8-Day Cultural Trip to Southern Ethio...

>> Addis Ababa - Arba Minch
Drive to Arba Minch, one of the main towns in Southern Ethiopia. On the way, visit a Dorze Village in the Guge Mountains. The Dorze are known for their tall, beehive-shaped bamboo houses. If the base becomes infested with termites, the entire house can be lifted and moved to another location.

• Time: 8-10hrs
• Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

•  Accommodation: Mora Heights Hotel Budget hotel located in Arba Minch (City)

>> Take a boat trip on Lake Chamo and view some of the largest crocodiles in the world sunning on the banks of the lake. Hippopotami and birdlife are also abundant. Drive to Jinka visiting various peoples such as the Gamo and Derashe. Stop at Key Afar's weekly market (if on a Thursday) and wander among the various tribes such as the Benna and Ari that have gathered to barter their goods.

• Time: 8-10hrs
• Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

•  Accommodation: Jinka Resort Budget hotel located in Jinka (Lower Omo Valley)

>> Jinka is a small market town which houses the South Omo Research Centre Museum. From here there is an optional expedition to the Omo National Park, a lesser-visited national park in Ethiopia, and home to incredible vistas. The park has a rugged, off-the-beaten-track appeal.
Early morning drive to the Mago National Park to visit the Mursi people. The Mursi women are known for the clay plates they insert into their lower lips. Time permitting, visit the Omo Valley Museum in Jinka.

• Time: 8-10hrs
• Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

•  Accommodation: Jinka Resort Budget hotel located in Jinka (Lower Omo Valley)

>> Jinka - Turmi
Drive to Turmi to visit the Hamer people who are well known for the scarring of their bodies, using clay to shape their hairstyles, and the unique practice of "bull-jumping" which every young man must accomplish prior to marriage. En route to Turmi, visit the Benna and Ari people.

• Time: 8-10hrs
• Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

•  Accommodation: Emerald Lodge Turmi Mid-range lodge located in Turmi (Lower Omo Valley)

>> The Dassanech or Dasenech, also known as Geleb, are an indigenous Cushitic-speaking ethnic group residing in Ethiopia and Kenya. They have traditionally inhabited the southern region of the Omo Valley, specifically the Omorate District, which is in close proximity to the border between Ethiopia and Kenya.
Excursion to Omorate visiting the Dassanech people. Return to Turmi for the evening.

• Time: 8-10hrs
• Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

•  Accommodation: Emerald Lodge Turmi Mid-range lodge located in Turmi (Lower Omo Valley)

>> Konso, ethnolinguistic group located in the arid highlands of southwestern Ethiopia. Their sharply delimited traditional territory is surrounded by lands of Oromo peoples, to whom the Konso are culturally and linguistically related. They are a Cushitic people.
Drive to Konso, recently designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. A highland people, the Konso are known for the ancient and intricate terraces that encircle their well-planned villages.

• Time: 8-10hrs
• Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

•  Accommodation: Kanta Lodge Mid-range lodge located in Konso (Cultural Village)

>> It is short drive today to Hawassa, where we visit the famous fish market. An optional boat trip is available to explore the lake, and the market serves some of the best fish soup you'll ever taste! There's also friendly colobus monkeys in the forests surrounding the lake.
Drive to the lakeside town of Hawassa. Rest and relaxation at one of Hawassa’s fine resorts.

• Time: 8-10hrs
• Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

•  Accommodation: Hawassa Lake View Hotel Mid-range hotel located in Awasa (City)

>> Hawassa - Addis Ababa
Visit the Hawassa fish market in the morning. Drive to Addis Ababa making stops at the Rift Valley Lakes. In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant featuring dancers and musicians representing some of the country's many ethnic groups. Transfer to airport for late night departure upon request.

• Time: 8-10Hrs
• Meals: Breakfast (Lunch & dinner not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

•  Accommodation: No accommodation (End of tour)