LLT002 - South Ethiopia
Omo Valley “the last wilderness of Ethiopia”Cultural Route
Duration: 11 Night/ 12 Days
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 1: Addis Ababa
Arrive Addis Ababa at Bole International Air Port & meet with us for transfer to the hotel. Overnight hotel.
Day 2: Addis Ababa
Today you have a full day city tour in Addis Ababa. Visit the National Museum, where you see the famous fossil Lucy, who was 3.2 million years old, the Ethnographic Museum, Entoto St. Mary Museum, St .Trinity Cathedral church, and Merkato market, the largest open-air market in Africa. Overnight hotel.
Day 3: Awassa
Drive to Awassa via Butajera. On the way visit the rock hewn church of Adadi Mariam, which believes carved by King Lalibela at the end of 12th C and the steles of Tiya, which carved from monolithic stones and used as Tomb for the soldiers who died between the age of 18 and 22. And also the Stele of Tiya registered on the UNESCO Album as one of the world heritage site. Overnight hotel.
Day 4: Arba Minch
After breakfast drive to the lake Awassa to visit the colorful water birds and Fish market, where people are buying fresh fish from Fisher men; And then drive directly to the lake side town of Arba Minch. On the way visit two different village ,one is Alaba village and the second one is the Dorze people who live on the Guge Mounatin and are famous for their beehive bamboo house and weaving skill; In their society, it is a taboo for men to spin the cotton and also taboo for the women to make a traditional cloth. Overnight hotel.
Day 5: Gonder
AM drive to Nechi Sar National park to visit many species of birds and mammals. Nechi Sar National Park, located in the rift valley. It is enriched with many species of birds and mammals; African orange-bellied parrots, bustards, weavers, Somber rock-chat, yellow-throated serine, Red-fronted barbet, Pygmy baits, Lesser striped swallow, and Anubis Baboon,, Black-backed Jackal, Bat-eared Fox, Egyptian Mongoose, Warthog, Soemmering’s Gazelle, Lesser Kudu, Salt’s Dik-dik, etc. After lunch will have a boat trip on the 3rd lagest lake in Ethiopia called Chamo; which famous for big Crocodile, Hippos, and water birds. Overnight same hotel.
Day 6: Jinka
After breakfast drive to Weyto via the town of Key Afer. On the way visit the konso village, where you see colorfully costumed dress, impressive terracing of the land, annually engraved wooden status used as grave markers and community house. In the community house called Mora, all the young boys above 12 years old expected to stay every night in it till their marriage .And then drive to Weyto for Lunch. After Lunch continue driving to the town of Jinka. En route visit the Tsemay people, who give right for girls to choose their husband before marriage. During this time, If the girl pregnant, which is not acceptable in the community. In the Tsemay society, the Brides eating together only during their honeymoon time and the rest of their life will not eat together. If the day is Thursday, there is a colourfull market at Key Afer for Tsemay and Benna people. Overnight Hotel.
Day 7: Turmi
AM drive to Mago National Park to visit the Mursi people with their village. The mursi are well known for the large clay discs that the women wear inserted in their slit lower lips ; The Mursi women start cutting their lips between the age of 12 and 16 years and then after they cut their lips, they put small wooden plugs and change every night with the big one to stretch the lips till their lips can hold 6 inch round clay. The Mursi men wear very little, although a cotton wrap is be coming more & more common . After lunch drive to Turmi via Dimeka. If the day is Saturday or Tuesday, will have a chance to see the colorful weekly market at Dimeka. Overnight Hotel.
Day 8: Turmi
A.M drive to Korocho village to visit the karo tribe; They are famous for body decoration during the ceremony; In the old time, Men are famous for body scars; By counting of the scars, you can identify how many person he killed. Afternoon visit the Hammer village, where you see kids playing in the compound and women are decorate their hair by using red soil, water and cow butter. Hamer people have a bull Jumping ceremony; This ceremony is a transformation for young boys from young to adulthood; During the ceremony, you see the real Hamer traditional dance called Eveangadi; and also the women from the jumper’s families are being wipe by his friend’s to show their love to the Jumper. Overnight same Hotel.
Day 9: Turmi
Drive to Omorate to visit the Dassench people, who live across the Omo river. And then drive back to Turmi. If the day is Monday, there is a weekly market at Turmi for the Hamer people. Overnight same Hotel.
Day 10: Arba Minch
Drive to Arba minch via Arbore. On the way will have stop at Arbore tribe, who practice circumcision before marriage for the girls. After circumcision program, she will stay two month in her Husband’s family house. Overnight hotel.
Day 11: Langano
Drive to lake Langano(which is the only lake in Ethiopia free from water dieses) via the town of Shashemane, where Rasta people (Jamaicans who worship Emperor Haile Sellassie). On the way visit one of the Welayata people with their village. Overnight hotel.
Day 12: Addis Ababa/Departure
Am have time to enjoy on the lake till 10:30 and then drive back to Addis. On the way visit Lake Zeway, where you see the Colorful water birds and it is the largest lake from the Northern Rift Valley Lakes. Evening after the dinner program in one of the traditional restaurant, transfer to air port for departure. End of the tour.