This 11 Rwanda-Ethiopia safari will bring you up close with the mountain Gorillas in the mountains of northern Rwanda and the enigmatic and diverse cultures of southern Ethiopia in the Omo valley. The mountain gorillas are majestic creatures with a DNA close to that of human beings. Looking into their eyes after trekking through the jungles is not only refreshing but also takes you a step back in time to marvel at the creator’s great craftsmanship. You will crown this experience with a trip to the Ethiopia, the land of origins and interact with the rich cultures of the Omo valley.
11 Days Rwanda-Ethiopia Safari in brief
Day 1: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park with accommodation at Tiloreza Volcanoes Eco lodge (FB)
Day 2: Mountain Gorilla Tracking and afternoon nature/cultural walk
Day 3: Golden monkey tracking and Transfer back to Kigali
Day 4. Fly to Ethiopia, Arrival in Addis Ababa and city tour. Accommodation at Nexus hotel or similar
Day 5. Addis Ababa to Arba Minch. Accommodation at Paradise Lodge or similar
Day 6. Arba Minch – to Turmi. Accommodation at the previous lodge
Day 7. Turmi – Karo -Turmi. Accommodation in the same place as above.
Day 8. Turmi – Jinka. Accommodation at Jinka Resort or similar
Day 9. Jinka-Mursi – Jinka. Accommodation as above
Day 10. Jinka-Arba Minch. Accommodation at Paradise Lodge or similar
Day 11. Arba Minch-Addis Ababa and departure. During day time use room at Nexus hotel or similar until 18:00
Detailed – 11 Days Rwanda-Ethiopia Safari
Day 1: Transfer to Volcanoes National Park
You will be picked from the hotel and go for a city tour to see the genocide memorial and local markets and later drive
northwards to Volcanoes National Park. Dinner and overnight stay at
Accommodation: Tiloreza Volcanoes Eco lodge
Meal: Full board
Day 2: Mountain Gorilla Tracking and afternoon nature/cultural walk
Assemble at the park headquarters for a briefing in the morning together with your trekking gear and drinking water and ascend in the forest to track the gorillas. In the evening, you may go for community walk or nature walk. Dinner and overnight stay at your Lodge.
Accommodation: Tiloreza Volcanoes Eco lodge
Meal: Full board
Day 3: Golden monkey tracking and Transfer back to Kigali
In the morning, you will go for golden monkey tracking. On return, you will transfer back to Kigali for overnight at hotel.
Accommodation: Five to Five hotel
Meal: Breakfast
Day 4. Fly to Ethiopia, Arrival in Addis Ababa and city tour
In the morning, take the earliest flight to Ethiopia, upon arrival in Addis Ababa our driver guide will meet you at Bole international Airport and take you to visit Africa’s diplomatic capital with headquarters of the Africa union. Places to visit include; the Holy Trinity Cathedral (The church which was constructed in 1955 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Emperor Haile Selassie is richly adorned with remarkable biblical and other saints’ stories), National museum (home of Lucy hominid skeleton dating back to 3.2 million years), the Ethnological museum, which was the former palace of Haile Selassie and Mountain Entoto for panoramic view of Addis Ababa if time allows.
Accommodation: Nexus hotel or similar
Day 5. Addis Ababa to Arba Minch
After breakfast, take a flight to Arbaminch and proceed driving to Dorze, set in the highlands above Arba Minch. The Dorze people are known for their tall beehive-like houses made with unique bamboo craftsmanship and their fine hand-woven textiles. You will visit the village and learn about the daily lives of these industrious people. In case your visit falls on a market day (in Dorze village on Monday and Thursday and in nearby Chencha on Tuesday and Saturday), you will have a chance to visit the markets and learn more.
Accommodation: Paradise Lodge or similar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 6. Arba Minch- to Turmi
After breakfast, set off to Turmi. En route, visit the village of Weyto (market day Saturday); home to the Tsemai tribe. Continue through the Weyto Valley to Erbore, where you will have a brief visit to a local Erbore village (market day is Saturday). You will proceed to Turmi; home to the Hamer tribe; a nomadic society known for their unique cultural rituals including the cattle-leaping ceremony that initiates young men into adulthood and the accompanying women whipping ritual.
For the Harmer people, a young man is to be regarded as an adult and allowed to build his own herd and marry, he must under go a ritual of jumping/ leaping over a line of cows and on that same function, his female relatives gather to be whipped voluntarily to bear the scars for their male relatives which they use as a debt and an act to show their solidarity with their brothers. At night, you may witness the traditional night dance, known as evangadi.
Accommodation: Paradise Lodge or similar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 7. Turmi – Karo -Turmi
Early in the morning leave for the village of Kangatan. You will cross the Omo River and take a short walk through the local fields to visit a village of the Nyangatom tribe. The Nyangatom people are a Nilotic Agro-pastoralist tribe that traces their origin around northern Uganda and South Sudan about 150yrs ago. They are known as brave warriors and some neighboring tribes regard them as war mongers due to some tribal conflicts and raids on those neighbors. Men of this tribe are known for their custom of scarring/ marking their chests, each scar representing the enemy killed. Their women adorn themselves with heavy necklaces and put on long skirts made from goat skin. 
They are probably the richest and most prosperous society of all the Omo valley tribes due to the large herds of livestock and arms trade with the neighboring South Sudan.
After the visit, cross the river again and proceed to the Kolcho village of the Kara or Karo people, overlooking the Omo River. The Karo or Kara people (as they prefer to call themselves) are a Nilotic tribe regarded as the smallest tribe of the Omo valley in terms of population and are popular for their face and body paintings. The term ‘Kara’, means fish in this tribe’s local language and were named that due to their geographical location (along River Omo) where they live and fish regularly. The Kara people just like the Harmer also perform the bull jumping ceremony for initiation of young men into adulthood and share many things in common except that the Kara use body and face paintings unlike the Harmer. You will later return to Turmi (Monday is a 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 8. Turmi – Jinka
Depart for Jinka, via Dimeka and Key Afar. 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.
Accommodation: Jinka Resort or similar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 9. Jinka-Mursi – Jinka
In the morning, drive through the Mago National Park to a local village of the Mursi tribe. The Mursi people are popular for their lower lip and earlobe plates and body modifications including scarification patterns that symbolize their beauty. Spend time with this tribe learning their unique cultural practices and norms. In the afternoon, after returning to Jinka, you can 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.
Accommodation: Jinka Resort or similar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 10. Jinka – Arba Minch
After breakfast depart from Jinka to Arba Minch via Key Afar and Konso. 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 terracing. You may have a brief opportunity to visit a local village and the cultural museum displaying many waka statues. After the visit, proceed driving to Arba Minch.
Accommodation: Paradise Lodge or similar
Meal: Breakfast
Day 11. Arba Minch-Addis Ababa and departure
In the morning, take a boat trip on Lake Chamo to visit the “crocodile market”, and the local hippos. Then transfer to the airport for flight back to Addis and if time allows visit Mercato, one of Africa’s largest outdoor markets and enjoy shopping in the city. Evening transfer to the airport for your flight back home
Accommodation: Day use room at Nexus hotel or similar until 18:00 hrs.
Meal: Breakfast
End of tour