12 Days Cultural Tour to Ethiopia Omo Valley & Surma
Transportation: by an excellent condition 4WD
Duration: 11 Nights/ 12 Days
Accommodation: Hotels and camping on well equipped camping gears as per the itinerary.
Itinerary
Day 1: Drive Addis Ababa to Jimma Via Welkite & Weliso, about 350kms
Þ Morning after breakfast, head south west of Addis to Jimma.
Þ En-route sees the undulating landscapes and the coffee growing area of Ethiopia and also visiting the Gurage Villages. hotel
Day 2: Drive Jimma to the town of Mizan Tefari, about 220kms
Þ This is a drive through the Kaffa region, generally regarded to be the region from where the Arabica strain of coffee originated, and it is also where this plant was first cultivated.
Þ Spend the night in Mizan Teferi. hotel
Day 3: Drive Mizan to Kibish (Set to the Simi desert southern lowlands roughly 180km south of Mizian)
Þ Morning, drive to Kibish (Capila of Surma tribes)
Þ En-route enjoying the stunning view which unfolds in front of us every minute of our drive.
Þ On the way you will visit different tribal villages including the Diz. camping
Day 4: Kibish: Full Day visit the surma people and their villages
The Surma tribes are found on the west bank of the Omo.
Þ They mostly look like the Mursi peoples of the Omo River, they do body painting and the women wear lip plates.
Þ On those two days if there is an availability of the occasional and optional event of Donga (stick fighting) you will attend.(This donga event is somehow unrealistic and bad habit of the tribes). Camping
Day 5: Drive back to the town of Mizan Teferi
Þ In the morning drive back to Mizan en-route visiting different coffee farms and different tribal villages. Hotels
Day 6: Drive back Mizan to Jimma.
Þ On our todays drive back to Jimma enroute you will meet and visit the village of Kefecho, Yem and Bench ethnic groups
Þ We will pass through the dense forest of coffee and tea.
Þ You can have a short stop there to buy the Ethiopian tea sachets green tea. hotel
Day 7: Drive Jimma to Arba Minch to start the omo valley tour
Þ Today’s drive is just as a gate way to the omo valley area from the West of Ethiopia.
Þ On your way you will admire nature, birds and farm lands. Spend the night at the beautiful Paradise lodge in Arba Minch. Hotel
Day 8: Drive Arba Minch to Jinka via Konso
Þ En route you will visit the Konso tribes and you will visit their ancient villages.
Þ Today you will also meet Tsemay and Ari tribes with visiting their villages. Photographing with tribes. Lodge/ hotel
Day 9: Drive Jinka to Mago National Park then transfer to Turmi
Þ Early start for excursion tour to Mago national park to meet the Mursi people and visits their villages.
Þ Visit the Mursi Tribes, their women are famous for Lip plates and men for ritual fighting with stick.
Þ Retrace back to attend the colorful local market Key Afer (Thursday market) on the way drive to Turmi. Up on time before the end of the market.
Þ You will meet the Tsemay and Banna tribes on this market day. Great photographing day.
Þ Then proceed to Turmi for overnight. Hotel/ lodge
Day 10: Excursion to Omo rate then retrace back to Turmi to visit Hamers village
⇒ Morning Boat excursion to Omorate on the Omo River to visit a Dassanech village on the other side of the Omo River.Þ Today you will also visit The Hamer peoples and their Villages.Þ Today’s you will attend Tribal dance or Bull Jumping rite, occasional and optional events. Hotel
Day 11: Morning drive some 20kms from Turmi to attend Dimeka Market (Saturday market) then continue driving to Arba Minch.
Þ On your short attending the Dimeka market you will meet the Hamer, Karo and Dassanech tribes. Photographing.
Þ Then continue driving to Arba Minch for overnight. Hotel/ lodge
Day 12: Drive Arba Minch to Addis Ababa-departure
Þ Morning you will have a very short visit the Dorza people and their traditional tukul villages. The dorze peoples are well known on traditional weaving.
Þ Moreover in the evening around you will be our guest for a farewell dinner in one of Ethiopian traditional restaurants with folkloric dance.
….End of the Cultural Tour to Ethiopia ……
