Southern Ethiopia – Culture, Tribes And Nature Tour

Itinerary

Day 1: Addis Ababa- Ethiopia

Stop At: Holy Trinity Cathedral, Aratkilo area Addis, Addis Ababa 123 Ethiopia
This cathedral was built by Emperor Haile Selassie and is very impressive. The stained glass windows are beautiful and enhance the aura of spirituality of the place. Many prominent Ethiopians are buried in the Cathedral lawns.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: National Museum of Ethiopia, King George VI Street, Addis Ababa Ethiopia
The National Museum (archaeological and historical), which has the best collection of Ethiopian antiquities and archeological discoveries, including the famous oldest hominid “Lucy”
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Ethnological Museum, Algeria St Piazza Haile, Addis Ababa Ethiopia
The Ethnological Museum at the Addis Ababa University (housed in the former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie). Exhibits here represent the best of the arts and crafts of the country and give an in-depth insight into the various peoples of Ethiopia
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Mount Entoto, Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Drive up to Mt. Entoto, the highest part of the capital, where you will have a panoramic view over the town of Addis Ababa.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Addis Mercato, Kenya St, Addis Ababa null Ethiopia
Witness the bustle of the “Mercato” (market). This colorful market has an array of fascinating goods and curios, providing a great place for exploration and people watching.
Duration: 1 hour

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Ambassador hotel , 4 star hotel

Day 2: Addis Ababa - Arbaminch

Stop At: Adadi Maryam, Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Adadi Mariam, a 13th century rock-hewn church that is Ethiopia’s southernmost church of its type. The rock hewn church of Adadi Mariam, is much like the Lalibela churches and the locals believe it to have been built on King lalibela orders on his visit to Mount Zuqwala in 1106
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Tiya World Heritage Site, Tiya Ethiopia
Tiya stelae site is one of the nine world heritages of Ethiopia which is registered by UNESCO in 1980. It is found in Gurage zone in Sodo wereda along the road between The Addis Ababa and Butjira. It is about 88k.m from Addis Abeba. The site contains more than 37 stelaes.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Welayte, Ethiopia
Wolayta Belong to the vast Omotic language group. These people belong to either the Muslim or the christen religion, although traces of the old pagan religions still survive in place. The Wolayta are good farmers cultivate most of the cereal crops as well as cotton and Inset (False Banana) and tobacco. Their huts are large and beehive-shaped built in the midst of gardens, with one or more ostrich eggs perched atop of the roof as fertility symbols. They are also well-known for their music and dance, which has the original African tone.


Duration: 20 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Paradise lodge, Arbaminch

Day 3: Arbaminch

Stop At: Dorze Village, Arba Minch Ethiopia
The Dorze people are famous for their textiles and their bamboo “beehive” houses, each surrounded by a small garden. Participate in a coffee ceremony with the Dorze, observe “enset,” a false banana tree used by the Dorze practically in its entirety from roots to leaves, taste the local alcoholic drink, “areki.”
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Chamo Lake, Arba Minch Ethiopia
Take a boat trip on Lake Chamo, populated with the largest crocodiles in Africa (7 meters) and hippos. You’ll also spot many birds, including the African Fish Eagle.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Paradise lodge , Arbaminch

Day 4: Arbaminch- Jinka

Stop At: Konso Cultural Centre, On the road with Stawberry Fields Eco-Lodge, Konso Ethiopia
Konso is a UNESCO heritage site.The Konso boast a rich culture and a highly-specialized agricultural economy. Their beautifully-constructed buttressed stone terraces have allowed them to carve out a living from the dry and unyielding land around them. You may see totem poles erected on the tombs of their dead.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Omo Valley Tribal Tours, Key Afer, Ethiopia
Today you will drive to Key Afer, every Thursday there is a colorful market where you meet the Tsemai, Benna, and Ari tribs. Hundreds of tradesmen from the Konso, Benna, and Tsemay tribes meet here to exchange their goods and to buy whatever their families or villages need. The market starts around 11:00 am and affords a great opportunity to meet these people and take some wonderful photographs.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: South Omo Research Centre Museum, on top of hill in Jinka, Jinka Ethiopia
In the afternoon, visit the Ari village to meet the locals, especially the blacksmiths and potters. You’ll also visit the museum at Jinka to learn more about the tribes of the Omo Valley.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Orit hotel , Jinka

Day 5: Jinka- Turmi

Stop At: Mago National Park, 1000 Ethiopia
This morning you will drive through the Mago National Park to meet the Mursi tribes. The Mursi are perhaps the best known of the tribal peoples in the Omo Valley due to the many documentaries made about them. They are nomadic pastoralists that move with the season and live in very low huts made of straw leaves. The most famous Mursi traditions include the lip and ear plates worn by the women and the hairstyles.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Dimeka Market, Ethiopia
Drive to Turmi for lunch and a visit to the weekly Dimeka saturday or Tuesday -Hamer market. The Hamer, one of the largest groups in the valley, cultivates millet, vegetables, tobacco, and cotton, as well as raising cattle and goats. They are known for their fine pottery and remarkable hairstyling. Most dramatic of all are the clay hair buns with ostrich feathers that the men don after killing a fierce animal, something they then wear for 3-6 months at a time! The women wear beaded necklaces and iron coils around their arms, and their skin is decorated with cowry shells. These decorations indicate the wealth and prestige of a woman’s husband.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Turmi Market, Turmi, Ethiopia
Drive to Turmi for lunch and a visit to the weekly Monday -Hamer market. The Hamer, one of the largest groups in the valley, cultivates millet, vegetables, tobacco, and cotton, as well as raising cattle and goats. They are known for their fine pottery and remarkable hairstyling. Most dramatic of all are the clay hair buns with ostrich feathers that the men don after killing a fierce animal, something they then wear for 3-6 months at a time! The women wear beaded necklaces and iron coils around their arms, and their skin is decorated with cowry shells. These decorations indicate the wealth and prestige of a woman’s husband.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Turmi Lodge , Turmi

Day 6: Turmi

Stop At: Dasenech Village, Omorate Dasenech, Turmi 1000 Ethiopia
Today you will drive to Omorate, a town a few hours north of the Omo valley, crossing the Omo River on a wooden boat to visit the Dasanech people. Although they originally led an almost totally nomadic lifestyle, the abundant water frontage and fertile soil of their present territory has subsequently led them toward a more diverse agricultural economy. Despite these changes, their nomadic roots are still clearly visible in their traditional villages comprised of small, domed huts, reminiscent of the impermanent structures of other nomadic peoples.
Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Kocho, Ethiopia
Drive to Korcho Village to visit the Karo people. The Karo are one of the most endangered tribes of the region, with only about 1,000 people who inhabit the eastern bank of the Omo. Formerly herders, they have since turned to agriculture because many of their cattle have been wiped out by disease. These people are masters at body decorating during festival time, using chalk to imitate the spotted plumage of the guinea fowl and making unique jewelry from most everything they find.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Turmi lodge, Turmi

Day 7: Turmi- Yabelo

Stop At: El Sod, Yabelo Ethiopia
Drive to Yabelo, passing through Cushitic -Erbore, Tsemay , Konso and to the Borena Oromo villages, meeting people along the way.

Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Yabelo Mobil hotel , Yabelo

Day 8: Yabelo- Awassa

Stop At: El Sod, Yabelo Ethiopia
Drive to El sod for Borena people and stop at Dubluck and depart to Awassa.
Duration: 9 hours

Stop At: Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Visit the coffee farm on your way
Duration: 20 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Haile resort , Hawasa

Day 9: Hawasa- Addis Ababa

Stop At: Fish Market at Awassa Lake, Awassa Lake, Awasa Ethiopia
After breakfast drive to the beautiful fish market on the shore of Lake Awassa with many aquatic birds.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Lake Ziway, Ziway Ethiopia
On the way to Addis you will visit Ziway Lake which is rich in aquatic bird life.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Tomoca Coffee | ቶሞካ ቡና, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Last minute shopping
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Habesha 2000 Restaurant, Namibia St, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Farewell dinner party watching live folkloric dances
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
No accommodation included on this day.