Day 1: Flight Addis Ababa – Jinka
Flight to Jinka. Jinka is the capital of the Lower Omo Valley region, the home of the Ari people, and the only airport serving the region. After checking into your hotel / Lodge, we will visit the Ari people, the most organized but still traditional village of the Omo Valley region.
Overnight at Jinka – Eco Omo Lodge/ Nasa Guesthouse.
Day 2 – Jinka – Mursi Village – Turmi
In the morning we will drive to Mago National Park where we can visit the Mursi tribes village. The Mursi tribes are warriors and their lifestyle has never changed. They do not have many possessions. Their life is mainly linked to cattle raising. They also practice small-scale agriculture on the banks of the OMO River. The Mursi are often called nomads, but they lead a sedentary lifestyle in the villages.
The Mursi are famous because their women wear a large clay disk inserted in their lips. The larger the clay disk a Mursi girl has inserted in her lip, the more beautiful she is considered. Mursi men wear very little, except for an occasional headscarf, and they paint their bodies on special occasions. After visiting the Mursi, we will drive to Turmi via Jinka, passing through the keyafer and dimeka lands of the Bena tribes. We will visit the colorful tribal markets on market days.
Overnight camping – Hamer tribes village.
Day 3: Turmi – Omorate
In the morning we drive to Omorate, home of the Dasenech tribes. The Dasenech have settled north of Lake Turkana on the border with Kenya and along both banks of the Omo River. They are mainly pastoralists. But they also practice fishing and subsistence farming along the banks of the river. To reach Dasench village, we will take a traditional local boat to cross the river on the opposite bank from Omorate.
Dasenech women wear elaborate beadwork on their bodies. The men often adorn their hair with clay paints and feathers. After watching the Dasench dancing and playing. We return to Turmi. Turmi is home to the Hamer tribe. Known for their beautiful looking, women’s hairstyles. The Hamer are the most welcoming and friendly tribes in the Omo Valley. We visit a Hamer village where we learn about the family structure and daily life.
The Hamer depend on livestock and practice small-scale rain-fed agriculture. Hamer children must undergo a rite of passage to become a man called the Bull’s Jump. Bull’s Jump, This is a long ritual ceremony. The main act of the ceremony is to jump a row of bulls. We seek the opportunity to witness the Bull’s Jump ceremony.
Overnight in the camp – Hamer Tribes Village.
Day 4: Turmi- Karo
After breakfast, we will travel to the village of Korcho. It is one of the few villages of the Kara or Karo tribe. The village is situated on a hill with a breathtaking view of the OMO River. The Karo tribes are few in number and are famous for being the most colorful body painters using different colors of clay.
The Karo tribes were very wealthy and had large herds of cattle. A devastating pandemic outbreak wiped out all their animals. Since then they depend more on fishing and agriculture.
We return to Turmi, in the afternoon we will visit the Hamer villages and the local market. Monday is market day, where Hamer tribes come to trade with animals, agricultural products, coffee, tobacco, honey, clothes…etc.
Overnight camping – Karo tribes village.
Day 5: Turmi – Arbamich
We continue to take pictures during our trip to Arbaminch. On the way we will visit the Konso people. The Konso are very hard working people in Ethiopia. The Konso tribes are famous for their impressive soil conservation by building Teracing on their farmland. Konso villages are located on hilltops protected by several rounds of stone walls. Inside the village there is a narrow alley and few entrances. UNESCO recognized the Konso village as a World Heritage Site.
Overnight at Hotel – Arbaminch
Day 6: Arbaminch – Dorze – Addis Ababa
In the morning we will visit Dorze, a traditional village where tribes make their living from weaving and subsistence farming. The Dorze people are known for their weaving skills, music, dance and beautiful elephant-shaped houses. They live in one of the most densely populated areas of the country. But they have maintained a lifestyle to coexist with the environment by practicing mixed farming, handicrafts and weaving.
Flight back to Addis Ababa. In the evening, you will be our guest for a farewell dinner in a traditional restaurant. Enjoy the evening with Ethiopian food, drinks, music and an amazing dance show. Transfer to the airport for your return flight.
End of the Tour