This tour offer you the tribes of Ethiopia’s rapidly changing Omo Valley.
Of the many small tribes in this area we regularly visit the Hamer and Banna, the Mursi, the Ari, the Dasanech, the Konso and Dorze. Less frequently we also visit the Karo, Dizi, Suri. Our itineraries are scheduled to include some of the local weekly markets in the region.
1-st day
Addis Ababa – change money, buy water … and go to Meta Brewery Park. Then you will continue to Adadi Maryam rock-hewn church, Tiay steles. Then looking for to sleep …
Overnight Sodo.
2-nd day
After breakfast you will drive to Adjoura falls – the twin falls on the right is Ajacho and on the left is Soke which merges at the floor of gorge by falling above 200 mts of height and form Ajora river that finally drains into Omo river and Gesuba cascata. The northern fall has formed on Soke stream, but the southern – on Ajacho (Shapa) stream. There a short walking in the gorge about 3 – 4 hours.
Overnight Sodo
3-th day
Sodo – Arba Minch. After lunc Chamo lake boat trip for visiting crocodiles and hippos.
Overnight Arba Minch.
4-th day
Leaving Arba Minch, the tour continues southwards, past Lake Chamo to Karat-Konso. The Konso Cultural Landscape, which includes 42 villages and surrounding farmland, is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. There are around 250,000 people living in this area, mostly in hill-top villages surrounded by high stone walls. Konso farmers use a sophisticated system of stone terracing to retain moisture and prevent erosion of the hillsides. The area is also famous for the waka (carved wooden funerary statues) that dot the landscape. The Konso people are thought to have lived in this area for at least 400 years and they speak a language belonging to the Cushtic family.
From Karat-Konso, the journey continues, stopping on the way to see a village of the Tsemai people, who live around the Woito River. The Tsemai practice slash-and-burn agriculture, as well as animal husbandry. The spiritual leader of the Tsemai is the bogolko, who prays for rain, good harvests and the health of children. The Tsemai are considered as magicians by some people in surrounding urban areas, but they are also known as one of the most peaceful peoples among the ethnic groups of the Omo Valley. Alternatively, if it is a Thursday, you may choose to visit the local market at Key Afar, rather than the Tsemai village. At the end of the day, you’ll then continue on to Jinka, where you’ll spend the night.
5-th day
From Jinka, you will spend the morning exploring a village of the Mursi. The Mursi people, who live in an almost inaccessible area between the Mago and Omo rivers, are famous for the clay lip-plates traditionally worn by women. There is much controversy surrounding the origins of these lip-plates. Men traditionally wear only a blanket tied at one shoulder, and women, a similarly-fashioned goat skin. The Mursi have a reputation for being aggressive and the men carry a Donga (large stick) for fighting. Ceremonial fights are also performed. Cattle are the Mursi’s most prized possession. They are used in virtually every significant social relationship, most notably marriage, paid to the bride’s father.
In the afternoon, you will visit a village of the Ari people. The Ari people, who live in the fertile lands surrounding Jinka, predominantly practice settled agriculture and produce a variety of cereals, pulses, root crops, fruit and vegetables, as well as the cash crops coffee and cardamon. In rural areas, you may still see Ari women wearing traditional dresses made from the leaves of the false banana plant, and draped with colourful beads and bracelets. At the end of the day, you’ll return to Jinka, where you’ll spend a second night.
6-th day
Leaving Jinka, the tour continues south to Turmi, passing through an area occupied by the Hamer/Bana people. In the morning, you will stop off either at a local market (if it is Tuesday or Saturday) or at a Bana village. In the afternoon, you’ll either visit a traditional Hamer village or, if you are lucky – witness the Hamar’s famous bull-jumping ceremony, which takes place when a Hamar man comes of age. He must successfully leap over a line of 8-20 cattle 4 times then he is to be allowed to marry, have children, and own cattle of his own. In the village, Hamer women wear elaborately decorated goat skins with beaded necklaces, bracelets and waistbands, usually black and red, with the number and type of necklaces worn denoting their marital status. Women decorate their hair with clay and butter and twist it into small braids. Men wear a clay cap which is painted and decorated with feathers and other ornaments.
Overnight at a hotel in Turmi.
7-th day
From Turmi, you will visit a village of the Dassanech people. The Dassanech tribe, living around Omerate, is not strictly defined by ethnicity but has absorbed a wide range of different people over time. The Dassanech are divided into eight main clans, each of which is believed to have special powers over different things such as water, crocodiles, snakes, diseases, drought, eye infections, scorpion bites and muscular problems. Members of the same clan are forbidden from marrying (or even dancing with) each other. Both men and women of the Dassanech adorn themselves with beads and bracelets.
Drive to Turkane lake.
At the end of the day, you’ll return to Turmi.
8-th day
Visit the Arbore tribe is really a small tribe which lives within the southwest part of the Omo Valley. These people have ancestral as well as cultural associations with the Borenna plus Konso people and carry out a number of ritual dances plus singing. They are neighbored by the Tsemay people.
The Arbore are pastoralists (cattle keepers). They are convinced that their singing as well as dancing removes negative energy and provided that the negative energy is eliminated, their tribe will certainly prosper. The Arbore women cover their heads using a black cloth and they are seen to wear multi-colored necklaces plus earrings. The Young children wear a shell-type hat that safeguards their heads from the hot sun. Body painting is completed by these Arbore applying natural colors made out of soil plus stone. The traditional dancing is common in this tribe and their wealth is assessed by the quantity of cattle a man possesses.
Overnight Turmi
9-th day
Full day driving to Konso. Visiting New Yourk canyon.
Overni8ght Konso.
10- th day
Drive to Yabello.
11-th day
Early morning continue the trip to Mega. There is such beautifull places like – El Sod crater, singing wells and Megado crater lake.
Overnight Yabello.
12-th day
Drive to Hawassa. It’s take again full day driving.
Overnight Hawassa
13-th day
After breakfast you will visit a fish market at Hawassa – the long row of boats full of fresh fishes, the nets losing and fish filleting boys, vendors of plastic tents and bread, fish soup cooking women, marabou, pelicans and other birds who feeds themselves from the remains of fishes. The wandering goats and sheep in the open fish market is generally a phenominal. After that you can visit Amorra Gedel park and short walking on the Tabor mount. As well as located at the dike of Lake of Hawassa there is boat association of young people. Here you can rent a rowboat or motorboat for a trip to the hippo-corner “. With a rowing boat the trip takes at least 3 hours.
Overnight Hawassa
14-th day
Driving from Hawassa to Ziway. On the way you will visit Abijata-Shalla Lake National Park.
Overnight Ziway
15-th day
Driving to Addis Ababa.
- Souvenir shopping,
- dinner at a lockal musuck restaurant
- and transfer to the airport.