Southern Ethiopia

Heading south from the capital, Addis Ababa, you’ll find a land torn open by the Rift Valley, sprinkled with.

Southern Ethiopia

This area abounds with a scenic stretch of the Rift Valley with seven chain lakes teeming with fascinating aquatic birds; national parks that protects fascinating landscape of mountains, lakes and forests with loads of endemism; over and above culturally rich being inhabited by several ethnic groups that maintain a traditional tribal lifestyle with ancient rituals

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Rift Valley

Day 1

AM drive to Hawassa (275km). En route visit some of the Rift Valley lakes namely Ziway, Langano, and Abijata-Shalla that are known for their prolific birdlife Overnight: Hotel in Hawassa

Day 2

AM walk along the shores of Hawassa Lake for watching fishermen + birds. Then drive back to Addis Ababa with a stop in Wondo Genet, a famous resort area surrounded by thick forests that provide shelter for variety of animals and birds

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Arba Minch & Rift Valley

Day 1

AM drive via Butajira to Arba Minch (445km). En route visit the village of Dorze people, famous for their cotton woven traditional clothes and intricately woven bamboo huts Overnight: Hotel in Arba Minch, for 2 nights

Day 2

Day out by boat across Lake Chamo to enjoy viewing crocodiles, hippos plus large grassland birds and terrestrial game, incl. zebra hiking on the plains of Nechisar National Park

Day 3

AM drive via Shashemene and the Rift Valley lakes to Addis Ababa (500km)

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Bale National Park

Day 1

AM drive via Asella to Goba (380km), Bale Mountain National Park that boasts the most extensive area of Afro-alpine habitat. En route stop in Dinsho, northern part of Bale NP and walk through mature Hagenia and Juniper forest to watch the endemic mammals + birds Overnight: Hotel in Goba town / Bale Mountain Lodge, for 3 nights

Day 2

Day out to central part of Bale NP, Sanetti Plateau for breath-taking experience at 4000m + see the rare Ethiopian Wolf and Harenna, one of the country’s most extensive remaining forest that supports the park’s richest variety of mammals + vegetations

Day 3

Excursion to the most spectacular underground cave system, Sof Omar

Day 4

Drive via Shashamane and the Rift Valley, back to Addis Ababa (450km)

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Bale National Park Trekking

Day 1

AM drive via Asella to Dinsho (350km), Bale Mountains National Park Headquarter. On arrival acclimatization hiking Overnight: Camping in Dinsho (3200m)

Day 2

Trek via Web Valley and Finch’ Abera Waterfall to Sodota (20km/6-7hr) Overnight: Camping in Sodota (3400m)

Day 3

Trek via Mararo Valley and stunning alpine scenery to Wasama (18km/5-6hr) Overnight: Camping in Wasama (3500m)

Day 4

Start the day hiking to Mt Wasama at 4200m, then continue down to Worgona Valley and finally to Gebre Gurracha (20km/7-8hr) Overnight: Camping in Sanetti (3600m)

Day 5

AM walk via Sanetti Plateau to Mt. Tullu Deemtu (15km/4-5hr), the second highest point in Ethiopia at 4,377m and PM drive to Goba Overnight: Hotel in Goba town / Bale Mountain Lodge

Day 6

Drive via Shashamane and the Rift Valley, back to Addis Ababa

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Lower Omo Valley

Day 1

AM drive to Arba Minch. En route visit Dorze people’s village Overnight: Hotel in Arba Minch

Day 2

AM boat trip on Lake Chamo to watch crocodiles + hippos. Then drive via the rustic and unaffected villages of Omo Valley tribal people, to Turmi (280km) Overnight: Hotel in Turmi, for 2 nights

Day 3

AM drive to Korcho (55km) and visit the Kara (Karo) tribe, famous for their lavish hairstyles as well as face and torso paintings with natural colors. PM visit in/around Turmi the Hamer tribe, best known for their splendid body decoration and the special ritual bull jumping ceremony followed by Evangadi (night dancing)

Day 4

AM drive to Omorate (70km) and visit Daasanach (Geleb) tribe, noted for their nomad lifestyle as well as body scarification. PM drive to Jinka (130km) enjoying a variety of hamlets plus fantastically attired tribal people along the way Overnight: Hotel in Jinka

Day 5

AM drive 70km within the boundaries of Mago National Park and visit the village of Mursi tribe who are renowned for their women piercing the lower lips and inserting disks made of clay as well as the men decorating their bodies including the genital part using white paint PM before driving to Konso (155km) visit Jinka’s Omo Research Center that gives a good overview of the Omo Valley tribal people’s culture plus way of life Overnight: Hotel in Konso

Day 6

AM visit Konso’s UNESCO Cultural Heritage sites, the stone walled terraces plus fortified settlements and then drive via Wolayita to Hawassa (328km) Overnight: Hotel in Hawassa

Day 7

AM visit Hawassa and then drive via the Rift Valley to Addis Ababa

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Lower Omo Valley

Day 1

AM 1hr10min flight to Jinka and on arrival visit Omo Research Center, and Aari village Overnight: Hotel in Jinka

Day 2

AM visit Mursi village. PM drive to Turmi visiting en route Benna tribe’s village Overnight: Hotel in Turmi, for 2 nights

Day 3

Visit Karo and Hamer tribes.

Day 4

AM visit Daasanach in Omorate. PM drive to Konso (195km) Overnight: Hotel in Konso

Day 5

Visit Konso village and late AM drive to Arba Minch (85km). PM 1hr return flight to Addis Ababa

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Lower Omo Valley & Borena

Day 1

Drive to Arba Minch. En route visit Dorze village. Overnight: Hotel in Arba Minch, for 2 nights

Day 2

Day out by boat across Lake Chamo to Nechisar National Park.

Day 3

AM drive to Jinka (245km). En route visit Konso and Tsemai people’s villages Overnight: Hotel in Jinka, for 2 nights

Day 4

AM excursion to Mursi village. PM visit Omo Research Center and Aari village

Day 5

AM drive to Turmi and en route visit Benna tribe. PM visit Hamer villages Overnight: Hotel in Turmi, for 2 nights

Day 6

Day out (180km) to visit first Kolcho Karo tribe and then in Kangate the Nyangatom (Bume) tribe, noted for their women wearing goatskin skirts and the men for skin scarring

Day 7

AM trip to Omorate, Daasanach village and then drive to Konso Overnight: Hotel in Konso

Day 8

Drive via Yabello to Yirgalem (360km). En route visit Borena people’s villages as well as Monoliths of Tutu Fela and Tututi Stelae Fields Overnight: Hotel in Yirgalem, for the next 2 nights

Day 9

Visit coffee farms then walk in the surrounding forest to watch the floras and faunas

Day 10

Drive via Hawassa and the Rift Valley back to Addis Ababa (325km)

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Upper Omo Valley

Day 1

AM drive via Gibe Gorge to Bonga (415km) in Kaffa region, the birthplace of coffee Overnight: Hotel in Bonga

Day 2

AM drive via Mizan Teferi to Kibish (327km), home of Surma (Suri) tribe that are best known for their women wearing lip plates and men for stick fighting ritual called Donga Overnight: Camping in Kibish, for 2 nights

Day 3

Hike to visit Suri villages where cattle bloodletting and drinking custom widely practiced

Day 4

AM drive to Tulgit (18km) and visit Suri villages with body scarification exercise Overnight: Camping in Tulgit

Day 5

Visit more of the surrounding Suri villages and then drive to Mizan Teferi (205km) Overnight: Hotel in Mizan Teferi

Day 6

AM drive via Jimma to Weliso (445km). En route visit some coffee farms and the villages of Gurage people who are famous for their massive roundhuts Overnight: Hotel in Weliso

Day 7

AM relax swimming in the hot-spring-fed warm outdoor pool (optional Wenchi Crater Lake excursion 112km) and PM drive back to Addis Ababa (114km)

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Upper & Lower Omo Valley

Day 1

AM fly to Jinka and on arrival visit Omo Research Center, and Aari tribe’s village Overnight: Hotel in Jinka

Day 2

Early AM trip to Mursi village and then drive Turmi. PM visit Hamer villages Overnight: Hotel in Turmi, for 2 nights

Day 3

Day out to Kolcho and Omorate (175km) then visit Karo and Daasanach tribes

Day 4

AM drive via Omo National Park to Kibish (230km). PM visit some Suri villages Overnight: Camping in Kibish

Day 5

Visit adjacent Suri villages and then drive to Tulgit. PM visit more of Suri villages Overnight: Camping in Tulgit

Day 6

AM explore nearby Suri villages and PM drive to Mizan Teferi Overnight: Hotel in Mizan Teferi

Day 7

AM drive to Jimma (212km) and PM 1hr return flight to Addis Ababa

Southern Ethiopia