16-Days Lower Omo Valley and Bale Mountains
Overview
Tour : Lower Omo Valley and Bale Mountains
Duration : 16 Days
Day One
Monday : Addis Ababa – Butajira – Arbaminch
Starting off from Addis Ababa early morning, you will be heading down South to Arbaminch via Butajira and Hosaina. At Tiya, you will have a brief stopover to visit the UNESCO registered Stalae fields of Tiya. Further ahead, you will be visiting the ancient Adadi Mariam Church. With lunch break at Hosaina, you will proceed to Arbaminch, arriving late afternoon and overnight at Tourist Hotel.
Day Two
Tuesday : Arbaminch
Early morning, you will proceed into Nech Sar National Park where you will be able to visit the vast savannah grassland with Zebras, Gazelles, Oryx and Swaynes Hartebeest. This is also a perfect location to have a high ground view of the two Rift Valley lakes in the region Lake Abaya and Lake Chamo. Returning back to Arbaminch for lunch, you will have a boat trip on Lake Chamo in the afternoon where you will be able to see Crocodiles, Hippos and Pelicans as well. Returning back to Arbaminch, you will spend overnight at Tourist Hotel.
Day Three
Wednesday : Arbaminch – Dorze – Konso
Starting off early morning from Arbaminch, you will head to Dorze, a village overlooking Abaya lake, located at 2,800meters asl. Dorze is home to the Dorze tribe, same well known for their cotton weaving skills, cone-shaped bamboo huts and kocho, local food made out of false banana. After visiting a local Dorze village, you will return back to Arbaminch and head down South to Konso. Arrival at Konso, overnight will be at Konso Strawberry Eco Lodge.
Day Four
Thursday : Konso – Key Afer – Jinka
Starting off from Konso, you will be heading down into the Omo Valley. Arrival at Key Afer, you will be able to join into the local weekly Bena market, same a very colourful market that attracts neighbouring tribes in the region – the Aris from Jinka, the Tsemais from Weito and the Hamers from Dimeka area. Attending to this market will allow you to compare the dressing patterns, ornamentation techniques etc. of the various tribes in the area. Mid-afternoon, you will be proceeding to Jinka, home to the Ari tribe and gateway to Mago National Park. You will be spending overnight at Jinka Resort Hotel / Eyob Hotel.
Day Five
Friday : Jinka – Mago National Park – Jinka
In the morning, you will be heading into Mago National Park, home to the Mursi tribe. Settled in the lowland plains of the Park, you will visit a local village of the Mursis. Returning back to Jinka, you will have a visit of the local Museum, an opportunity that will give you a general insight into the various tribes of the Omo Valley. Overnight will then be at the Jinka Resort Hotel / Eyob Hotel.
Day Six
Saturday : Jinka – Dimeka – Turmi
Starting off from Jinka, you will be heading to Turmi, driving via Dimeka. Saturday being the weekly market day of the Hamer tribe in Dimeka, you will be able to attend to this market, where the Karo tribe as well join in. After this market visit, you will be proceeding to Turmi, arrival and camping overnight at the Evangadi Campsite / Keske Campsite.
Day Seven
Sunday : Turmi – Korcho – Murule
In the morning, you will be heading to Korcho, home to the Karo tribe. Settled around the banks of the Omo River, the Karo tribe are known for their body paintings, same done for beautifying purposes. From this particular village, the view of the Omo River is magnificent, a high ground view seeing off the Omo River flowing down South into the Turkana Lake. Mid-afternoon, you will be visiting A Bume village at Nyangatom. The Bumes are a less-frequently visited tribe, mostly at odds with neighbouring tribes. Their traditional roots extend to this day into tribes in Eastern Sudan. After you visit of their village, you will spend overnight camping or in the bungalows at Murule Lodge.
Day Eight
Monday : Murule – Omorate – Turmi
Starting off from Murule in the morning, you will be heading to Omorate. Home to the Dassanach tribe, Omorate is a small town settled on the banks of the Omo River. Crossing the river with a wooden canoe boat, you will be visiting a local Dassanach village. Their huts and lifestyle much different from the rest of the tribes in the Omo, the Dassanach tribe are said to be descendants of the Turkana tribe in North Kenya.
Returning back to Turmi early afternoon, you will be able to visit local Hamer villages and get to see their day-to-day living. End of the day, you will be spending overnight at the Evangadi Campsite / Keske Campsite.
*In any of your days around Turmi, you will be able to attend to and see a ‘Bull-jumping’ ceremony of the Hamer tribe. This is an initiation ceremony where the young men of the Hamer tribe are transformed from childhood to adulthood, same with handing over of various adult personal as well as social responsibilities.
Day Nine
Tuesday : Turmi – Arbore – Konso
Starting off from Turmi, you will be heading to Konso, on your way having a brief stop at Arbore, a small settlement of the Arbore tribe. The Arbores are settled infront of Lake Stephanie and at the Northern edge of Buska Mountain chain that extends 96Kms in the Weito Plains of the Omo Valley. With a brief stop at Weito as well to see the Tsemai tribe of the area, you will be arriving at Konso for lunch. After lunch break, you will visit local Konso villages Mechekie and Gesergio, their totems and magnificent rock formation infront of Gesergio village. The Konsos are the first to have initiated terrace farming. You will then be spending overnight at Konso Strawberry Eco Lodge.
Day Ten
Wednesday : Konso – Yabello
In the morning, you will be proceeding to Yabello. En route, you will be visiting a local Borena village. The Borenas are pastoralists whose land occupation extends as far out as Western Somalia and Northern Kenya as well. Arrival at Yabello, you will proceed South to El Sod. At El Sod, you will be walking down into the crater pit where the local Borenas extract salt, same for sale and bartering in local and neighboring markets in the area, same extending all the way into West Somalia and North Kenya as well. Additionally, same limited to the dry season, you may also be able to see the ‘Singing Wells’ – a chain mechanism of the Borenas whereby they chant an attractive melody in their local language while extracting water from dug-out wells, same for drinking purpose for their cattle. It is worth noting here that the livelihood of the Borenas is almost totally based on their cattle and as a result, they go to extreme extent to ensure the wellbeing of their cattle. Returning back to Yabello, you will be spending overnight at Yabello Motel / Hawi Hotel.
Day Eleven
Thursday : Yabello – Yirga Cheffe – Awassa
In the morning, you will be heading to Yirgalem, driving through the major coffee growing region of the South. The Sidama region is well known to grow the Sidama coffee, an internationally recognized coffee brand of Ethiopia. Arrival and overnight will be at Wabe Shebele #2 Hotel in Awassa, a lively town set on the shores of Lake Awassa. Lake Awassa is the Southern most lake of the Rift Valley lakes.
Day Twelve
Friday : Awassa – Dinsho
Visiting the fish market at Amora Gedel in the morning, you will be proceeding to Dinsho, located in Bale Mountains region. Driving through Dodola, you will be arriving Dinsho late afternoon, spending overnight at the Guest House.
Day Thirteen
Saturday : Dinsho
Through the day, you will be having short trekking activities in the surrounding areas, admiring the surrounding landscape as well as a bit of wildlife such as Walia Ibex, Kudus, etc. End of the day, you will be spending overnight at the Guest House.
Day Fourteen
Sunday : Dinsho – Senette Plateau – Goba
In the morning, you will be heading to Senette Plateau via Goba. At Senette Plateau (4,149Meters asl), you will be able to see the endemic Ethiopian Wolf, Walia Ibex and attractive flora as well. End of the day, you will be returning to Goba where you will be spending overnight at Ethiopia Hotel.
Day Fifteen
Monday : Goba – Sof Omar Caves – Dodola
Early morning, you will be heading to Sof Omar Caves. After visiting the extensive cave system, you will be returning back to Dodola via Robe and Dinsho, spending overnight at Bale Hotel.
Day Sixteen
Tuesday : Dodola – Ziway – Debrezeit – Addis Ababa
Starting off from Dodola in the morning, you will be heading to Addis Ababa via the Rift Valley lakes region, enroute visiting Langano, Shalla, Abiatta, Ziway and Koka lakes. Further through the crater lakes region of Debrezeit, you will be arriving Addis Ababa late afternoon, spending overnight at a hotel of your choice.
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Day Fourteen
Sunday : Dinsho – Senette Plateau – Goba
In the morning, you will be heading to Senette Plateau via Goba. At Senette Plateau (4,149Meters asl), you will be able to see the endemic Ethiopian Wolf, Walia Ibex and attractive flora as well. End of the day, you will be returning to Goba where you will be spending overnight at Ethiopia Hotel.
Day Fifteen
Saturday 05/03 : Bahir Dar – Debre Libanos Monastery – Addis Ababa
In the morning, you will be proceeding to Addis Ababa, en route visiting the Blue Nile Gorge and further ahead the 13th Monastery Debre Libanos Monastery. Arriving Addis Ababa late afternoon, you will be checking into Sadula Lodge After refreshing up, you will be having complementary dinner from SORA Tours at Yod Abyssinia Restaurant where you will be able to enjoy the best of spicy Ethiopian cuisine while watching live traditional music performance from various ends of Ethiopia. At 10:30PM, you will be transferred to the Sadula Lodge for overnight, thereby ending your 15 days tour of the Danakil Depression and Historic Route.
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Day Fourteen
Sunday : Dinsho – Senette Plateau – Goba
In the morning, you will be heading to Senette Plateau via Goba. At Senette Plateau (4,149Meters asl), you will be able to see the endemic Ethiopian Wolf, Walia Ibex and attractive flora as well. End of the day, you will be returning to Goba where you will be spending overnight at Ethiopia Hotel.
Day Fifteen
Saturday 05/03 : Bahir Dar – Debre Libanos Monastery – Addis Ababa
In the morning, you will be proceeding to Addis Ababa, en route visiting the Blue Nile Gorge and further ahead the 13th Monastery Debre Libanos Monastery. Arriving Addis Ababa late afternoon, you will be checking into Sadula Lodge After refreshing up, you will be having complementary dinner from SORA Tours at Yod Abyssinia Restaurant where you will be able to enjoy the best of spicy Ethiopian cuisine while watching live traditional music performance from various ends of Ethiopia. At 10:30PM, you will be transferred to the Sadula Lodge for overnight, thereby ending your 15 days tour of the Danakil Depression and Historic Route.