Omo Valley Tour Ethiopia

Omo Valley Tour Ethiopia: Day 1 :

Fly Addis Ababa to Jinka - Visit Jinka and Around

Visit the Jinka museum and Aari Village located near Jinka Town. The Aari ethnic group boosts the largest population in South Omo Zone. They are predominantly agriculturalists living on the highlands encircling Jinka. On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays you will also visit a colorful market in Jinka or the nearby towns.

Overnight: Eco Omo Lodge Jinka

Omo Valley Tour Ethiopia: Day 2 :

Drive Jinka - Mursi Village - Turmi Town (Hamar Tribe)

Drive 60km northwest from Jinka to Mursi village to spend a good interactive moment with the Mursi tribe. Visit the famous Mursi ethnic group whose women wear a round clay lip plate on their bottom lip. The Mursi people are nomadic pastoralists with small-scale rain-fed agriculture. The Mursi men perform a fear stick fighting ceremony called “donga” during good harvest seasons of the year. After lunch in Jinka, continue to Turmi town where the Hamar tribe resides around. The Hamar people are famous for Cattle Leaping also called the bull jumping ceremony as well as the Evangadi dancing ceremony. On the way from Jinka to Turmi, you will have the opportunity to see a tribal market on a market day.

Overnight: Paradise Lodge Turmi

Omo Valley Tour Ethiopia: Day 3 :

Drive Turmi - Omo Rate - Turmi

After breakfast in Turmi start driving south for 72km to Omo Rate town where the Dassanech tribe resides. It is the southern border with Kenya and they will check your visa at an immigration post. Vehicles will be parked by the famous Omo River which the region is named after. You will cross the Omo River by a local dugout canoe. There will be a 20-minute walk to get to the village where you will meet the Dassanech tribe and nicely interact with the people in the village as well as attend a short tribal dancing ceremony performed by both Boys and Girls of the Dassanech ethnic group. After lunch and relaxing time at your lodge you will visit a Hamar village near Turmi town in the late afternoon where you will be invited by a Hamar family for the traditional coffee ceremony “Shoforo” inside their traditional hut.

Overnight: Paradise Lodge Turmi

Omo Valley Tour Ethiopia: Day 4 :

Drive Turmi - Kara Korcho Village - Turmi

After breakfast in Turmi town, drive 60km west to Korcho village to meet with the Kara/Karo tribe and have a good interaction with the people. The Kara/Karo ethnic group are known for its elaborate bodily and face painting that resembles the pattern of wild animals and birds around them such as; zebras, leopard, and guinea fowl. They are small in number and live in 3 large villages on the shore of the Omo River on which their livelihood mainly depends. After a memorable immersive experience with the Kara people, return to Turmi town for lunch and then continue experiencing a tribal market and/or a ceremonial event to be found that day.

Overnight: Paradise Lodge Turmi

Omo Valley Tour Ethiopia: Day 5 :

Drive Turmi - Konso

Visit the world heritage site of Konso village after driving 200km from Turmi via Dimeka, Alduba, Keyafer, and Weyto where you will see Hamar, Banna, and/or Tsemay tribal markets on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. Konso people are known for their unique terracing skills. The ancient villages (over 1000 years) and the landscape with terraces are registered by UNESCO as a world heritage site. The people of Konso erect wooden statues or totems called “waka” for heroes and chiefs. You will also have the chance to see a traditional palace for one of the 9 kings of Konso, Kala Gezahagne Woldedawit, and his ancestral graveyard in his sacred forest. Finally, you will visit the Konso museum and learn more about the people and their culture.

Overnight: Kanta Lodge Konso

Omo Valley Tour Ethiopia: Day 6 :

Drive Konso - Arba Minch - Dorze

Drive 90 km from Konso to Arba Minch town which is the largest of all towns on the tour after Addis Ababa. After checking in to your lodge and having lunch at a local restaurant with nice local and international dishes, you will continue to Dorze Village driving 30km over the Guge Mountains. Dorze village is located at an elevation of 2400m ASL. The Dorze people are famous for their unique elephant-shaped bamboo houses, sophisticated weaving technic with exceptional artistic skills, and preparation of “Kocho” a kind of bread prepared from the “Inset” false banana plant which is their main staple diet.

Overnight: Haile Resort Arba Minch

Omo Valley Tour Ethiopia: Day 7 :

Arba Minch and the surrounding

Arba Minch is a town that is encircled by two large rift valley lakes, Lake Abaya and Lake Chamo. Here you will go for a short boat trip on Lake Chamo to see Crocodiles, Hippos and some lake birds. You will continue on the boat to Netch Sar National Park. There will be about 2-hour trekking back and forth, a one-hour walk to the white grass field to see mostly Zebras and possibly Kudus, Gazels, Warthogs, etc...

Over Night: Haile Resort Arba Minch