Addis Ababa and Omo Valley Tribes tour in Ethiopia

Addis Ababa and Omo Valley Tribes tour program :

Day 01: Arrival in Addis Ababa and sightseeing

Up on your arrival at Bole International Airport and you will clear immigration and proceed to baggage claim, after collecting your checked bags, clear customs and pass through the arrivals hall where you will be meet by FINOT TOUR ETHIOPIA representative, who will assist you with your transfer to your hotel.

After a break in the afternoon, you will enjoy a half day guided tour of the Ethnological Museum, with its artifacts and displays of the cultures and handicrafts of Ethiopia’s many ethnic groups. At the famous national Museum, with its cultural and archaeological relics, you will visit the famous “Lucy,” a 3.2 million-year-old female hominid who was discovered in Ethiopia’s Awash Valley in 1974.

The open-air market of Addis, the Marcato, is the largest on the continent, and you will take a drive through it. Time permitting; you may also visit Ba’ata Church, also known as Menelik’s Mausoleum, one of the oldest of the churches in Addis, built in 1911 and the Emperor house with beautiful paintings and the royal tombs of past emperors, including Emperor Haileselassie.

Meals: –

Transportation: High roof mid van

Accommodation: any your selected hotel in Addis Ababa

Note

Pick up from airport maximum needs 20 km to your selected hotel and 40 minute drive

REMARK

     We recommend to make booking the first day accommodation with your own payment.

Day 02: DRIVE ADDIS ABABA – ARBAMINCH ON THE WAY TIYA UNESCO SITE ON THE VISIT THE DORZE TRIBE

Morning:  after breakfast, meet with FINOT TOUR ETHIOPIA staffs (driver and guide) at your hotel and 7:30 AM. Then start driving down to south, drive to southward to the rift valley regions passing creator lakes and rift valley lakes. On the way, visit the Tiya steal field a UNESCO registered site in Ethiopia.

Then drive will take you along the scenic farmlands of Gurage People. We will also drive through the Wolayta farmlands, with views of the lush green hills and valleys, on the way visit the Dorze tribe and their village, famed for their bee hive shaped houses and their weaving skills. Weaving is a primary profession for many Dorze.

They are also farmers, who prevent soil erosion by ingenious terracing of the mountainsides. Around their huts they have their own little garden with vegetables, spices; tobacco and Enset (false-banana or Ensete). You arrive late in the afternoon at Arbaminch – meaning ‘Forty Springs’ in Amharic. Arbminch takes its name from the bubbling streams that cover the groundwater forest occupying the flats of the town.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Transportation: Land Cruiser 4X4

Accommodation: Mora Height Lodge /Mid-Range/

NOTE

You will cover approximately 470km and 8 hours’ drive

Game drive varies the time

DAY 03: DRIVE ARBAMINCH – TURMI ON THE WAY BOAT TRIP AND KONSO TRIBE

Early in the morning, drive to the Lake shore to have a boat trip on Lake Chamo. Boat trip on Lake Chamo is along the best anywhere in Ethiopia. One can spot many Hippos and the world’s most spectacular concentrations of Giant Nile Crocodiles, which measure about 6 meter with the water birds, are great the scenery is truly unforgettable.

Continue your drive Konso. You will stop to visit the Konso tribe with their king- UNESCO registered site for their extensive terracing and practice of making a wooden grave mark for their hero and kings. This day you will have a brief opportunity to visit a local village and the cultural museum displaying many “Wagas” statues. This is the famous ‘wagas’, which is a funerary tradition where magnificent carved wooden sculptures created in honor of Konso warrior heroes who have killed an enemy or animal and often grouped to represent the man, his wives and his adversaries.

The Konso people known for their totems erected in honor of the dead and their intricate agricultural terracing techniques. You will visit the Konso people who have an ancient, complex, and fascinating culture of their own. Here are found human fossils dating from between 1.3 and 1.9 million years. Witness the spectacle of ‘Konso’s New York’ an extraordinary landscape of sand pinnacles formed by wind and rain. Continue driving and late afternoon and arrive to Turmi.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Transportation: Land Cruiser 4X4

Accommodation: Turmi Lodge /Mid-Range/

NOTE

You will cover approximately 270km and 6 hours’ drive

Game drive varies the time

REMARK

    If there is any ceremonial activity like traditional dance, Bull jumping ceremony you will be inform by your Tour Guide.

DAY 04 – DRIVE TO DASSENECH – TURMI – DRIVE MURULLE VISIT KARO TRIBE.

This day early in the morning after breakfast drive 74 km west to visit the Dassench /Geleb/ people; who inhabited in the bank of Omo River. And we cross the Omo River by locally made boat to see the village. These tribes are semi nomadic with very little agriculture on the bank of the Omo River.

You will drive back to Turmi for lunch. After lunch you will drive for excursion to Murulle to see the Karo tribe, famous for their body painting (they prepare the ink for the painting from locally available material like flower, soil and animal blood). We will also admire the scenery view of the Omo River from the edge of the village, then drive to Dimeka Market to attend the weekly colorful market of the HAMAR tribe then drive back to Turmi. Around

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Transportation: Land Cruiser 4X4

Accommodation: Turmi Lodge /Mid-Range/

NOTE

You will cover approximately 290 km and 6 hours’ drive

Game drive varies the time

REMARK

     If there is any ceremonial activity like traditional dance, Bull jumping ceremony you will be informed by your guide.

DAY 05 – VISIT HAMAR VILLAGE DRIVE TURMI- JINKA

In the morning, we will drive you in one of the nearest village of hammar tribes. The Hamar is one of the most well known tribes in Southern Ethiopia. They inhabit the territory known for their unique rituals, including a cattle-leaping ceremony that the young men have to undergo in order to reach adulthood and to marry. They are a highly ‘superstitious’ people, and to this day they consider twins to be babies born outside of wedlock, while children whose upper milk teeth develop before their lower teeth are deemed to be ‘evil’ or ‘unclean’.

As mentioned, the young Hamar men are famous for their “Evangadi Dance” and “Bull jumping” ceremony (it is as part of this ceremony that the aforementioned whipping occurs). This ritual entails young men who wish to marry jumping over a line of bulls, thereby proving their worth to their intended bride’s family. It also signifies their advent into adulthood. This is a rarely seen event however, with luck, we may hear of one on our Omo valley tribe photography tour, and even be invited to attend this landmark event. After lunch you will drive to Jinka for overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Transportation: Land Cruiser 4X4

Accommodation: Jinka Resort or Orit Hotel

NOTE

You will cover approximately 270km and 6 hours’ drive

Game drive varies the time

DAY 06 – DRIVE MAGO – VISIT MURSI – ARBAMINCH ON THE WAY KEY AFER MARKET (THURSDAY)

After breakfast early in the morning leave Jinka and drive to Mursi village to visit and appreciate the very attractive culture of Mursi tribe. They are renowned for the strange custom followed by their women who, on reaching maturity, have their lower lips slit and circular clay discs inserted.

Then drive to KEY AFER- Tribal Market one of the best market in the OMO VALLEY since at list four different tribes are coming to attend this weekly market. Arrival to the small town and escort a local guide walking around the market and explore different section of the market including animal, vegetable, cereals and much more. Then continue drive back to Arbaminch.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Transportation: Land Cruiser 4X4

Accommodation: Mora Heght Lodge /Mid-Range/

NOTE

You will cover approximately 260 km and 6 hours’ drive

Game drive varies the time

DAY 07 – DRIVE – ADDIS ABABA VIA LANGANO

Morning After relaxed breakfast in the lodge drive from Arbaminch to Addis Ababa via Lake Langano. You will pass through the fertile land of Wolayta with their fascinating culture and the false Banana preparation and coffee plantations and Alaba regions. You will pass through land, which produces the best banana, papaya, apple and mango in Ethiopia for the world market.

The Alaba people are very famous for their beautiful home painting style. You will stop for lunch at Sabana Beach Resort enjoy your lunch by the lakeside views.

You will continue drive to Addis Ababa and enjoying drive back to Addis Ababa through the Great Rift Valley. On the way coffee and tea stop at the town of Debrezeyet in one of the creator lake. Arrival at Addis, shopping and coffee break and finally in the evening traditional farewell dinner in cultural restaurant with live tribal music.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Transportation: Land Cruiser 4X4

Accommodation: –

NOTE

You will cover approximately 470km and 8 hours’ drive

Game drive varies the time

End of Tour!

NB: The tour program can modify differently, rearranged, combined with other itinerary and shorten or extended to suit your interest, time and budget. Up on request FINOT TOUR ETHIOPIA can arrange various tour programs based on your interest.