Omo Valley Culture Tour – 9 Days

Duration: 8 Nights and 9 Days

Accommodation: In Addis Ababa 4 star Hotel and out of Addis on best available accommodation

Tour Starts: Addis Ababa

Tour Ends: Addis Ababa

Price: Subject to quotation

Guide: English Speaking

Highlights

• Boat trip in Lake Chamo.
• Admire the Dorze tribes’ traditional house.
• Witness the communal life of the Konso tribes.
• Visiting Kay Afer Market.
• Experiencing the Mursi tribes.
• Visiting the cultures of the Hamer and Karo tribes.
• Visiting the colorful Market days in Omo Valley.
• Relax on Lake Langano

Trip Summary

When it comes true to have a comprehensive cultural trip in Ethiopia with the best of what the country offers in south Omo valley, this 9 days tour will definitely suit the traveler’s interest to explore and experience the Tribal cultural values in South Ethiopia. Our trip starts with the city of Addis Abba and proceeds to the South to see the diversified cultural aspects of the Omo valley to Arba Minch, Konso, Jinka, and Turmi. Here in the Omo Valley, we will explore the Gurage, the Dorze Village, the Konso tribes, the Mursi and the Ari tribes, and the lovely tribes of the Hamer and the Karo and the Benna peoples and others.

Cost Inclusions:

• Meet and greetings at the Airport and assistance for Hotel transfer.
• Hotel Accommodations with on Double /Twin Room sharing with on a selected hotel lists.
• Meals include Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner with one soft drink per meal per person.
• Two Bottled water per person per day in the car.
• Comprehensive touring program including entrance fees where applicable according to the itinerary.
• Local guides fees.
• Professional English Speaking National Guide with you throughout the trip.
• Transfers and all ground transportations based on A/C Mini Bus as per the itinerary with all fuel expenses.
• Boat trip on Lake Tana to visit monasteries and churches on the islands and on Lake Chamo
• All necessary Government taxes.
• Porterage fees at the Airport and Hotels.
• The coffee ceremony, and Honey wine drinks
• Traditional farewell Dinner in Addis Ababa

Cost Exclusions:

• International
• Incidental meals, snacks, and drinks
• Travel Insurance
• Video filming and photography fees.
• Personal nature expenses, alcoholic drinks, laundry expenses,
• Telephone calls, tips for the tour staff, etc…
• Any other expenses except those listed on the inclusion parts.

 ARRIVAL TO ADDIS ABABA AND CITY TOUR
On arrival in Addis Ababa, you will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel. Addis was founded in 1886 by Menelik II and is situated at an elevation of around 2438m which makes it the third-highest capital city in the world. Addis Ababa enjoys an excellent climate all year round, with an average temperature of 25°C. we will start our site-seeing at the National Museum which houses some of the country’s historic treasures. The collection of fossils and bones of early hominids discovered in Ethiopia include the 3.5 million-year-old remains of ‘Lucy’, the oldest hominid ever found. Proceed to visit the two major highlights of the city, the Ethnographic Museum and the church of the Holy Trinity, Ethiopia’s main cathedral and home to the remains of the last emperor, Haile Selassie.

 ADDIS ABABA TO ARBA MINCH
After breakfast, drive to the famous lakeside town of Arba Minch. En-route visit the villages of Gurage for their staple food of Kocho made from the false banana. We drive through one of the most colorful and scenic areas of Southern Ethiopia, a land that is inhabited by the Wolayita people, who were once nomads but are now farmers. Before arriving at the town of Arba Minch, a long section of the road offers magnificent views of Lake Abaya, surrounded by mountains. The lake has volcanic origins and is almost pink in color.

 VISIT THE CHENCHA VILLAGE AND BOAT TRIP ON LAKE CHAMO
Morning drive 40kms northwest of Arba Minch to Guge Mountains to visit the Dorze and Chencha villages. Once warriors, the Dorze have now turned to farming and weaving to earn a living. They speak an Omotic tongue and the Dorze name is synonymous with the best-woven cotton cloth. The “elephant huts” of the Dorze are unique and worth seeing. Also, the Dorze beehive-shaped houses are constructed entirely of organic material and have their own small garden surrounded by beds of spices, cabbage, and tobacco. Some of Ethiopia’s best-woven cotton comes from Chencha, which is located 8 km northwest of Dorze Village. Men weave and women spin. Afternoon a boat trip on clear blue waters of Lake Chamo to see the crocodiles, hippos & aquatic bird species. The northern shores of Lake Chamo are famous for their large crocodiles, which can be seen in great numbers lounging in the heat. The lake is about 32km long and provides a lush wetland habitat for many species of flora and fauna.

 DRIVE TO JINKA VIA KONSO AND KAY AFER
Early morning drive to Konso where colorfully costumed dress, impressive terracing of the Land and unusually engraved wooden statues used as grave markers can be seen. Differing from their neighbors, the Konso are pure agriculturists, famed for their use of the stone terraces that they utilize to such good effect in this dry and barren region of basalt hills. Originally from the east and speaking an East Cushitic language, the Konso live in settlements that are surrounded by stone walls. The age of each town is classified by a generation pole and each family lives in compounds that are accessible only through gateways that require the visitor to enter on all fours thereby rendering any potential attackers vulnerable. Keep driving to Key Afer for the colorful Thursday market where we should see and photograph the Ari, Bena, Hamer, and Tsemay people. The Bena and Hamer women usually favor red clay braids in their hair, shiny with butter and perfumed with incense. The long beaded skirts of the Tsemay have a stick incorporated in the back to denote a married woman and the men have elaborately plaited hairstyles decorated with feathers and colorful beads. After visiting the market we drive on to the small town of Jinka. Overnight Hotel

 VISIT THE MURSI TRIBES IN MAGO NATIONAL PARK
Early morning drive to Mago National Park, from here, visit the Mursi highlands where the most illustrious of Ethiopia’s unique tribes live. The Mursi are known all over the world, for their decorative lip plates that adorn the lower lips of the Mursi women. The plates stretch the lower lip beyond imagination and the women’s beauty, pride, and desirability is determined in direct proportion to the size of the plate. The Mursi men and women may appear gracious but the Mursi warriors are not to be sneezed at. On their arms are deep crescent incisions that represent each enemy they have killed in battle. The men are also famous for their hairstyle. The various cultural aspects of the tribe will be explained and you will be able to take their photographs but not for free. Back to Jinka for your lunch and afternoon go to the Ari Village nearby the town of Jinka for experiencing and learning the culture of the Ari tribe and explore how they make their traditional homemade alcoholic drinks.

 DRIVE TO TURMI AND VISIT THE HAMER TRIBES
This day, we will continue driving through the Omo Valley region to Turmi via Dimeka. The Hamer tribe is one of the largest groups in the Valley. The Hamer cultivate millet, vegetables, tobacco, and cotton as well as raising cattle and goats. They are known for the fine pottery they produce as well as their remarkable hairstyling. Most dramatic of all are the clay hair buns with ostrich feathers that the men don when they have killed a fierce animal. The Hamer women are simply stunning. The women wear beaded necklaces and iron coils around their arms and decorate their skin with cowry shells. These decorations indicate the wealth and prestige of a woman’s husband. Overnight in Hotel.

 TURMI – MURULLE – TURMI
This day morning, we continue through the savannah along tracks that are barely visible, passing through a vast meadowland with shrubs and umbellifers (‘umbrella’ acacia trees) for an excursion to the Murulle area. We arrive at Korcho village with beautiful views over the Omo River to see the Karo ethnic group, experts in body painting, using clay and locally available vegetable pigments to paint fantastic patterns on each other’s faces, chests, arms, and legs. These designs have no special symbolic significance but are created purely for fun and aesthetic effect, each artist vying to out-do their fellow artists. Karo men also sculpt and shave their hair into extravagant shapes, with special ochre “caps” of hair usually containing several ostrich feathers. En-route has a picnic lunch. We then drive back to the village of Turmi.

 DRIVE BACK TO ARBA MINCH
This day we will drive to Yabello visiting the Erbore people en route. Then we will proceed to the New-York; a bizarre landscape of sand panicles formed by wind and rain (erosion). After a lunch stop at Konso, continue to Arba Minch for our overnight stops.

 DRIVE BACK TO ADDIS ABABA AND DEPARTURE
This day, we drive back to Addis and enjoy more of the Rift Valley landscape and the stunning views over the Lakes of Abijata and Shala. We have the possibility of visiting the Ostrich farm at Abijata Shala National Park. We will arrive in Addis Ababa in the late afternoon and transfer to the Hotel and have a room as a day-use for wash/change and get ready for the evening flight. You might be interested in last-minute souvenir shopping at the markets. In the evening, we will go out to one of the best cultural restaurants for the Farewell Dinner at a traditional restaurant with a live traditional dances program. Then, we will transfer to the airport for the flight home. The trip ends here.