Overview
Enter Omo Valley – one of Ethiopia’s most remote and gorgeous regions. Home to multiple indigenous cultures, this tour provides a unique opportunity to learn about the traditions of the local people. Travel from Addis Ababa through Awassa, Turmi, Jinka, and Arba Minch. Along the way, explore markets, World Heritage Sites, customary dances, and the natural world. Highlights include visiting the Mursi tribe known for their lower lip and earlobe plates.
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Travel in an air-conditioned vehicle
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Eight days of lunch and dinners are supplied for convenience
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Enjoy a private tour restricted to your group
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Admission and entry to tourist sites are included
What’s Included
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Air-conditioned vehicle
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Dinner (8)
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Lunch (8)
What’s Not Included
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Any alcoholic beverage
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Any fees not listed in Inclusions
Day 1: Addis Ababa – Hawassa
Tiya World Heritage Site
Our first stop will be the Tiya stelae field, which is one of Ethiopian’s world heritage sites.
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Adadi Maryam
Here we will have the chance to spot one of the many rock-hewn churches in Ethiopia, Adadi Maryam Rock Hewn Church.
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Melka Kunture
The final visible site on the way to Hawassa will be the Melka Kunture pre-historic tool-making site.
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Day 2: Awassa – Dorze
Fish Market at Awassa Lake
After breakfast, visit the fish market on the shores of Lake Awassa and proceed driving to Dorze, set in the highlands above Arba Minch.
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Dorze Village
The Dorze are known for their tall beehive-like houses and fine cotton weaving. You will visit the village and learn about the daily lives of these industrious people.
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Day 3: Arba Minch
Chamo Lake
Depart to Arba Minch for a boat trip on Lake Chamo to visit the “crocodile market”, and the local hippos.
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Weyt’o (Pass By)
Afterwards, depart from Arba Minch to Turmi. You will pass through the village of Weyto, which is home to the Tsemai tribe. Continue through the Weyto Valley to Erbore, you will have a brief visit to a local Erbore village.
Turmi
Finally, proceed to Turmi, home of the Hamer tribe. At night, you can see “Evangadi” the traditional night dancing of the Hamer tribe.
3 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Day 4: Turmi
Dasenech Village
Take a day trip to Omorate to visit the Dassenech tribe. Here you will cross the Omo River by local boat and enter a Dassenech village. Afterwards, return to Turmi for a visit of the Hamer village. If lucky attend the “Bull-jumping” traditional Hamer coming-of-age ceremony.
6 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Day 5
Turmi – Jinka
Dimeka Market
Drive to Jinka, via Dimeka and Key Afer. Tuesdays and Saturdays are market days in Dimeka, which is one of the most colorful markets in the area and is visited by many tribes, including Hamer, Benna, and Karo. Afterwards, continue to Jinka.
3 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Day 6: Jinka
Mago National Park (Pass By)
Drive through the Mago National Park to a local village of the Mursi tribe.
South Omo Research Centre Museum
The Mursi are known for their lower lip and earlobe plates. In the afternoon returning to Jinka, you can visit the South Omo Museum & Research Center to learn more about the local tribes.
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Jinka
Alternatively, take a hike in the surrounding hills to visit a local Ari village.
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Day 7: Jinka – Arba Minch
Key Afer
Depart from Jinka to Arba Minch via Key Afer and Konso. Thursday is market day in Key Afar, where you will see the Benna and Tsemai tribes trading goods.
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Konso
After the visit, proceed to Konso, is known for their wooden statues, known as wakas, which are erected in honor of dead heroes, as well as its innovative agricultural terracing. You will visit a local village and the cultural museum displaying many waka statues. After the visit, proceed driving to Arba Minch.
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Day 8: Arba Minch – Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Drive to Addis Ababa from Arba Minch. In the evening you will have a farewell party in one of the Ethiopian traditional restaurants where you can see cultural music and dance. Then Transfer to the airport for the flight back home.
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
