SOUTH 8 DAY & 7 NIGHT

pon arrival at Bole International Airport you will be delivered to your hotel after some rest. Depending on your arrival time, we have various sightseeing options city tour in Addis Ababa National Museum which among other exhibits the 3.5-million-year-old bones of Lucy.  Trinity Cathedral: this is the burial place of members of the imperial family and noted patriots; the cathedral is the most magnificent of its kind in the country, ornamented with carvings, mosaics and other artistic works. Mount Entoto with the best views over the capital. And The Mercato, the largest open-air market in Africa. (Lunch in hotel & dinner in cultural restaurant)

Overnight: sapphire Addis hotel or other similar standard

After breakfast, we drive to Arba Minch, with a stop on the way at Tiya (80km from Addis Ababa) to explore the Stelae field of Tiya, listed as UNESCO world heritage site. Mysterious engraved stelae stretch across Southern Ethiopia. The field comprises some 45 stones of up to 2-3m in height. We then continue to Arba Minch with some fantastic scenery, including the best spot to view the two rift valley lakes, Lake Chamo to the South and Abaya to the north. With Africa’s biggest crocodiles, hippos and numerous bird species

We will arrive at the Arba minch in late afternoon and have rest to your lake view hotels (lunch in butajira hotel, dinner in Haile resort)

Overnight: Haile resort Arba Minch

After breakfast, we visit Lake Chamo, The Nech Sar National Park includes parts of Lake Abaya and Lake Chamo and the ‘Bridge of God’ between them. It offers stunning scenery and a variety of wildlife among them the endemic Swayne’s hartebeest. Game drives and walks are possible in the park. A boat trip on Lake Chamo offers a variety of birds, most of the time hippo’s and a spectacular visit to the ‘crocodile market’ where dozens of crocodiles (among them the biggest of Africa) warming their bodies in sun. Afternoon we visit the Dorze people they are living around the villages of Chencha and Dorze. The Dorze are famous for their weaving skills and for the use of the ‘ensete’ or ‘false banana’ as their staple food.

(Lunch and dinner in paradise lodge or similar standard hotel)

Overnight: in Haile resort

After breakfast, we drive to Konso approx. (travelling time 3.5 hrs.). The cultural landscape of Konso is the youngest World Heritage Site of Ethiopia. The Konso are famous for their waga stelae or grave markers for an important carved wooden grave markers. A row of these stelae are erected on the grave of an important Konso man. One symbolizing the hero, the others his wives and his defeated enemies or killed dangerous animals.

The market days are on Monday and Thursday Around the village there are extensive terraces where the crops are grown. Their agricultural skills are among the best found in Ethiopia. From Konso we continue our journey to the colorful market of Key Afer (Thursdays only) frequented by several tribes of the Omo valley Thursday is market day  in key Afer to see  Derase, Tsemay, Benna and Ari, before reaching Jinka in the late afternoon.

(Lunch in konso kanta lodge dinner jinka)

Overnight in Eco omo or similar standard

Morning drive to Mago National Park and found Mursi village will bring many Guenter’s dik-dik and a few olive baboons or guereza black and white colobus monkeys and an occasional greater or lesser kudu and defassa waterbuck. A more in-depth exploration of the park might show more of the variety of big mammals among them Africa’s well known elephant, buffalo and lion. More restricted to this area (and northern Kenya) are the rectangular giraffe and Grevy’s zebra. And visit Mursi The Mursi tribe are one of the last remaining tribes in Africa to still wear traditional dress and accessories

 The Mursi women also wear clay or wooden plates in their lower lips or earlobes. These are to mark traditional rites of passages afternoon after lunch, we continue our trip to Turmi (approx. 3 hrs), where we will meet the fascinating Hamer tribe. Turmi is our base to explore the Southern tribes of the Omo Valley. The whole region of the Southern Omo is UNESCO world heritage site since 1980.

(Lunch jinka dinner paradise lodge turmi)

Overnight: paradise lodge turmi

Morning:

Drive to karo people although more people in southern practice body painting, the Karo are famous for elaborated decoration of their body.  Different types of painting are used for certain ceremonies.

Afternoon after lunch Turmi is well known for its traditional events and with some luck we will even participate in a Hamer marriage ceremony, with its bull jumping ceremony and more! In the late afternoon, we will also visit a nearby Hamer village and encounter the tribe in its daily life surroundings. With some luck, we may even witness a moonshine dance (Evangadi), a traditional dance of young Hamer men and women.

(Lunch jinka dinner paradise lodge turmi)

Overnight: paradise lodge turmi

Morning: Turmi – Omorate- Turmi (140 km):

The town of Omerate is only 30 km away from Kenya and South Sudan and functions as a border post. At only 375 meter above sea level it is the lowest place in the Omo Valley and often very hot and dusty. We take an excursion to visit the Dassanech Ethnic group (70 km, one way), famous for their nomad lifestyle and very interesting decoration and scarification on their bodies. There are also great views of the Omo River when crossing in a dugout canoe .Here you can cross the Omo River with local boat and inter to dassench village.

Afternoon after lunch drive to Turmi – Konso (180 km) Konso (approx. 3.5 hrs.). We will reach the well-kept Kanta Lodge in the late afternoon.

Overnight: Kanta Lodge, Konso

Morning:

We drive from Konso to Arba Minch (1 h).

Afternoon:-We fly back to Addis Ababa with flight you will be picked up at Bole Airport and be transferred to your reserved hotel (day room). Flight time you will do some shopping for souvenirs. Finally you will be taken to a farewell dinner depending on your scheduled flight; you will be transferred out to Bole International Airport for return flight back home

Evening:-In the evening, you will be invited for a traditional Ethiopian dinner and dance show at a renowned restaurant of Addis Ababa. Then you will be transferred to the airport for your departure.