and antiques, Dinner we propose a traditional restaurant with folkloristic dances of the different Ethiopian regions. Transfer to the Airport for Departure.