The 12 Days Omo valley cultural tour introduces you the Omo valley; a cultural melting pot of indigenous societies will reward you with deep insights into some of the most interesting and unique cultural practices and norms. With many UNESCO heritage sites and great historic discoveries, you should not miss out Ethiopia when you get a chance to travel to Africa. The country doesn’t only boast of traces of man’s first existence on the planet but also the origin of coffee. This 12 days tour enables you a chance to explore the rich cultural diversity of this part of the world
Detailed Itinerary of the 12 days Omo Valley Cultural Tour
Day 1. Arrival in Addis Ababa and city tour
Upon arrival at the Bole international Airport in Addis Ababa, our representative will meet you and take you on a city tour to see the Holy Trinity Cathedral (constructed in 1955 for the 25 years anniversary of Emperor Haile Selassie and painted richly with remarkable biblical and other saint’s story), National museum (home of Lucy hominid skeleton dating back to 3.2 million years) .You will later have lunch and In the afternoon visit Ethnological museum, which was the former palace of Haile Selassie then proceed to Mountain Entoto for panoramic view of Addis Ababa.
Accommodation: Nexus hotel or similar
Day 2. Transfer to Arba Minch
Morning, depart from Addis Ababa for a full day’s drive to Arba Minch on the way you may have time to visit one of the archeological sites like; Tiya (Ancient stele field and UNESCO world heritage site), Adadi Mariyam (rock hewn church similar to those in Lalibela or Melka Kunture (pre historic tool making site). You will then proceed on your journey to Arba Minch.
Accommodation: Paradise Lodge or similar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 3. Arba Minch full day
In the morning after breakfast, drive to Dorze, in the highlands overlooking Arba Minch. The Dorze people are known for their tall beehive-like houses and their fine cotton weaving skills. You will visit the village and learn about the lifestyle of these industrious people. If it is a market day (Monday and Thursday in Dorze village and in nearby Chencha on Tuesday and Saturday), you will have a chance to check out the business life of these people. In the afternoon, take a boat trip on Lake Chamo to visit the “crocodile market”, at the point where the river Kulfo powers into L. Chamo. You may expect to see schools of hippos and floats of crocodiles among the wildlife species to see on this boat cruise.
Accommodation: Paradise Lodge or similar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 4. Drive to Turmi
After breakfast, depart for Turmi. Enroute, pass through the village of Weyto (market day Saturday), which is home to the Tsemai tribe. The Tsemai are descendants of the Cushitic tribes and their women often wear clothes made from leather while men usually carry small stools with them which they use in case they want to sit. Unlike most Ethiopian societies, the Tsemai culture doesn’t emphasize girls’ virginity before marriage although pregnancy before marriage is prohibited. Continue through the Weyto Valley to Erbore, where you will have a brief visit to a local Erbore village (market day is Saturday).
The Erbore also known as Arbore is another Cushitic pastoral ethnic group that also practices sorghum cultivation and seasonal fishing. Their name literally means; ‘land of the bulls’. Traditionally the Arbore used to act as middlemen in the trade between Omo River and the Konso highlands. They are known for their face painting, circumcision for both boys and girls and their rich ritual dance performances. They believe that music is one way of removing negative energy and help the tribe to flourish. You will proceed to Turmi, home of the Hamer tribe. At night, you can see the traditional night dancing of the Hamer tribe, known as evangadi.
The Harmer people are popular for their bull jumping/leaping ritual that young boys have to undergo to be initiated into adulthood while their female relatives get whipped on the occasion to stand in solidarity with their brothers. They devote much time and effort on their looks with tattooing and hair making. They are also known for their wooden pillows they use to avoid their hair from touching the ground while sleeping. Time with these pastoralists will reward you with great insights into their rich culture.
Accommodation: Paradise Lodge or similar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 5. Visit Omorate and return to Turmi
In the morning, take a trip to Omorate to visit the Dassenech tribe across the Omo Rive. The Dassanach people are known for their battle skills and their round huts that are usually made of sticks and branches and are semi-circular with no interior divisions. They are great warriors that take pride in the number of enemies they have brought down. You will later return to Turmi (Monday is market day) for a visit to a local Hamer village. If there is jumping of the Bulls traditional Hamer coming-of-age ceremony that will be visited.
Accommodation: Paradise Lodge or similar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 6. Visit Karo and return to Turmi
Early morning depart from Turmi to the village of Kangatan and cross the Omo River, proceed through the local fields to visit a village of the Nyangatom tribe, regarded as one of the richest among the Omo valley tribes due to their trade with the people of South Sudan. They are agro-pastoralists believed to have ethnic relationship with the Turkana of Kenya and the Karamajong of Uganda. Have time with this tribe as you explore their rich culture and heritage, return across the river and proceed to the Karo village of Korcho, with a stunning location overlooking the Omo River.
The Karo people, although the smallest tribe among the Omo valley tribes, they are regarded as the most decorated due to their vibrant face and body paintings as well as elegant hairstyles and head dresses. They often change their paintings into different patterns using coloured ochre, , yellow mineral rock, white chalk, charcoal, and pulverized iron ore, which are natural resources of the area. The specific designs drawn on their bodies can change daily and vary in content, ranging from simple stars or lines to animal motifs. You will then return to Turmi.
Accommodation: Paradise Lodge or similar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 7. Transfer to Jinka
Set off to Jinka, through Dimeka and Key Afar. Tuesdays and Saturdays are market days in Dimeka, which is one of the most colorful markets in the area and attracts many tribes, ilike Hamer, Benna and Karo who bring their merchandise for exchange. If your visit falls on such a day, you will have a chance to interact with a diversity of cultures as they transact. You will then proceed to Jinka for overnight.
Accommodation: Jinka Resort or similar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 8. Visit Mursi and return to Jinka
In the morning, drive through the Mago National Park to a local village of the Mursi tribe. The national park is home to about 74 mammal species and 237 bird species and is watered by two main rivers (Mago and Neri rivers) which are tributaries of the Omo River. The park is also known for its large herds of buffaloes and the Mursi people are the park’s main attraction. The Mursi people are popular for their lower lip and earlobe plates. When women become of age, they pierce their lower lips and insert large clay plates/ discs to enhance their beauty.
You wilI spend time with this tribe and learn much about their cultural norms and practices. In the afternoon, return to Jinka, and if time permits, visit the South Omo Museum & Research Center to learn more about the local tribes. Alternatively, take a hike in the surrounding hills to visit a local Ari village. The Ari people are some of the most modernized societies of this region but a visit here may reward you with sights of the clay pot makers and an iron smelting workshop. You are likely to be welcomed by excited children that usually gather around visitors with curiosity and joy.
Accommodation: Jinka Resort or similar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 9. Transfer from Jinka to Konso
After breakfast depart from Jinka to Konso via Key Afar. Thursday is market day in Key Afar, where you will see the Benna and Tsemai tribes trading goods. This is another very popular market in the region. After the visit, proceed to Konso (market days are Mondays and Thursdays). The Konso people are known for their wooden statues, known as wakas, which are erected in honor of dead heroes as well as their innovative agricultural practices like the stone walled terraces and fortified settlements. You will have an opportunity to visit a local village briefly and the cultural museum displaying many waka statues depending on the time you will be having.
Accommodation: Kenta Lodge or similar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 10: Transfer to Yabello
On this day, we head to the town of Yabello, the capital of the Borena region, cross the road passing through several herds of camels and enjoy beautiful mountain landscapes dotted with acacias and giant termite mounds. Proceed to the isolated village of El Soda, overlooking a beautiful deep crater 800M. The savannah and acacia woodlands are great playgrounds for zebras and various gazelles: Grant, Thomson, and Gazelle-Giraffe. Take a walk along the crater rim, towards the saline lake with large quantities of salt. The salt extractors delve into the dark waters of the lake saturated with iodine to dig out the precious commodity. The salt is mostly fed to animals, but the refined one is intended for human consumption. In the late afternoon, walk around this wooded crater with beautiful views from the hanging ridges.
Accommodation: Yabello Motel or similar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 11: Drive to Awassa
Morning drive to North, visiting Guji people and village; and admire very nice views with lot of coffee and fruit plantations. The Guji people are an ethnic group in southern Ethiopia that are well known for their common use of proverbs in their daily conversations. They are a highly democratically organized society with clear democratic institutions of leadership. The women are responsible for getting up early, milking animals, preparing food for the family members and cleaning the homestead.
The men are heads of families and are charged with the responsibility of protecting and ministering to the family spiritually. The Guji people have a high social attachment to their livestock and usually equate the family head to a bull and children to calves. You will arrive Awassa late in the afternoon, if time permits take a boat trip on the lake to visit the hippos and also to see a variety of beautiful birds.
Accommodation: South star hotel or similar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 12: Transfer to Addis Ababa and departure
Early morning visit the local fish market on the shores of Lake Awassa, then back to the hotel for breakfast and proceed to Addis Ababa. This day you will enjoy shopping in the city, in the evening we will transfer to the airport for flight back home.
Accommodation: Day use room at Nexus hotel or similar until 18:00 hrs.
Meal: Breakfast
End of tour
Included;
- Hotel accommodations sharing basis;
- All transfer in and out from Airport;
- Surface using Land Cruiser (4 Seater) for Omo valley and Mini Bus for Addis Ababa including fuel and driver’s allowance;
- English speaking guide;
- Local guide’s service;
- Boat trip on lake Chamo
- All entrance fees; and
- All applicable government taxes.
Excluded;
- Travel insurance & Visa expenses;
- Early check in:
- Video or photographing fees or tips at different sites;
- Meals and any alcoholic drinks;
- Entrance to special ceremonies you might encounter by chance;
- International & Domestic flight;
- Tips, telephone calls, laundry services and other expenses of personal nature; and
- Any other personal item expenses not mentioned on package inclusions part.