12 Days Great Ethiopia Tour

12 Days Great Ethiopia tour itinerary

Day 1: Addis Ababa city tour

Morning drive to discover the city of Addis Ababa, founded in 1886 by Menelik II and situated at an elevation of around 2438m making it the 3^rd highest capital city in the world. It enjoys an excellent climate all year round, with an average temperature of 25°C. Our city tour takes us to visit the National museum housing some of the country’s historic treasures like the 3.5 million year old remains of ‘Lucy’, the oldest hominid ever found. We proceed to the Ethnographic Museum and the church of the Holy Trinity, Ethiopia’s main cathedral and home to the remains of the last emperor, Haile Selassie. Dinner and overnight at Monarch Hotel (www.monarchaddis.com) or Golden Tulip Hotel or similar

Day 2: Wolliso / Wenchi Crater Lake / Wolliso

After breakfast, we drive westward for some 185 kms to Wolliso to visit Wenchi Crater Lake located towards the North. After lunch in Wenchi, we enjoy a trekking or horse ride through stunning nature. From the rim of the crater, we descent into a beautiful valley abundant with rivers. We may also cross the lake in a traditional boat. In the late afternoon, we return to Wolliso for the night. Dinner and overnight at Negash Resort (www.negashresort.com) or similar

Day 3: Jimma / Bonga

After breakfast, we drive westward for 225 kms to Jimma to visit the palace of the former Kafa king Ras Abba Jifar II overlooking the town and the adjacent coffee forests. The palace is a relic of a glorious past when coffee trade gave the king wealth and power. The then economically strong region remained independent from the Ethiopian empire until 1930. We proceed for 120 kms to Bonga, located in the heart of the Kafa region and surrounded by fantastic mountainous rain forest in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight at KDA Guesthouse or similar in Bonga

Day 4: Full Day in the Kaffa Region

Early morning drive to visit the Alem Gonna wetlands to see many bird species and De Brazza monkeys. We walk through the wetland during sunrise and enjoy a freshly prepared breakfast picnic. After a short stop in Bonga, we will trek for 1 hour to the Barta waterfall. The waterfall is over 70m high surrounded by basalt walls in the middle of the rain forest. On our way back, we will stop at the house of Mirutse, a local bee-keeper producing here organic forest honey. He will give us some interesting information on bee-keeping and local plants. After lunch, we may take another 5kms walk to some hot springs located in the middle of the rain forest. Dinner and overnight at KDA Guesthouse or similar.

Day 5: Mizan Teferi / Kibisch Surma (280 km)

After breakfast, we drive for 280 kms to Kibish with a stop over enroute at the Bebeka coffee plantation where coffee, tea, spices and rubber trees are cultivated. We proceed between riparian forests, grassland and bush savanna to arrive at Surma. The Surma are pastoralists with many cattle. The tribe is also well-known for the plates used by their women and their white ritual body painting and decorating scars. Dinner and overnight at a Campsite in Surma Kibish

Day 6: Full Day in Kibisch Surma

After breakfast, we visit several villages of the Surma and get some insight in their daily lifestyle and traditions. Since it can get very hot during the day, we undertake our visits either early in the morning or in the late afternoon. During leisure, we may relax at a 5-minute walk to the nearby river for swimming or witness ritual stick-fight (Donga). Donga fights often take place in September. Dinner and overnight at a Campsite in Surma Kibish

Day 7: Omo National Park / Omorate / Turmi

After early breakfast, we cross the Omo National Park with its fascinating flora and fauna towards South. The

park was founded in 1959 as Ethiopia’s first national park and has the highest wildlife population in the country. We may see buffalos, gazelles and elephants. We arrive at Omorate for lunch. After lunch, we visit the Dassanech people famous for their nomad lifestyle and interesting decorations and scarification on their bodies. We also enjoy great views of the Omo River while crossing in a dugout canoe. We then have 70 km left until Turmi, where we will reach in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight at Turmi Lodge or Buska Lodge (www.buskalodge.com) or Paradise Lodge or similar

Day 8:   Karo / Turmi

After breakfast, we drive for some 55 kms to the Karo village of Korcho, located on the banks of the Omo river. The Karo tribe comprises of about 3,000 people. This ethnic group is famous for their extravagant hairstyles, their body scars and body painting with natural colours. The latter symbolising by its used pattern that a warrior has been brave when fighting an enemy or a wild animal. Also using chalk for their body painting is of common use among the Karo. After lunch, we drive for some 55 kms to visit the Hamer tribe in Turmi. Turmi is well known for its traditional events and we may participate in a Hamer marriage ceremony with its bull jumping ceremony. Late afternoon, we will also visit a nearby Hamer village and encounter the tribe in its daily life surroundings. We may even witness a moonshine dance (Evangadi), a traditional dance of young Hamer men and women. Dinner and overnight at Turmi Lodge or Buska Lodge (www.buskalodge.com) or Paradise Lodge or similar

Day 9: Dimeka / Jinka

After breakfast, we drive for some 122 kms to Jinka with a stop over enroute to visit the colourful market in Dimeka near Turmi (Saturdays only), frequented by several tribes of the Omo valley. Later, proceed to Jinka to arrive in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight at Jinka Resort or Eco-Omo Lodge (www.eco-omo.com) or similar in Jinka

Day 10: Mago National Park / Konso

After breakfast, we drive for 2 hrs to the Mago National park visit the Mursi tribe and their villages. The Mursi are one of the most unique tribes in Africa. Here women use huge round lips plates for beauty reasons. After lunch, we proceed drivig for some 128 kms (3.5hrs) to Konso. Konso is another UNESCO Cultural Heritage site. We will visit the village compound and the local museum, the Konso chief’s compound including the family graveyard and house mummies. The Konso people have a rich agrarian culture and construct ingenious terraces and walls that encircle their fields and villages for protection against livestock damage and flooding. Dinner and Overnight at Kanta Lodge or similar in Konso

Day 11: Arba Minch

After breakfast, we drive for some 90 kms to Arba Minch, located in a wonderful setting between Lake Abaya and Lake Chamo with lush green hills surrounding the Rift Valley lakes. We enjoy a boat cruise on Lake Chamo to see Africa’s biggest crocodiles measuring upto 6m long, hippos and a large variety of bird life. After lunch, we visit Dorze people with some fantastic scenery including the Wolayta farmlands with views of the lush green hills and valleys. The Dorze village is found high in the Guge Mountains overlooking Lake Abaya and Lake Chamo. Dinner and overnight at Paradise Lodge (www.paradiselodgeethiopia.com) or Haile Resort or Dorze Lodge (www.dorzelodge.com) or similar

Day 12: Addis Ababa

After breakfast, we drive some 465 kms (8 hrs) to Addis Ababa with a stop over enroute at Tiya (80km from Addis Ababa) to explore the Stelae field of Tiya, listed as UNESCO world heritage site. Mysterious engraved stelae stretch across Southern Ethiopia. The field comprises 45 stones of up to 2-3m in height. We proceed to Addis Ababa.

Group Size per vehicle (adults) –2 Pax ,3 Pax .4 Pax .5 Pax ,6 Pax

What is Included on the safari price:-

• 11-night accommodation & meals as per the program
• All tours as per the itinerary
• Transport as per program
• English speaking guide
• Entrance fees to all sites as per the itinerary
• Bottled water during the tours
• All service charges and taxes

What is Excluded on the safari price:-

•  Flights and taxes
• Entry visa to Ethiopia
• Airport transfers
• Personal expenses
• Optional activities not included above
• Gratuities and tips
• Personal insurance cover
• Deviation from above program