The 22 days Uganda-Ethiopia safari is a great opportunity to explore the rich biodiversity and captivating landscape of Uganda crowning it with an experience of the bustling cultural diversity of the Ethiopian southern area of Omo valley
Detailed Itinerary of the 22 days Uganda-Ethiopia Safari
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 for flight to Uganda.
Arrive at Entebbe International airport and transfer to your hotel.
Accommodation: 2 Friends hotel or Forest Resort Lweza
Meal: Breakfast
Day 13: Transfer to Murchison Falls NP
In the morning, you will be picked up from your hotel in Kampala and drive northwards to Murchison Falls NP, with an en route stop for Rhino tracking at the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary. You will later proceed to reach the park in the afternoon and proceed to visit the top of the falls for sightseeing. Overnight at
Accommodation: Pakuba Safari lodge
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 14: Game drive and boat cruise
In the morning, you will go for a game drive in the northern part of the park anticipating to see a variety of wildlife species including lions and other cats as well as the other animals like buffaloes and elephants
You will then return to the lodge for lunch and later take an afternoon boat cruise up to the bottom of the falls. You will later return to your lodge. Dinner and overnight at day 13
Day 15: Transfer to Kibale Forest NP.
In the morning, you will transfer to Kibale forest NP with a relaxed drive through the verdant countryside enjoying views of the crop plantations and the western arm of the East African rift valley. Overnight at Accommodation: Chimpundu lodge
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 16: Chimp trekking and nature walk.
After an early morning breakfast, you will proceed to Kanyanchu to track chimps and other primates within the forest. You may have a chance to see the grey checked mangabey, L’Hoest monkey, red-tailed monkey and the vervet monkeys. In the evening, you will go to Bigodi wetland sanctuary for primate and bird watching. Dinner and overnight at (Day 15)
Day 17: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth NP and game drive.
After your breakfast, you set off to Queen Elizabeth NP with an en route view of the Mt. Rwenzori ranges. You will proceed to Queen Elizabeth NP for a game drive. Dinner and overnight
Accommodation: Park View safari lodge
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 18: Game drive and boat cruise.
You will wake up for a cup tea and there after meet your guide for an early morning game drive through in the Kasenyi sector. In the afternoon, have lunch that will be followed by a tremendous boat cruise along the Kazinga channel for scenic views of the lake Edward and George, Hippos, yawning crocodiles, several water birds like cormorants and Pied kingfisher among the others may also be seen. Dinner and overnight stay.(Day 17).
Day 19: Game drive and transfer to Bwindi NP.
In the morning after a relaxed breakfast, set off for a game drive in Ishasha sector in search of the tree climbing lions. Depending on the day’s weather, you may be lucky to find them near or enter deep in search of them. You will then transfer to Bwindi NP for Overnight and dinner
Accommodation: Bakiga lodge
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 20: Gorilla Tracking and transfer to L. Bunyonyi
In the morning, you will go for briefing at the park headquarters and proceed to track the mountain gorillas. You will be allowed to stay in their presence for not more than 1 hour once you have reached them. You will later return to have lunch and relax at your lodge. In the afternoon, you will transfer to L. Bunyonyi. Overnight and dinner
Accommodation: Bunyonyi Rock resort
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 21: Canoe ride and transfer to L. Mburo NP
In the morning, you will have a canoe ride on the lake to explore the lakes beautiful scenery and later be transferred to L. Mburo NP, reaching in the evening. Overnight and dinner.
Accommodation: Mihingo lodge
Meal: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Day 22: Nature walk and Transfer back to Kampala or Entebbe
In the morning, you will go for a nature walk to the salt lick for more game viewing as animals gather to lick the salty rocks and on return drive back to Entebbe or Kampala with an en route stop over at the Equator and proceed for a drop off at your hotel or airport.
End of tour