Duration: 13 days
This tour follows the Lower Omo Valley where we visit settlements of the Dorze, the Mursi, the Hammer (or Hamar), the Benna (or Bana), the Ari, the Karo, the Arbore and the Konso. We also visit Awassa, Abijata-Shalla National Park and Lake Chamo and its giant crocodiles.
Day 1: Addis Ababa to Sodo via Alaba: visit of the Tiya Stele site, dated back to the 12th century AD. This site is registered by UNESCO as world heritage. We continue driving further south enjoying the panoramic views of the landscape all the way through the journey. Overnight stay at Abebe Zele hotel in Sodo.
Day 2: Sodo to Arbaminch: Visit includes: a boat excursion on Lake Chamo to spot the giant crocodiles, hippos, flocks of pelicans and many other bird species. Overnight stay at hotel in Arbaminch.
Day 3: Arbaminch to Dorze villages: visit includes: game drive to Nechsar National Park, Dorze tribes and their villages. Overnight stay in Dorze villages.
Day 4: Dorze to Jinka: sightseeing of the Tsemay, Benna/Bana, Konso tribes on the way. Overnight stay at Orit hotel in Jinka.
Day 5: Day excursion to Mago National Park and Mursi villages. Overnight stay at Orit hotel in Jinka.
Day 6: Jinka to Turmi via Key Afer: sightseeing of the fabulous Benna/Banna market at Key Afer. Overnight stay at Turmi lodge or /camp site in Turmi.
Day 7: Turmi–Omorate–Turmi: visit includes Omo River crossing to see the Desanech tribes. In the late afternoon we drive back to the base camp in Turmi.
Day 8: Turmi to Karo-Turmi: sightseeing of the Karo tribes and Nyagatom. Eventually we drive back to Turmi and explore the Hamer tribes and their villages.
Day 9: Turmi to Konso via Aire Bore: visit of the ArBore villages on the way. In the afternoon we visit the Konso tribes and their villages.
Day 10: Konso to Yabello: visit of the Borena tribes and their villages on the way. In the afternoon we drive to Elsod/Salt house, a crater lake found about 100 kilometers away from Yabello town, from our base and from the Kenyan border. The singing wells of the Borena people are also our target to show you in the afternoon. Overnight stay at motel in Yabello.
Day 11: Yabello to Yirgalem. It is going to be a sort of expedition through the Borena plain, that has a kind of rain forest vegetation. On the way we visit some phallic steles sites at Tutu Fela. Late in the afternoon we hike all the way through the coffee forest to visit villages of the Sidama people. Overnight stay in Yirgalem, Aregash lodge.
Day 12: Yirgalem to Wondogenet via Awassa. In the morning we visit the fish market in Awassa, on the shore of Lake Awassa. The afternoon is allocated for enjoyment around the Wondogenet resort. Overnight stay at a Wondogenet Resort.
Day 13: Wondogenet to Addis. On the way we visit Abijata –Shalla National Park. Overnight stay at hotel of your own choice.
NB. All the hotels mentioned in the itinerary are subject to change depending on rooms availability and requests of clients.
This tour can be extended to Harar and the Bale Mountains National Park.