Quick Summary
8-Day Discover the Hidden Gems of Ethiopia is a 8 Days tour in Ethiopia via the Discover the Hidden Gems of Ethiopia route, starting from USD 3300. Below you'll find the latest itinerary, inclusions & exclusions, and how to book.
8 Days
Discover the Hidden Gems of Ethiopia
USD 3300
Kitano Tours & Safaris
ABOUT 8-Day Discover the Hidden Gems of Ethiopia
This is a great itinerary that gives travelers an extraordinary opportunity to travel through Ethiopia’s fascinating Southern region, famous for its natural and cultural spectacles, and the famous Omo Valley for the chance to meet and discover some of the more remote, colorful, and enigmatic ethnic groups of this incredibly diverse area of Ethiopia. In this fascinating region, you will learn about the indigenous culture and different ethnic groups who inhabit this part of the country.
- Duration: 8 Days
- Route: Discover the Hidden Gems of Ethiopia
- Starts at: USD 3300
Highlights for 8-Day Discover the Hidden Gems of Ethiopia
Day 1:Addis Ababa City Tour
Day 2:Drive to Arba Minch
Day 3:Boat Cruise on Lake Chamo and Dorze Village
Day 4:Drive to Turmi via Konso
Day 5:Hammer and Karo Tribe
Day 6:Excursion to Omorate and Continue to Jinka
Day 7:Mursi People and Ari Village
Day 8:Fly back to Addis Ababa
Itinerary Overview
| Day | Title |
|---|---|
| Day 01 | Addis Ababa City Tour |
| Day 02 | Drive to Arba Minch |
| Day 03 | Boat Cruise on Lake Chamo and Dorze Village |
| Day 04 | Drive to Turmi via Konso |
| Day 05 | Hammer and Karo Tribe |
| Day 06 | Excursion to Omorate and Continue to Jinka |
| Day 07 | Mursi People and Ari Village |
| Day 08 | Fly back to Addis Ababa |
Day 01: Addis Ababa City Tour
>> 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)
Day 02: Drive to Arba Minch
>> 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)
Day 03: Boat Cruise on Lake Chamo and Dorze Village
>> 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)
Day 04: Drive to Turmi via Konso
>> 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)
Day 05: Hammer and Karo Tribe
>> 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)
Day 06: Excursion to Omorate and Continue to Jinka
>> 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)
Day 07: Mursi People and Ari Village
>> 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)
Day 08: Fly back to Addis Ababa
>> 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)
Inclusions
- Park fees(For non-residents)
- All activities(Unless labeled as optional)
- All accommodation(Unless listed as upgrade)
- A professional driver/guide
- All transportation(Unless labeled as optional)
- All Taxes/VAT
- Roundtrip airport transfer
- Meals(As specified in the day-by-day section)
- Drinking water(On all days)
Exclusions
- International flights(From/to home)
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- Tips(Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
- Personal items(Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
- Some meals(As specified in the day-by-day section)