About the Experience

Programme details:

This is a 14-day, 13-night programme, in which you will travel to meet the Tribes of Southern Ethiopia.

Day 1: Sat - Welcome to Ethiopia

Arrival at Addis Ababa International Airport, meet & assist and transfer to the Hotel in Addis. Take a City Tour of Addis Ababa.

Overnight at the Hilton Hotel or equivalent. The Sheraton Hotel can be arranged at additional cost.

Day 2: Sun - Addis Ababa to Langano

After breakfast, we drive to Langano via Debre Zeyit and Ziway. On the way, it is possible to see one or two lakes at Debre Zeyit, before driving to Meki and proceeding to Ziway. Lake Ziway is the largest of the northern group of Rift Valley Lakes. It lies about 1.5 km east of the town of Ziway and is best known for its bird life. We leave Ziway and continue on to Lake Langano, a base from which to visit the nearby Lake Abiata - Shalla National Park. After lunch at Langano, you will visit Lake Abiata, which hosts an enormous number and variety of birds. The twin lakes of Abiata and Shalla form part of the 887sq km Lake Abiata - Shalla National Park.
Afterwards, visit the Kempenski School, which is established by William Jones in collaboration with Yohannes Assefa, our partner in Ethiopia.

Overnight at the Bishangari Lodge, Langano.

Day 3: Mon – Langano to Arba Minch

After leaving Langano, we start to climb, leaving the drier acacia forest for the greener areas around Shashemene. Shashemene is a cross roads, with roads leading to the four points of the compass. It is also home to a Rastafarian community from the Caribbean. The late Emperor Haile Selassie I granted them land here in perpetuity, in recognition of the support and solidarity of the people of African origin in the Caribbean, for Ethiopia. This was at the time of the Fascist aggression in 1935, when Mussolini's Italian forces invaded the country.

Then we travel through the rolling hillsides of Wolaitta. After Sodo we turn south, and skirt the western shores of Lakes Abay and Chamo, the southern most of Ethiopia's Rift Valley Lakes, before arriving in Arba Minch, or "40 springs". Then we continue the drive to Arba Minch and check into the Paradise Lodge. 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.

Overnight at the Paradise Lodge.

Day 4: Tue – Arba Minch

After breakfast, we continue some 37 km north of Arba Minch and make an excursion to Chencha, the home of the Dorze people, renowned cotton weavers and whose tall beehive-shaped dwellings are among the most distinctive traditional structures to be seen anywhere in Africa. The main occupations of the region are subsistence farming and weaving. The shama cloth produced around Chencha is regarded to be the finest in Ethiopia: plain white gabbi robes and brightly colored scarf-like netalas are sold along the roadside. After lunch enjoy the boat trip on Lake Chamo. An attraction of the boat trip includes viewing large numbers of hippos and crocodiles from a very close range.

Overnight at the Paradise Lodge.

Day 5: Wed – Arba Minch to Konso

Drive to Konso which is about 96km from Arba Minch. The Konso people are known for their intricately terraced hillsides, fine woven materials and the carved totems with which they decorate their graves. Enjoy the terraces they make which are recognized and prized by UNESCO. In addition to this, it is worth exploring their village. Traditionally the Konso live in congested centralized settlements, typically situated on the top of a hill and enclosed by stone walls measuring up to 2m high. These walled hilltop settlements usually have no more than three or four entrance gates, and can be reached only via a limited number of steep footpaths.

Overnight at the Strawberry Fields Eco-Lodge.

Day 6: Thu – Konso to Jinka

Drive to Jinka via Woito and Key Afer, a distance of about 200km. We drive through Woito village and then to Key Afer, where we visit the colourful market at Key Afer and meet the different tribes who attend the market to trade their produce. Finally, we travel on to Jinka.

Overnight at the Jinka Resort.

Day 7: Fri – Jinka to Mago National Park to Mursi to Jinka

After breakfast, we visit Ari and Bena and then continue driving to Mago National Park. In the park, you may see Bushbuck, Dik Dik, Baboons and Colobus Monkeys. Then we drive to Mursi, where the local tribe is known by body scarification and (among the women) the wearing of lip plates. We then return to Jinka.

Overnight at the Jinka Resort.

Day 8: Sat – Jinka to Turmi

Today, we drive to Turmi via Key Afer and Dimeka, a journey of about 127kms. En route we attend one of the most colourful markets at Dimeka, before continuing our journey to Turmi.

Overnight at the Buska Lodge.

Day 9: Sun - Turmi to Omorate to Turmi

After breakfast, we drive to Omorate. It is a drive of about 35km, after which we cross the Omo River by canoe and visit the Dasenech villages of the Galeb tribe. We then return to Turmi.
In the afternoon, we visit a Hamer village. 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. You will spend time with the Hamer with your guide and hopefully converse with them to understand their ways and beliefs and get a feeling for their lifestyle.

Overnight at the Buska Lodge.

Day 10: Mon - Turmi to Karo to Turmi

After breakfast, we drive to Murielle, which is about 67km. We visit the Dus and Kolcho villages of the Karo people. They are considered masters of body painting, in which they engage when preparing for a dance, feast, or celebration. It is again an opportunity to spend time with the Karo and begin to understand their way of life, history and beliefs. We then return again to Turmi.

Overnight at the Buska Lodge.

Day 11: Tue - Murielle to Konso

Today, we drive to Konso via Turmi, Erbore and Weyto, which is about 250km. En route we visit the village of Erbore.

Overnight at the Strawberry Fields Eco-Lodge.

Day 12: Wed - Konso to Yabello

Today, we drive to Yabello, which is about 105kms. After checking into the hotel, we visit the singing well of the Dubluk crater. The well supports many thousands of cattle for miles around. Water is retrieved from buckets from this communal well, by a row of up to 50 men who sing and chant as they pass buckets from one to another. After this, we visit the Lake Chew Bet at El Sod, a major source of salt bars.

Overnight at the Borena Lodge or Yabello Motel.

Day 13: Thu - Yabello to Yirga Alem

After breakfast, we drive to Yirga Alem and en route pass through a number of coffee and various fruit cultivating towns, with splendid greenery all around. We spend the day and night at the Aregash Lodge, nestled between coffee fields and lush vegetation in Yirga Alem town. The Aregash Lodge is a natural retreat of astounding beauty and tranquility. The bamboo-thatched Tukuls look over the traditional Sidama village that is situated nearby. The nearby forest is home to diverse and prolific flora and harbours over 100 species of birds and mammals. The nightly visits of jackals and hyenas to the nearby coffee plantation are an interesting feature of the surrounding area - to some people! Activities include trekking, horseback riding, visits to historical caves, sacred sites and natural hot and cold-water springs.

Overnight at the Aregash Lodge.

Day 14: Fri - Yirga Alem to Addis Ababa

After breakfast, we drive back to the Shalla and Abiata National Park, situated to the west of the main road. The main attraction of the park today is the scenic Lakes.

Entering the park you pass the tame ostrich at the gate and first go to Shalla Lake, the deepest in the Ethiopia Rift, where a depth of 266metres has been recorded and which has been calculated to hold a greater volume of water than any other Ethiopian Lake, including Lake Tana, which covers an area almost ten times larger. Then we drive back to Addis Ababa where we have use of a day room at the Hilton Hotel.

Transfer to the airport for an evening departure.