8-Day Discover the Hidden Gems of Eth...

>> Welcome to Ethiopia! You'll arrive at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. Here, you will be greeted by your tour guide or driver from Henry Tours. Then, you will be transferred to a hotel. If your arrival is early morning, after a leisurely morning rest, you will spend the afternoon sightseeing in Addis Ababa. Established by Emperor Menelik II in 1887, Addis Ababa, or ‘New flower’ in Amharic, is a relatively young city full of contrasts.
This city tour includes the National Museum, which houses the country’s historic treasures & the famous ‘Lucy”, the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, Ethiopia's main cathedral, and home to the remains of the last emperor. You'll drive up to Mount Entoto to have a panoramic view of the city and end the tour with Merkato, one of the largest open-air markets in Africa.

• Time: 8-10hrs
• Meals: All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

•  Accommodation: Swiss Inn Nexus Hotel Mid-range hotel located in Addis Ababa (City)

>> After breakfast, you will have a full day drive south to Arbaminch. The southern region is noted for its enormous variety of people and culture. Today your first stop will be at Adadi Mariam rock church which is believed to be built byking Lalibela around the 11th century.
Then, you'll visit the Tiya stelae field, which is registered by UNESCO for its 600-800-year-old large stone pillars.
There are around 36 standing stones32 of which are engraved and decorated with enigmatic symbols marking a large prehistoric royal burial place. You'll continue further south through the territory of the Gurage and Alban people and arrive at Arba Minch late in the afternoon. Then, you will be transferred to Haile Resort and spend the rest of your day.

• Time: 8-10hrs
• Meals: All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

•  Accommodation: Haile Resort Arba Minch Mid-range hotel located in Arba Minch (City)

>> In the morning, you'll embark on a boat trip on Lake Chamo, a lake that supports a large population of crocodiles, hippos, and fish.
First, you will cross the lake and head to the east bank and climb the plateau to the NechSar National Park to see wild zebras
and gazelles. You'll return to the boat trip and visit the famous Crocodile Market, which is not a market but a place to see a large concentration of giant Nile Crocodiles and many hippos. The lake is about 32 km long and provides a lush wetland habitat for many flora and fauna. In the afternoon, you'll visit the Dorze people who live on the Guge Mountain. The Dorze are renowned for their cotton-weaving techniques and beehive-shaped houses constructed entirely from organic materials. Here in their village, you can see the unique beehive huts, observe their exceptional cotton weaving skills, and
learn about their life and traditions.

• Time: 8-10hrs
• Meals: All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

•  Accommodation: Haile Resort Arba Minch Mid-range hotel located in Arba Minch (City)

>> Following breakfast this morning, you'll travel to Turmi, a small town and center, to visit the Omo valley tribes.
On the way, you'll stop at Konso and visit their village. The Konso tribe is famous for their agricultural terracing method
and for their wooden totems that honor the dead. The Konso villages are a world heritage-listed site for their cultural significance. The villages are surrounded by high stone walls and encompass separate compounds. After lunch, you'll continue further south through the acacia forest to Turmi. If today is a market day, you will get the chance to visit one of the
following colorful markets: Alduba (every Tuesday), Keyafer (every Thursday), or Dimeka (every Saturday).
Finally, you will be transferred to Turmi Lodge and enjoy the rest of your time.

• Time: 8-10hrs
• Meals: All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

•  Accommodation: Turmi Lodge Budget lodge located in Turmi (Lower Omo Valley)

>> This morning begins with an excursion to the Karo tribe. The Karo excel in face and body painting, which is practiced especially during their dances and ceremonies. They pulverize locally found white chalk, yellow mineral rock, red iron ore, and black charcoal to decorate their bodies, often mimicking the spotted plumage of a guinea fowl. The men create highly decorated clay hair buns, which can take several days to complete. You'll return to Turmi. After lunch and a short break late in the afternoon at sunset, you'll visit the village of the famous Hamer tribe village located close to Turmi. The Hammer tribe is known for the fine pottery they produce as well as their remarkable hairstyle. The women are striking, wearing beautiful, colorful beaded goat skins, ornate necklaces, and metal bangles around their wrists and ankles. These decorations indicate the wealth and prestige of a woman’s husband.

• Time: 8-10hrs
• Meals: All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

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

>> You'll cross the Omo River to visit the Dassanech tribe. Omorate lies on the bank of the Omo River close to the border of Kenya. You will cross the Omo River with a local boat and walk to one of the villages of the Dassenech. The Dassenech are a semi-nomadic tribe living on the shores of the Omo River. Their clans stretch across Sudan, Kenya, and southern Ethiopia. They are known for their very unique and ornate hair buns. They grow crops and fish. Then, you'll return to Turmi and continue further south to the town of Jinka. Then, you will drive to the beautiful Eco Omo Lodge, beside the Neri River
and the Mago National Park, surrounded by Forests and Nature. You will spend the rest of the day enjoying the lodge and the nature surrounding it.

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

•  Accommodation: Eco Omo Lodge Mid-range lodge located in Jinka (Lower Omo Valley)

>> This morning, you will drive through the Mago National Park to visit one of the villages of the Mursi people. The Mursi, possibly the most well-known tribe in the area, is famous both for their women who practice extending their lower lips with clay discs and their men who engage in stick fighting rituals called Donga. The Mursi are probably the last tribe in Africa amongst whom it is still the norm for women to wear those large pottery or wooden discs or plates. Afterwards, you'll return to Jinka. After the lunch break, you'll have a short drive to the village of the Ari tribe. The people of Ari live in the lush surroundings of the Jinka and grow coffee and fruits for trading and self-consumption. Their villages are green and surrounded by banana, mango, and avocado. The most beautiful in the country.

• Time: 8-10hrs
• Meals: All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

•  Accommodation: Eco Omo Lodge Mid-range lodge located in Jinka (Lower Omo Valley)

>> In the morning, you'll visit the Jinka museum, which contains the southern Omo research center's permanent cultural collections and provides research on the various ethnic groups and provides an in-depth overview of the people and traditions of the Omo valley. Then, you'll transfer to Jinka Airport to return to Addis Ababa. You will arrive in Addis in the afternoon. In the evening, you'll enjoy a final farewell dinner at a well-known local Ethiopian restaurant with cultural dances. Later this evening, you will be transferred to Bole Airport to return home.

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

•  Accommodation: No accommodation (End of tour)