This is a thoroughly tribal adventure trip, to Southern Ethiopia and Northern Kenya. We travel overland into the depths of the Rift Valley, visiting the amazing lakes, witnessing the wildlife and meeting the local tribal people. This is definitely an adventure holiday and you must be aware that we will take you through regions with very poor infrastructure and very few western facilities.
Roads can be absolutely appalling and you should be prepared to forget your home comforts. But the rewards of our overland travel are immense. We will take you into one of the most unchanged tribal regions in Africa and meet peoples whom lifestyles have changed very little in the last two hundred years.
We will explore tribal cultures and villages, entering deep into southern Ethiopia’s Omo Valley. This is a very remote, seldom visited region, which is home to the Konso, Galeb, Hamer, Caro, Mursi and Borana people.
Then comes Northern Kenya; the Samburu Region that is usually associated with an African safari, and of course we will do our Kenya safari in Samburu National Park. However, while we are here, we will also visit the Samburu tribal community to learn about their culture and way of life. We will find rhino, buffalo and flamingo in Lake Nakuru National Park and finally we’ll witness Maasai Mara…
Your Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Addis Ababa
We are met on arrival at Addis Ababa International Airport and transferred to our hotel. The name of the city in Amharic means "new flower". The city it was founded in 1886 by Emperor Menelik II and it is located at 2,500 m (8202 ft) above sea level in one of the highest parts of the Entoto Mountain chain (3,000 m/9842 ft above sea level).
Addis Ababa is a pleasant city, with wide Avenues of jacaranda trees, interesting museums and sites, and one of the largest open-air markets in Africa, known as the "Mercato". We meet this evening for dinner and a short orientation with our guide and escort. Overnight: Hotel Hilton, Addis Ababa. (2 nights), (Dinner)
Day 2: Addis Ababa
We spend the day exploring Addis Ababa beginning with a visit to the National Museum, one of the most important sub-Saharan museums in all of Africa. The museum is home to the fossilized humanoid ‘Lucy’, as well as to an amazing collection of artifacts, royal items and art. We then visit the Ethnological Museum, which was the former residential Palace of Haile Selassie, and the business center of Addis Ababa.
After lunch, we take time at the St. George Cathedral, built in 1896 by Emperor Menelik to continue after onto the Holy Trinity Cathedral. The Holy Trinity Cathedral is the largest Orthodox Church in Ethiopia and has survived throughout many historical periods, as its interesting architecture can attest to. The Cathedral contains the thrones and the tombs of the Emperor and some of the royal family. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 3: Addis Ababa / Lake Langano (drive)
We begin today our Southern Ethiopia adventure as we head off in 4x4 cars towards Lake Langano, which is about 230 km from the Capital. En route we will visit the beautiful lakes of Debre Ziet and Zeway. After lunch we will stop at the park of Abiyata Shalla for a short sightseeing and later continue to Lake Langano. Overnight: Woyeni Lodge. (1 night), (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 4: Lake Langano / Arba Minch (drive)
The real Omo Valley Adventure starts here, as we pass by the Rift Valley lakes before entering into Arba Minch. This town is the largest in southern Ethiopia; it is situated between the Rift Valley, Lake Abaya and Lake Chiamo. Tonight, once here and checked-in, we will have a special dinner at the Soma Restaurant, famous for its fresh fish dishes. Overnight: Swayness Hotel, Arba Minch. (2 nights)(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 5: Lake Chiamo
In the morning we take a boat trip on Lake Chiamo, which is largely populated by crocodiles and hippos and have a wonderful opportunity to explore the wildlife in and around the Lake. After we return and have Lunch, in the afternoon we visit the park of Nech Sar, located between Chiamo and Abiaya lakes, and have a short safari to see gazelles and zebras. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 6: Arba Minch / Jinka (drive)
As we leave Arba Minch, the scenery is beautiful; soft rolling hills with dark red soil and plentiful crops and forests with lush vegetation. Along the way, we’ll most probably meet with some of the Borana people, who are semi-nomadic shepherds, who depend exclusively on their livestock for subsistence.
Borana make their living by growing and selling cattle and crops, including teff and chatt (a tobacco-like drug). They make most of their domestic goods from wood or skin. The women are independent and equal to men, even with building and owning houses.
A wife decides who will enter it, and if her husband comes back and finds another man’s spear stuck in the ground outside her house, he cannot go in. They frequently pray to Waq, the benign god whom they believe "sends the rain and all good things”.
The main feature of the Borana religion is not just the powerful veneration accorded to their chief religious leaders, but to the very real spiritual power of the Ayana, or spirits, which possess people and things. We arrive into Jinka early evening for dinner and overnight. Overnight: Resort Hotel, Jinka. (1 night)(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 7: Jinka / Mago National Park (drive)
Mago National Park is located on the east bank of the Omo River and ranges in altitude from 450 m (1467 ft) to 2,528 m (8294 ft) above sea level. After about 2 hours of ‘4x4 road’, we arrive to our camp. In the park and en route, we’ll see buffalo, waterbuck, greater and lesser kudu and zebra.
In the not so distant past, lions, elephants, leopards and giraffes have also been spotted here, but unfortunately our days have little chance to see the same. Once here, we visit a Mursi Tribal village, whose women have the custom of expanding their lower lips using disks that gradually get those lips larger and larger.
These are people who farm the land and breed livestock; they live in almost complete isolation from the rest of the world. Skipping the Mursi would be out of the question. They're the most famous of all the indigenous Ethiopian tribes though they are not too friendly to visitors and every photo taken has its price.
Our campsite tonight is in a beautiful clearing among towering trees, which provide shade and it is near the Neri River. Overnight: Tented camping. (1 night) (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 8: Mago National Park / Turmi (drive)
Off the beaten track, as we drive this morning via Murile to Turmi, and our day of "off-road", has no real track nor road! We travel through the Savannah in a typical African landscape, frequently meeting herds of Oryx and gazelle. We arrive noontime at Murile, located right on the River Omo and surrounded by huge trees.
This is the land of the Caro Tribe and it is possible to meet and visit their villages along the river. We then continue on to Turmi. We camp in a square under mango trees for the next 2 nights. The Hamer people gather water from a well nearby our campsite and carry it off to their villages; our campsite is an excellent location to observe these colorful people.
They belong to a group of culturally distinct people known as the Sidamo. Although they are racially mixed with the Bushman hunters who originally inhabited the region, they do not have any Bushman features.
Most of the Hamer are cattle breeders and live in camps that consist of several related families. The families live in tents arranged in a circle, and the cattle are brought into the center of the camp at night. When the campsite is being set up, beds for the women and young children are built first; then the tent frame is built around it.
The tents are constructed with flexible poles set in the ground in a circular pattern. Men and boys usually sleep on cots in the center of the camp, near the cattle. One striking characteristic of the Hamer-Banna men and women is that they indulge in elaborate hairdressing. Overnight: Tented camping, Turmi. (2 nights)(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 9: Turmi / Lake Turcana / Omorate / Turmi (drive)
We drive today through the Savannah again, along tracks that are barely visible, passing through a vast meadowland with shrubs and umbel lifers ("umbrella" acacia trees). We drive first to Lake Turcana, which is on the frontier line of Ethiopia and Kenya. After a short stay in Lake Turcana, we drive to the Omo Riverbanks.
We cross the Omo River, to encounter the Galeb people at the countryside and at the river, where they bath and wash their clothes. The Galeb people fish to survive in this harsh landscape.
They also have an extraordinary rites of passage ceremony - stealing sacred mud from the land of sworn enemies, the Turkana, then killing a cow with a single thrust from a spear. These are all initiation ceremonies, which one must complete to be accepted. When we arrive to Omorate, we take a walk along the Omo River to observe local life.
If the day happens to be Monday, we will see the spectacular Hamer market in Turmi. The Hamers are one of the most beautiful and dignified people of the Omo Basin. The women color their hair with red earth and butter and wear elegant leather skirts festooned with tiny pearls. The market starts at 10:00 am in the morning and finished about at 3:30 in the afternoon.
We wander around the market and afterwards we drive to Dimeka, which is one of the most significant Hamer villages, where we’ll have the chance to visit these people in their houses. We return for overnight to our camp in Turmi. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 10: Turmi / Yabello (drive)
The road continues into the savannah, running alongside the mountains of Men, then raises up the Karkerte Mountains - providing splendid panoramic views - until it reaches the soft, terraced hills of Konso. Here we visit a Konso village to meet the locals who are excellent farmers.
The Konso are a pagan society, who erects totem poles on the tombs of their dead. Should the Chief of Konso be in residence, we may be granted an audience with him. Unlike most Ethiopian tribal people, the Konso live in large towns (up to 1500 people), each governed by an independent council of elders.
They are intensive agriculturists who subsist primarily on millet and maize, which is grown primarily on an extensive system of stone terraces. The Konso are one of the last remaining people, who continue to produce, use, and discard stone tools for their own use on a regular basis.
It is imperative that we witness the Konso because they are the only remaining stone tool-using culture, where women predominantly make and use stone-tools. We then begin returning northwards, towards the lakes of the Rift Valley.
The Rift Valley is a deep fission that extends for over 6,000 km from the Middle East to Mozambique - testimony to the (most recent) violent and massive shifting of the earth's tectonic plates. The rift contains a marvelous series of lakes, which are teeming with fish and provide a habitat for hundreds of species of birds. En route we visit some more tribal villages. Overnight: Hotel in Yabello. (1 night) (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 11: Yabello / Moyale (drive)
This morning we visit the El Sod crater-lake in Chew Bahir, near Yabello, than we drive to Moyale, the border city between Ethiopia and Kenya. En route we’ll visit villages of the Bena tribe, while enjoying the ride on a road, which is very nice and wide. Upon arrival in Moyale Ethiopia, we will first consume the Ethiopian side of the immigrations process, and then we’ll go to our hotel. Overnight: Hotel in Moyale Ethiopia. (1 night) (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 12: Moyale / Marsabet (drive)
Morning, after the immigration process with the Kenyan border authorities, we commence our journey here with a rough road drive to Marsabet, where is the first campsite after the Ethiopian border. Overnight: Tented camping. (1 night) (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 13: Marsabet / Samburu (drive)
We continue with our drive today, from Marsabet to Samburu, which is a very nice road till we reach the Samburu Natural Reserve. The Samburu people are related to the Masai, although they live just above the equator where the foothills of Mount Kenya merge into the northern desert and slightly south of Lake Turkana in the Rift Valley Province of Kenya.
They are semi-nomadic pastoralists, whose lives revolve around their cows, sheep, goats, and camels. Milk is their main stay; sometimes it is mixed with blood. Meat is only eaten on special occasions. Generally they make soups from roots and bark and eat vegetables if living in an area where they can be grown.
Most dress in very traditional clothing of bright red material used like a skirt and multi-beaded necklaces, bracelets and earrings, especially when living away from the big cities. They are friendly and nice people to meet with. Overnight: Samburu Lodge. (2 nights) (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 14: Samburu National Reserve
Today we’ll experience the unique Samburu, with morning and afternoon game drives. Samburu National Reserve is not very well known, but definitely worth a visit. It is situated on the banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River, which means plenty of water, trees and shade to attract wildlife like elephant, lion, giraffe and zebra from the surrounding savannah plains. Leopards are also regularly spotted. After our picnic lunch and an afternoon game drive, we return for dinner and overnight to our Lodge. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 15: Samburu / Mt. Kenya (drive)
Early in the morning we leave Samburu and proceed to the world-famous Mount Kenya Safari Club to relax and enjoy the elegant facilities this place can offer. Afternoon is kept free to rest, refresh or take an optional excursion to Ol Pejeta Game Sanctuary, or even take a fishing trip nearby. Overnight: Mount Kenya Safari Club. (1 night) (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 16: Mt Kenya / Baringo / Nakuru (drive)
After our leisurely breakfast we drive down to the floor of the Rift Valley to the Lake Nakuru National Park. Nakuru means "Dusty Place" in Maasai language, and the Lake Nakuru is a very shallow strongly alkaline lake. It is set in a picturesque landscape of surrounding woodland and grassland next to Nakuru town. The landscape includes areas of marsh and grasslands alternating with rocky cliffs and outcrops, stretches of acacia woodland and rocky hillsides covered with a Euphorbia forest on the eastern perimeter.
After Lunch, we’ll go for an afternoon game drive into the Nakuru Park. Later we drive across the Rift Valley down to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, where we’ll have our dinner and overnight stay. Overnight: Mara Sarova Camp. (2 nights)(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 17: Maasai Mara
The Maasai people, famous as herders and warriors, once dominated the plains of East Africa. Now however they are confined to a fraction of their former range. Maasai are best known for their beautiful bead work, which plays an essential element in the ornamentation of the body. Beading patterns are determined by each age-set and identify grades.
The Maasai live in the semi-arid Rift Valley region of Kenya and Tanzania. They own large herds of cattle, sheep and goats, which they follow around seasonally in search of new grazing grounds and water sources. Traditionally the Maasai have always been a proud and independent tribe.
While the Maasai lifestyle has undergone some changes in the past three decades in particular, their strong social traditions remain intact. Maasai men are first and foremost warriors. They protect their tribe, their cattle and their grazing lands. Often standing over 6ft tall the Maasai warrior with his beaded hair, red checked blanket (shuka) and balled club, looks both fierce and beautiful.
We’ll experience the magical Maasai Mara this morning, meeting and intermingling with its people. In the afternoon we take a game drive and return for dinner and overnight to Mara Sarova Camp. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 18: Maasai Mara / Nairobi (drive)
Early morning we take another game drive, followed by breakfast. We then leave for Nairobi, our final destination, just for a short last minute souvenir shopping and for reaching our flight back home. Outstanding memories to carry from this outstanding journey. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Note: Most places on the program are located at high altitudes or at remote areas, therefore please be prepared with light jacket and a sweater for evenings and mornings, and at the daytime the weather is hot and dry and the temperature rises to 25-30°C. In the period from October to April (the dry season) it hardly ever rains.
It is useful to bring some medication with you, such as a broad-spectrum antibiotic, milk enzymes and eye-drops. We do not recommend that anti-malaria measure to be taken, because the only place where malaria is (can be) present is Bahir Dar, and only during the rainy season (from late May to early September). We do, however, advise you to bring mosquito repellent.
Tour highlights & World Heritage Sites (WHS)
- Lower Valley of the Omo (WHS)
- All tribal Villages of: Maasai, Samburu, Konso, Galeb, Hamer, Caro, Mursi and Borana
Price includes:
- Full board is provided throughout the entire journey (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
- English-speaking guide/escort throughout itinerary
- All hotels/camps as per itinerary (or similar category)
- All boat rides, ferries as mentioned
- All transfers and sightseeing as per itinerary (soft drinks included)
- All entrance fees to Museums, Parks, Villages & Sites (except Maasai Village!)
- All porter tips, service charges and government tax
- Visa support
Price does not include:
- International flight tickets and all airport taxes
- Visa expenses
- Other drinks and beverages, bar bills, phone bills, laundry bills and personal expenses
- All kind of insurance
- Video or photo camera fees! (please be prepared for this with small bills and change, as some tribes will not allow to take photos without paying!)
- Tips and other such costs to guides and drivers
- Other items not mentioned in the itinerary
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Tour price is USD: 4,815.00 / CAD: 5,055.00 - per person in double occupancy. Single-room supplement is USD: 600.00 / CAD: 630.00.
Also see tour packages in:
Africa
Ethiopia
Kenya
Cultural Journey
National Parks
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