6-Days South Ethiopia’s Lower Omo Valley
Overview
Tour : South Ethiopia’s Lower Omo Valley
Duration : 6 Days / 30th Aug – 4th Sep 2017 /
Group Size : 1
Tribe Visits : Dorze / Tsemai / Bena / Hamer /
Day One
Wed 30th Aug : Addis Ababa – Arbaminch (FLIGHT ET135 13:30–15:05) –Dorze Haizo – Arbaminch
Checking in for your flight at 12:00PM, you will be departing to Arbaminch at 1:30PM. Arriving Arbaminch at 3:05PM, you will proceed to Dorze Haizo village located in the Gughe Mountains. Here, you will be able to visit their bamboo-made cone-shaped huts, cotton weaving skills they have attained as a result of the need for warm clothing due to living in the 2550+meters asl altitude, ‘Kocho’ preparation out of false-banana trees etc. Late afternoon, you will proceed South down to Arbaminch, spending overnight at Paradise Lodge or a hotel of your choice.
Day Two
Thursday 31st August : Arbaminch – Weito – Key Afer – Turmi
At 7:30AM, you will be heading to Turmi via Konso and Weito. Driving into the Omo Valley roughly 40kms past Konso, you will be able to see the scenic Weito lowlands that extend South West of the Buska Mountain chain and further into the highlands of Key Afer. Arriving Key Afer at noon, you will be able to attend to the weekly Bena market that attracts neighbouring tribes from the surroundings – the Tsemai from Weito area, the local Benas, Aris from Kako, Hamers from Alduba and neighboring tribal territories. This market visit will allow you to compare between the various tribes in their dressing patterns, hair–makes, ornamentations techniques etc. Mid-afternoon, you will be proceeding to Turmi where on arrival you will be spending overnight at Buska Lodge or a hotel of your choice.
Day Three
Friday 01st September : Turmi – Korcho – Turmi
At 7:30AM, you will be proceeding to Korcho, one of the Kara-tribe village settlements on the Omo River. The Kara tribe is best known for their body paintings that resemble that of a Guinea Fowls and lower lip piercing of the women for decoration purpose with insertion of feathers, etc. Furthermore, this particular village location will allow you to have a panoramic highground view of the Omo River flowing down south into Lake Turkana of South Ethiopia/North Kenya. Early-afternoon, you will be returning back to Turmi, where on arrival, you will be able to visit a Hamer tribal village in the surroundings of Turmi. End of the day, you will be spending overnight at Buska Lodge or a hotel of your choice.
*During your time in and around Turmi, you may have the possibility of visiting a ‘Bull-Jumping’ ceremony, a ritual of the Hamer tribe.
Day Four
Saturday 02nd September : Turmi – Dimeka – Jinka
With additional Hamer-tribe village in the morning, you will be heading to Dimeka (30kms/40 minutes drive) mid-morning. At Dimeka, you will be able to visit the weekly Hamer tribal market – a colorful vibrant market where you will be able to see their dressing patterns, hair-makes, ornamentations etc. Mid-afternoon, you will be proceeding to Jinka, arriving and overnight at Eco-Omo Lodge or a hotel of your choice.
Day Five
Sunday 03rd September : Jinka – Mago National Park – Jinka – Konso
At 7:30AM, you will be heading into Mago National Park where you will be visiting a Mursi village, their day to day life style. Returning back to Jinka at noon, you will be visiting OMO CHILD CENTER an NGO that rescues and cares for Mingi children of the Hamer and Kara tribe. Mid-afternoon, you will be proceeding to Konso via Weito where you will have a brief stop to visit their weekly tribal market. Arriving Konso late afternoon, you will spend overnight at Kanta Lodge or a hotel of your choice.
Day Six
Monday 04th September : Konso – Arbaminch – Addis Ababa (FLIGHT ET134 15:40 – 16:45)
Starting at 7:30AM, you will be visiting a Konso tribal village. The Konsos are mainly known for their exemplary land cultivation skills, including the fact that they are the first ones to have initiated terrace farming in the surrounding hilly landscape. Their traditional wooden totems, terraced farm fields (which they are known to have initiated in the region) and nine-clan community structure are of interest to be visited. FYI, in June 2011, Konso Community has been acknowledged and registered as the 9th UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ethiopia.
Proceeding further to Arbaminch at 10:30AM, you will be arriving Arbaminch at 12:00PM. After a quick lunch break, you will be proceeding to the airport to check in for your flight to Addis Ababa. Arriving Addis Ababa at 4:45PM, you will have a farewell dinner at the cultural 2000Abesha Restaurant. At 10:45pm, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home, thereby ending your 6-days-tour of South-West Ethiopia’s Lower Omo Valley.
