The Omo Valley region is a little visited area of Ethiopia containing some of the most colorful and diverse ethnic groups in Africa. Many of the tribal groups have changed little over hundreds of years and they offer the visitor extraordinary insight into a variety of traditional cultures. Your journey begins by touring Addis Ababa’s sights, including the museum containing "Lucy’s" bones and the abandoned capital of Entoto. You will then journey to Melka Kunture (an important Neolithic site), Adadi Mariam’s rock hewn churches and the UNESCO world heritage site of Tiya (home to peculiar engraved stellae). You will continue down through the Rift Valley Lakes area to observe fantastic birdlife and take a slight detour to visit with the Dorze people (famous for their bamboo bee-hive shaped houses). Kanso, another UNESCO world heritage site, is your next destination for an exploration of the local market, the terraced hillsides and the wonderful wildlife. We will then visit Mago National Park for further wildlife spotting, including zebra, buffalo, gazelle and Topi. Next, we will visit Mursi, Karo, Bume and Hamer villages. You will explore local markets, meet the local people and have an opportunity to better understand these distinct and different cultures. Finally, we head to the singing wells of the Borana people before making our way back to Addis Ababa. This journey is a truly special one, allowing you to interact with a broad variety of traditional cultures in a low impact manner.
Your Itinerary
Day 1:
Addis Ababa- Arrive at approximately 0930, transfer to the Ghion Hotel and rest up until lunchtime, after which we will begin the city tour. We first drive north up to Mount Entoto. In 1881 Emperor Menelik II made his permanent camp there, after remains of an old town (believed to have been the capital of 16th century monarch Lebna Dengel) were discovered, which Menelik took as a divine and auspicious sign. Addis Ababa at between 2300 - 2500 meters is the third highest capital in the world and Entoto is several hundred meters higher - as we drive up the hill there is an appreciable drop in temperature and the air is filled with the scent of the Eucalyptus trees which line the road.
From the top, there is a panoramic view of the capital and surrounding countryside. Entoto is an important watershed; to the north, water flows to the Blue Nile and on to the Mediterranean, to the south to the Awash River and east to Djibouti. Your guide will point out the important landmarks of the city.
Entoto was soon abandoned as a site for the capital - it was cold, difficult to provision and there was a shortage of wood. Empress Taytu was said to have led the move down to the plain of Finfine in 1889, and to have named the new capital Addis Ababa, or New Flower. However, two important structures remain within the old imperial compound on Entoto, the churches of Mariam and the Archangel Raguel. It was in the church of Mariam that Menelik was crowned Emperor of Ethiopia in 1889, and in the small museum in the compound there are various clothes, court and household implements and weapons dating from the period. The church of Raguel is unusual in that it is octagonal, rather than round. There is a first story balustrade around which Menelik liked to stroll.
Leaving the churches we descend to Addis Ababa, stopping off at the National Archaeological Museum. Here visitors can see exhibits ranging from the 3.5 million-year-old bones of Lucy, from the Axumite and Gondarene periods through to the period of the monarchs Tewodros and Menelik II.
We now return to our hotel. After a long flight and with an early start the next day, you will probably feel like taking an early night. Dinner in hotel.
Day 2:
Lake Langano- We should aim to start fairly early, at about 7.30 am, and we then head southwest on the Jimma road, before turning due south on to the Butajira Road. Melka Kunture lies near the Awash River Gorge and is one of the most important Neolithic sites in Ethiopia. Hand axes and various other implements have been found here.
About 5 km further on the Butajira Road is the rock hewn church of Adadi Mariam, contemporaneous with those of Lalibela - in fact local tradition ascribes it to King Lalibela who is said to have had it built on his visit to Mount Zuqwala in 1106. Damaged during the wars with Ahmed Gragn in the 16th century, it fell into disuse and was only reopened in the time of Menelik II. It is today in regular use.
Our next stop is at Tiya, classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, where we can see the northernmost example of a peculiar type of engraved, standing stellae which stretch across parts of southern Ethiopia. These stellae are believed to have been erected between the 12th and 14th centuries and are almost certainly grave markers - recent excavations at Tiya have revealed the remains of young people of both sexes, aged between 18 - 30 and buried in fetal positions.
At some stage we will take a picnic lunch, perhaps near the Awash River Gorge. We push on towards Lake Zwai, where we will rejoin the main road, and then continue to our hotel on the shores of Lake Langano. This lake is crocodile and bilharzia free, and is a popular weekend resort for residents of Addis Ababa. O/n Bekele Molla Hotel.
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Day 3:
Rift Valley Lakes- After breakfast we return to the main road and enter the Shalla and Abiata National Park, and after passing the tame ostriches at the gate, head first towards Shalla Lake which with a maximum depth of 300 meters is the deepest of the Rift Valley Lakes. We can stop at a look out point over the two lakes before heading down to the lakeshore where there are a number of springs so hot that locals boil maize in them. In some places they have diverted the hot water into cooler pools for immersing themselves – the water is said to have curative properties. In the middle of Shalla Lake is Pelican Island, a major bird sanctuary. We then head towards Abiata Lake, where by this time of day the lakes shores will be pink from the thousands of both lesser and greater Flamingo’s which feed in the shallows. African Pochard, Avocet, Gull billed Tern and Pintail, Ruff and a variety of ducks are among other species to be seen.
We return to the main road, and head towards Shashamene, where we turn west in the direction of Sodo, travelling through the rolling hillsides of Wolayta. After Sodo we turn south again, and skirt the western shores of Lakes Abaya and Chamo, the southernmost of Ethiopia’s Rift Valley Lakes. We will make a detour to visit Chencha, the home of the Dorze people, known for their bamboo, bee-hive shaped houses and their fine quality cotton "shamma". (Market day Thursday afternoon.) We continue to Arba Minch, or "40 springs", and check into the Bekele Molla Hotel. The hotel is situated on a hill overlooking the narrow stretch of forested land, known locally as "the bridge of heaven", which separates the two lakes. Philip Briggs in the Bradt Guide described it as one of the best views in Africa. o/n Bekele Molla Hotel.
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Day 4:
Konso- We drive south to Konso, whose people are known for their intricately terraced hillsides, fine woven materials and the carved totems with which they decorate their graves, and then turn towards Jinka. Konso is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Market days in Konso are Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays). We pass the Weyto river where we will see a great variety of pelicans and other aquatic birds. On Thursdays there is a very attractive market at Key Afer, frequented by the Bena and Ari people. In Jinka itself the markets are on Saturdays and Tuesdays. We will spend the night at the Goh Hotel.
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Day 5:
Mago National Park- We leave Jinka and drive to the Mago National Park, where we will camp at the Park HQ. In the park we may see the following animals: buffalo, Grant’s Gazelle, Topi and Burchill’s Zebra. Leaving our tents, we drive to Hanna Mursi to visit the Mursi villages, returning to Mago Park HQ for an overnight camping. The Mursi go in for body scarification and (among the women) the wearing of lip plates.
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Day 6:
Murulle- We drive south today towards Murulle, passing the Dus, Korcho and Dassenech villages of the Karo people. Among the people living along the Omo, the Karo excel in face and body painting. We camp at Murulle.
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Day 7:
Omo River- From Murulle we drive to Omo Rate, passing Kangate and the villages of the Bume people, going on to visit the Galeb villages. We will camp overnight by the Omo River.
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Day 8:
Turmi- Today we leave for Turmi, to see the Hamer villages. The Hamer are a fine looking people, both men and women take great pride in their appearance, shaving and colouring their hair, oiling their bodies and decorating themselves with beads and bracelets worn around arms and legs. We will camp overnight at Turmi. (If this day is a Saturday or a Tuesday, we would leave Omo Rate early in order to get to the market at Dimeke, which is one of the most colorful and interesting in the area. Market days in Turmi are on Mondays). Camping.
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Day 9:
Market Day- This day as an "extra day" for markets – we will aim to visit Demeke market, one of the most colorful in the region, but we will need to leave it open ended to take advantage of whatever may be happening locally. Camping
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Day 10:
Aloya- We set off towards Konso, and from there we take the road to Yabello. We will stop for the night at a small village called Aloya. Camping.
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Day 11:
Singing Wells- We set off to visit the "singing wells" of the Borana people. These wells are several hundred years old, perhaps even older. The Borana climb down into the wells, and pass buckets up by hand as they chant, hence the name.
After spending some time at the wells continue to Yabello, from where we will turn north. We pass through interesting countryside, leaving the drier, acacia savanna for the lush and fertile areas around Yirgachafe where Ethiopia’s best coffee is grown. We will take the opportunity to visit a large stellae field near Dilla, similar but larger to the one we saw at Tiya, and stop at Dilla for an overnight. O/n Get Smart Hotel.
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Day 12:
Addis Ababa- We set off back to Addis Ababa, passing Awassa and Shashamene and the Rift Valley Lakes. We should arrive back in Addis Ababa mid afternoon, in time for some souvenir shopping. We will have a farewell dinner at the Crown Hotel, and see dancing from Ethiopia’s different regions. O/n Ghion Hotel.
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Day 13:
Transfer to the airport for final departure.
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Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Also see tour packages in:
Africa
Ethiopia
History Whiz
Archeology/History
Cultural Journey
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