South Omo "the special wilderness" 15 days

The Lower Omo Valley is home to a remarkable mix of small, contrasting ethnic groups not only the Dasench(Geleb) and Dorze, but also the Bume, the Aari, the Bodi, the Mursi, the Suri, the Tsemai and Arbore, and the Hamer, to name but a few. Lifestyles are as varied as the tribes themselves. Lacking any material, culture, and artifacts common to other cultures, these tribes find unique ways in which to express their artistic impulses. Both the Surma and the Karo, for example, are experts at body painting, using clays and locally available vegetable pigments to trace fantastic patterns on each other's faces, chests, arms, and legs. These designs are created purely for fun and aesthetic effect, each artist vying to outdo his fellows.

I am a pure local from Omo valley Southern Ethiopia and I have been working for many years as local professional guide and tour organizer. In all that time I discovered so many different rural villages which other tour companies don't know. I know the local people from the villages and can take you there and give you a unique experience while having much closer interactions with the local people. My aim is to show my guests the beauty and the reality of my country in a very authentic way. By other hand give direct and indirect benefit to the community, Additionally, my guests and locals shall meet on eye level.

Day 1: Arrival in Addis Ababa

Depending on your arrival in Addis Ababa Ethiopia: If you arrive in the morning we will take you to the wonder African open air Market to Markato, show you the the national Museum where you will see so many anncient and our first mankind 3.5 million years old lucy and much more. In the evening we will have a welcome dinner with a traditional coffee ceremony in our friends family member or it will be in one of a tradtional resturants with Ethiopian traditional dance and live music upon your wish. O/N Addis Ababa

Day 2: Addis Ababa - Wolaita Sodo

In the morning we will leave Addis Ababa and head to Woliata Sodo via Tiya cultural UNESCO world heritage site ( Tiya is among the most important of the roughly 160 archaelogical sites discovered so far in the Soddo region, south of Addis Ababa. The site contains 36 monuments, including 32 carved stelae covered with symbols, most of wich are difficult to decipher. Tehy are the remains of an ancient Ethiopian culture whose age has not yet been precisely determined). In the late afternoon we will visit one of Woliata`s ethenic groups village. The Woliata people are very well known as the best welcoming people in general, there for we will be able to see how they grow their crops and living style. We will have a traditional coffee ceremony and learn their culture. O/N night Lewi Resort Waliata Sodo. 

Day 3: Woliata Sodo - Dorze

In the moning we will take a nice hike up to Damot mountain where you will have a fantastic view to enjoy the picknick. In the afternoon we will head to Dorze. The drive to Dorze will take us through lash and green mountain areas.

The Dorze tribes are well known for weaving.  traditional clothes, as well as their houses and fences, are made by weaving process. The weaving process involves men and women. The men are weavers, the women are spinning the cotton the first process of weaving is done by women.  Most of the time their houses are constructed out of locally available Organic materials, and they  look like elephant shaped, the legend tells, at the mountains areas of Dorze there were many elephants,  But nowadays  they don't exist anymore in Dorze area, In that case, to remember the elephant they made elephant shaped typical house. The Dorze traditional houses are functioning for the family and for their animals, They live together inside the house, For the seck of the natural house heating method during winter or rainy season.

And also we will explore the preparation of the false banana (very important plant), It is known as  "Enset" by the local language, We use every part of the plant for a different purpose, It is Staple food at the southern part of Ethiopia.If it's Monday or Thursday we will visit the market in Dorze. O/N in Dorze Loadge

Day 4: Full day excursion in Dorze

In the morning you will enjoy the the beautiful sunrise out of your lodge. After breakfast we will take for a wonderful relaxed hikking throughtout the Dorze village. The excurison will give you a chance to meet the local farmers and weavers at their houses. We will learn how they produce the staple food out of false banana (Inset) eat with local people and have a coffee. Additionally, we will expore their weaven house, weaving proceess etc. O/N Dorze Lodge

Day 5: Dorze - Arba Minch

In the morning after enejoy the sunrise and breakfast at Dorze lodge we will decend down to the lowland. Arba Minch is the biggest town to the Gamo area. It name were take from bublling springs counted by the assicstance repressantatives of Empreor Haile Siellase in 1968. Arba Minch is surounded by two large lakes, Lake Abaya and Lake Chamo. Both lakes are very rich in an Aquatic wildlfe, Such us Hippopotamus, the African biggest Nile Crocodiles and some many different birds. We will take a great boat trip to explore the Lake Chamo. O/N Arba Minch Paradise Lodge.

Day 6: Arba Minch - Konso

Drive to Konso (If the flight is in the morning),  Visit Konso traditional villages and the remarkable landscape of Konso.
The Konso rank among the most singular of African nations. Mixed agriculturists, They make the most of hard, rocky slopes that characterize their relatively dry and infertile homeland through a combination of extensive rock terracing, They use animals dung as organic fertilizer, crop rotation and hardworking made them one of a unique tribe in Ethiopia.
Konso is one of the UNESCO world heritage sites in southern Ethiopia,  stay overnight in Konso at Kanta lodge.

Day 7: Konso - Turmi

In the morning we will drive to Turmi via Woyito and Key Afar. During our Journey we will stop over in Woyita to see the Tsemai tribes and their village, We will explore the way of living and if it is Saturday we will visit the market in Woyito, The market also attracts a fair number of Tsemai, Arbore and Konso. We can easily see three different indigenous tribes are exchanging goods for goods or buying. The participant tribes are Tsemai, Arbore and Konso. Then after we will proceed to Key Afar if it is Thursday we will attend one of the biggest and colorful Banna tribe market. At this Market, we will discover the three different ethnic groups: Benna Aari and Tsemai. Stay overnight in Turmi Hamer village on tent or hotel. 

Day 8: Turmi Full Day Excurison 

In the early morning, we will visit the Hamer tribal village and we will discover their culture with them in the early morning activities, such as cooking traditional food and the coffee husk tea preparation process.  Getting to the village in the earlier as much possible gives the best chance to see the small children are drinking fresh milk direct from gots breast. And also we can make relaxed interaction with indigenous Hamer tribes while they are preparing their breakfast and coffee husk tee (known as shoforo).

O/N in Turmi lodge

Day 9: Turmi - Omo Rate

In the early morning, we will proceed to Omorate to visit the Dasench(Geleb) tribal villages along the riverside of Omo in Omorate. The Dasench tribes are pure pastoralists and living totally nomadic lifestyle.  At this day we will explore their villages and their ancient traditional houses we will also make interaction with the local indigenous Dasench tribe. Then we will eat picknick lunch at the shore eastern bank of the Omo river and enjoy the fresh air, In the afternoon we will return back to Turmi visit the Hamer village, If it's Monday and Thursday market days in Turmi, If we are lucky  we will attend the most important event in Turmi, The Hamer tribe  bull jumping ceremony.  In the afternoon and evening, traditional dancing which is known as (evengadi) The bull jumping ceremony takes place from February - September.  Stay overnight in Turmi at Hamer village on the tent or lodge.

Day 10: Turmi - Karo

In the morning we you will relax in your hotel, after the lunch time we will head to meet the Kara tribes. The Kara tribes are very small in number they are about 3000 in general, they live along the Omo river. The Kara tribes are known as the masters of the body painting. We will visit the villages and enjoy the wonderful sunset. O/N in the tent at the Karo village.

Day 11: Karo - Nyngatom Bume - Turmi

In the morning after having the breakfast in the Karo village, now we will head to Nyangatom to meet the Bumi tribe. The Bumi tribe is one 16 Omo valley tribes. The Bumi are very well known pastoralist. They decorate their faces by using different methods and their necklace are different than other tribe as well as their faces tattoo. O/N Turmi

Day 12: Turmi - Jinka

In the morning we will drive. To Jinka, to visit the south Omo researching center and museum. The Omo researching center is the only best place to see the most detailed important information about the Omo Valley tribes. On the way to Jinka, there are several villages where the markets healed. Based on our departure date, we will participate on the markets and explore their traditional way of trading. Otherwise we will go to visit the Aari village to learn little bit more about their traditional poetry making process and their way of living!  O/N Jinka

Day 13: Jinka - Mursi

In the morning, we will proceed to Mursi tribal village to see facinating culture and their nomadic mobile villages. Why the Mursi women wear a lip plate? Many years ago there were slave trade, which was done by the Arabian merchants durning the land distance trade. 

The girls were victim of the trade. During that time the Mursi elders and the communities leaders decide to piere the lower lips of the girls on their early age, that such that thedy don`t attract the slave market any more. Definatly, that method worked well. That is the reason why the Mursi tribe take this tradition serious and kept practicing until today. Currently: the women are not forced to pierce their lower lip but there is still some other cultural value. The bigger the lip plate the Mursi women wear the the frtile she becomes therefore the parents of this women get more daoirs. 

Day 14: Flight back to Addis Ababa

In the morning we will relax. The flight to Addis Ababa will be around 7 pm. the afternoon will be free to relax. O/N Addis Ababa

Day 15: Addis Ababa

CIty tour of Addis Ababa. In the evening you will have a farewell dinner. The tour ends and you fly back home. 

Notice: This Tour itinerary program can be flexible and we can reorganize the dates to explore different markets in the Omo valley.

If you would like to extend the tour program to another parts of the country, To Bale mountains, Harar, Awash National park, To the northern Ethiopia, Guassa community reserver and  Gondar, Gorigora Bahir Dar.  It should be mentioned in advance, Because it is necessary to organize things as much possible in advance.

• Costs: for 14 nights 15 days  $3660

• Size of tour group: small group tour from 2-10 people

• Price includes:

•  Accommodation as shared room per the program
• Domestic flight ticket if you have at list one way international flight with Ethiopian airlines
• Ground transportation by 4x4 WD Toyota Land Cruiser or well-conditioned minibus
• An experienced driver, driver allowance, fuel and all entrance fees.
• Local English speaking  professional driver guide
• Boat trip on Lake Chamo in Arba Minch
• All entrance fees, Village and elders payments at rural areas 

•  Price Excludes:

• International Flights
• Any alcoholic drinks
• Any video graph or camera fee needed
• Laundry service
• Any expense of Personal items like internet, fax, telephone swimming pool
• Services which are not mentioned in the above section
• Any travel inssurance