Trip Info
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Suitable for solo travelers and groups
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This tour begins and ends in Addis Ababa
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Pre and post tour accommodation can also be arranged at an extra cost
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Minivan, normal 4x4 vehicle & air transfer
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Can start any day
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Mid-range, shared tour
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All meals included
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English
Overview
Explore the diverse cultures and landscapes of Southern Ethiopia on a 9-Day Southern Ethiopia Tour. Visit the Omo Valley’s tribes, discover stunning natural beauty, and experience rich traditions, offering an unforgettable adventure through one of Africa’s most unique regions.
This tour of southern Ethiopia will give you the chance to visit a number of tourist attractions that will make your holiday in the country meaningful. You will learn first-hand about the finest destinations in the Southern part of Ethiopia. This will see visitors explore the Omo Valley, with added fun of visiting Yirgalem and the spectacular Bale Mountains National Park.
Highlights
- Can start any day
- Shared tour
- Mid-range tour
- Cannot be customized
- Suitable for single travelers
- Minimum age of 1 year
- A transfer from and back to the airport is included
Itinerary
On the first day, a tour guide will pickup the group from the arrivals terminal of Addis Ababa Bole International Airport to mark the beginning of the trip. Your English speaking driver-guide will transport you to the booked hotel. After the presentations are completed, we will transfer you to the hotel in Addis Ababa.
Main Destination:
Addis Ababa (City)
Accommodation:
Hotel Lobelia
- Lodging located in the city of City in the country of Ethiopia More about Mid-range hotel located in Addis Ababa
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Picking you from the airport as soon as you arrive, we proceed to Dorze Village nestled in the Eastern part of the Arbaminch. Some of the unique traditional structures that need to be noted are the giant beehive-like houses constructed with bamboo canes and banana plant leaves. Here, you will also take a tour around the town and get to know what the daily life of the inhabitants of the town is like.
Finally, we will take you to Hotel Paradise Lodge and leave you free until the next day.
Main Destination:
Arba Minch (City)
Accommodation:
Paradise Lodge
- This lodge is a mid-range lodge that is situated in Arba Minch which is a city.
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
You will be offered a sumptuous breakfast before you proceed with the journey from Arba Minch to Turmi. On your way, be sure to sight the Tsemai people in the town of Weyto.
In the evening, you will reach Turmi, which is inhabited by the Hamer tribes. Then, you’ll spend a couple of days at Buska Lodge in Turmi.
Main Destination:
Turmi (Lower Omo Valley)
Accommodation:
Buska Lodge
- A mid-range lodge is a type of accommodation situated in Turmi, which is a town in the Lower Omo Valley region.
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
The fourth day shall consist of a visit to Ommorate to have interaction with the Dassanech people. You then cross the Omo River by a small boat and you visit this town to discover its very rich cultural practices. Here, you will find out how people live and what they do: hunting crocodiles and fishing at the shore of Lake Turkana.
In the afternoon, you will get back to Turmi, and if lucky, you will be able to watch Hamer tribal bull jumpings. You will spend the night at Buska Lodge.
Main Destination:
Omorate (Lower Omo Valley)
Accommodation:
Buska Lodge
- A mid-range lodge is a type of accommodation situated in Turmi, which is a town in the Lower Omo Valley region.
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
In the morning after taking your breakfast, you will proceed from Turmi to the town of Kangatan. This farming town will be visited by you accompanied by your driver-guide. In the evening, you will go back to Turmi to have enough rest at Buska Lodge for the next day.
Main Destination:
Turmi (Lower Omo Valley)
Accommodation:
Buska Lodge
- A mid-range lodge is a type of accommodation situated in Turmi, which is a town in the Lower Omo Valley region.
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
After taking breakfast, you will proceed to Kara, a town which you should know exists with only three thousand residents. On reaching this town on the western side of River Omo, we will take our time to explain to you how they use body paintings for aesthetic functions. After interacting with inhabitants of Kara you will come back to Buska Lodge.
Main Destination:
Turmi (Lower Omo Valley)
Accommodation:
Buska Lodge
- A mid-range lodge is a type of accommodation situated in Turmi, which is a town in the Lower Omo Valley region.
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
On the 7th day, after taking our energetic breakfast, we shall go for an excursion to the Mursi Tribe, which is found in Mago National Park.
The whole morning will be devoted for spending time and sharing the experiences with Mursi people. You will then proceed to the town of Jinka for lunch at your own cost. After lunch, and some snacks you will then proceed to the village of Aari in the afternoon.
Overnight accommodation will be at Jinka Resort.
Main Destination:
Jinka (Lower Omo Valley)
Accommodation:
Jinka Resort
- A low budget accommodation in the Lower Omo valley, Jinka.
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
This will be followed by a road trip to Konso after breakfast. You will carry on with the journey in one of the fascinating walled villages referred to as Gamole in Konso. They have an interesting culture.
You will end the day at Arba Minch at Paradise Lodge.
Main Destination:
Konso (Cultural Village)
Accommodation:
Paradise Lodge
- This lodge is a mid-range lodge that is situated in Arba Minch which is a city.
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
This is the last day of the trip. Today, you will take a flight from Arba Minch to Addis Ababa. In the evening, we will transfer you to Addis Ababa Bole International Airport for your flight back home with ample time for check-in.
Main Destination:
No major destination visited
Accommodation:
No accommodation (End of tour)
Meals & Drinks:
- Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included)
- Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
End of tour
- To enhance or to avail for additional accommodation, please don’t hesitate to contact us and arrangement of accommodation can be arranged at an extra cost.
- Instead, you will be taken to the airport.
Includes/Excludes
Cost Includes
- • Park fees (For non-residents)
- • All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
- • All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
- • A professional driver/guide
- • All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
- • All flights during the tour
- • All Taxes/VAT
- • Roundtrip airport transfer
- • Meals (As mentioned in the day-by-day part)
- • Drinking water (On all days)
Cost Excludes
- • International flights (From/to home)
- • Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- • Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
- • Traveling Accessories (souvenir, insurance, visa, etc.)
- • This might be due to government-set rises in taxes or park fees
- • Certain dishes (These are described in detail under the day by day session)
FAQs
During the 9-Day Southern Ethiopia Tour, you will take a glimpse of the spectacular natural and cultural features. From Addis Abab, we proceed to Arba Minch which is well-known for its natural beauty and wild life. The tribes that live in the Lower Omo Valley area include the Hamar, Dassanech, and the Mursi people; all these tribes have different cultures. You will also interact with the people of Konso who are renowned for their terracing style of farming and traditional homesteads. The tour ends again in Addis Ababa for a final time.
The 9-Day Southern Ethiopia Tour is culturally colourful and packed. You will have an opportunity to attend traditional tribal sites in the Lower Omo valley where you will be privileged to see the traditional dressing code and activities of the people the area. You may watch the Hamar people perform the bull-jumping ceremony which is a crucial part of their community rituals. A visit to Omorate will help you encounter the Dassanech people who are famous for their lifestyle in the Omo River Valley. In Konso, you will visit a highly respected village that features carved wooden statues and terraced farming lands to this day.
When you are on the 9-Day Southern Ethiopia Tour, you will be able to find the following animals in their natural habitats particularly in Arba Minch. The nearby attraction site is known as the Nechisar national park where you will find zebras, crocodiles, hippos, and many types of birds. Visitors can have direct contacts with the large Nile crocodiles and hippos through a boat ride on the lake Chamo. You may also hear or even see baboons and many other types of the primates in the forests around. Of course, the tour follows the cultural theme, but the picturesque nature and fauna of the area also enrich the journey.
It is highly recommended that the 9-Day Southern Ethiopia Tour be taken during the dry season, which is between October and March and June to early September. These months are less rainy with better road conditions and visibility and the weather is not so hot for visiting villages and natural attractions. There is a rainy season which is from April to May as well as September to early October and the roads that may be a little bit challenging are in the Omo valley. However, it is can be done at any time of the year with adequate preparation.
Meals: Food during the 9-Day Southern Ethiopia Tour and All tours are prepared from delicate and fine restaurants and cafes Accommodation: varies from medium to budget Lodges/Guesthouses depending on the section. In the larger towns of Arba Minch and Jinka you will be accommodated in comfortable lodges with all mod cons. While lodging in areas such as Turmi and Omorate the facilities offered are rudimentary but adequacies are made to provide for all basic needs. The emphasis is made on the locations, which are in close proximity to cultural and/or natural sites, allowing to get a full cultural experience of Southern Ethiopia.
This 9 Day Southern Ethiopia tour comprises of moderate physical activities such as walking in villages, markets, and other natural sites. Many of the roads in the Omo Valley area consist of potholes and rough terrains which make it a test of endurance when transporting between locations. Most of the activities are available for different level of tourists, but it is good if the tourists are physically fit. Still, if you have certain concerns regarding mobility, it is advisable to consult with the tour operator prior to the trip.
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