Omo Valley Tribes Camping Tour from Arba Minch – 6 Days
Camping with Omo Valley tribes will not only give you an in-depth insight into the cultural ways of life of the last traditional tribes in Ethiopia, but also provide an excellent photographic opportunity.
You will sleep in tribal villages under the African sky full of stars, and in the morning wake up to the sound of goats and playing children. Unzip your tent to find yourself welcomed by a hosting tribal family who are milking a goat and preparing traditional foods.
Have up-close contact with the Mursi tribes, Hamer tribes, Karo tribes, Dassanech tribes, and many more. Talk with tribe members to learn about their meanings of life, beliefs, and ancestors around a fire. This experience will let you learn more about their culture, beautification, hairstyles, jewelry, and close relationship with nature, their cattle, and their children. Body scar marks tell a story and are done for a reason; lip plates worn by women are very important. We will also have a chance to attend sacred rituals and ceremonies and have a truly unique experience.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arba Minch Arrival – Dorze Village
Fly to Arba Minch in the morning. Drive to Dorze Village. The Dorze people are renowned for their weaving skills, music, dance, and beautiful elephant-shaped houses. They live in one of the most densely populated areas of the country, yet they have maintained a lifestyle that coexists with the environment by practicing mixed farming, handicrafts, and weaving. Drive back to Arba Minch.
Overnight Camping
Day 2: Arba Minch – Turmi
Drive to Turmi via Konso Village. Konso is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its traditional landscape terracing systems, wonderful walled villages, old community squares, stone monuments, generation poles, and carved statues. Konso has an immensely rich historical heritage and a traditional village atmosphere. Continue driving, crossing the Weito River, home to the Tsemay and Bena tribes, before arriving in Turmi.
Overnight Camping – Turmi (Hamer Village)
Day 3: Turmi – Omorate
In the morning after breakfast, drive to Korcho, one of the villages of the Karo people. The Karo tribes call themselves Kara, which means “fish eaters.” They are most famous for their artistic body painting. After visiting the Karo tribe, return to Turmi for lunch. In the afternoon, visit a Hamer market, attend a bull jumping ceremony, or visit a Hamer village.
Overnight Camping in Turmi (Hamer Village)
Day 4: Turmi – Karo
After breakfast, drive to Omorate, home to the Dassanech tribe on the border with Kenya, along the Omo River and north of Lake Turkana. Cross the Omo River and visit their mobile village. Afterward, drive back to Turmi for lunch, then continue toward Jinka. On the way, you may have a chance to attend a bull jumping ceremony, part of the Hamer boys’ rites of passage, visit a Hamer village, or explore a tribal market in Turmi on market day.
Overnight Camping in Karo Village
Day 5: Turmi – Jinka
In the morning, drive to Jinka, where you will stay for the night. Jinka is home to the Ari people. Although the Ari tribe is more modern, they are the largest tribe in the Omo Valley and still live in traditional villages. On the way, if it is a market day, you may stop at Dimeka, Key Afer, or other small tribal markets, where you may see the Bena, Hamer, and Tsemay tribes.
Overnight Hotel in Jinka
Day 6: Jinka – Addis Ababa (Flight)
After an early morning breakfast, drive to a Mursi village, crossing Mago National Park. The Mursi tribe is the most well-known due to the large lip plates worn by Mursi women, which have become the most iconic image of the Omo Valley tribes. After spending time with the Mursi people, return to Jinka for lunch and transfer to the airport. Fly to Addis Ababa.
End of Tour