Cultural Ethiopia

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Addis Ababa

Arrive in Addis Ababa at any time.

Day 2 Arba Minch (B,D)

Travel to Arba Minch, passing by some of the Rift Valley Lakes. Indulge in lunch at Shashemene, known for its Rastafarian community.

Day 3 Arbamich – Lake Chamo – Dorze village (B,D)

After a relaxing boat ride Lake Chamo enjoying the resident crocodiles, hippos, and bird life, we drive high into the Guge mountains to spend the night with the Dorze people. They are famous for their beehive-shaped bamboo houses and products produced from the Enset plant

Day 4 Dorze Village - Jinka (B,D)

Today’s long journey takes us to Jinka, a frontier town with a mix of a number of different tribes. The Ari are found around Jinka and also inhabit the northern border of Mago National Park. Ari villages have neat compounds, fertile and scenic land with coffee plantations.

Day 5 Jinka - Mursi - Jinka (B,L,D)

Using Jinka as our base, we take an excursion to visit the Mursi people via Mago National Park. These people are curious and famous for the geometrical lip plates that the women stick into slits in their lips. In the afternoon, you’ll have some time to visit to the Anthropological museum in Jinka, or even take a tour of an Ari village.

Day 6 Jinka - Key Afar - Turmi (B,D)

Today we will drive to Turmi via Key Afar. En route we pass by the Hamer and Benna cattle herders. We will have lunch in Key Afar where there will be the Thursday market, attended by the Benna, Hammer and Ari people. Here you are free to spend some time meandering through this colorful market enjoying the displays.

Day 7 Turmi – Ormorate - Turmi (B,L,D)

Today we take a day excursion to Omorate to visit the semi-nomadic pastoral Omo Geleb/Dasanech people at the bank of the Omo River. Embark on an optional dug-out canoe ride across the Omo river to visit a Dasanech village on the other side.

Day 8 Turmi - Dimeka - Turmi (B,L,D)

Today we visit the Saturday market in Dimeka. This market is particularly interesting for its display of local products such as butter and honey produced from the Hamer natural environment and agrarian livelihoods. Dimeka residents, Hamer, some other tribes and tourists frequent this market.

Day 9 Turmi - Konso (B,D)

Drive to Konso with a stop for lunch in Weito. We visit the Konso chief's compound which includes the family graveyard and house of mummies. We may again encounter the Cushitic-speaking Tsemay people. The Konso are a rich agrarian culture. They construct ingenious terraces and walls that encircle their fields and villages for protection against livestock damage and flooding. Here spend the night in a traditional home in Konso, which will give you the unique experience of staying in an Ethiopian village.

Day 10 Konso – Yirgalem

We drive to Yirgalem where there is a pleasant peaceful lodge with walks through gardens and forests.

Day 11 Depart Addis Ababa

Depart Yirgalem, with a stop at Lake Ziway for bird watching.