6 Days Omo Valley Highlights

A Fast-Paced Journey to Meet the Tribes of the South

Home 6 Days Omo Valley Highlights

Omo Valley Highlights Tour

Though a week isn’t enough to explore all the wonders of the Omo valley divers culture, this itinerary does its best, taking you fly down to Arba Minch to help you cut out one full day drive to get in there and going down to the Omo Valley peoples with the 4 WD car, passing through the magnificent Konso tribes and the colorful Kay Afer market, and proceed further down to the Mago national Park to see the Mursi tribes and on the same day arrive to Turmi for the spectacular cultural insights of the Hamer tribes.
After your immediate excursion in the early morning to the Karo tribes you drive came back to Arba Minch to get the next day flight to setoff to Addis. If you are thinking to have less than a week Holiday here in the south Omo Valley of Ethiopia, this trip will be realized your dream vacation to have a highlighted cultural experience to the cultural peoples.

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Experiences

Highlights

Have a sightseeing tour in Addis Ababa city.
Explore Lake Chamo with boat cruise and Dorze village.
Experience the untouched south Omo valley cultural tribes.
Witness the colorful weekly markets in the south Omo Valley.

Route

This 6-day highlights tour is the perfect way to experience the cultural wonders of the South Omo Valley when time is limited. The itinerary maximizes your experience by using flights to and from Arba Minch, cutting out two full days of driving. After a city tour in Addis Ababa, you'll fly south and immediately begin exploring, starting with the unique beehive-shaped huts of the Dorze people.

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Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival to Addis Ababa and City Tour

On arrival in Addis Ababa you will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel. Addis was founded in 1886 by Menelik II, and situated at an elevation of around 2438m which makes third highest capital city in the world. Addis Ababa enjoys an excellent climate all year round, with an average temperature of 25°C. we will start our site-seeing by National museum which houses some of the country’s historic treasures. The collection of fossils and bones of early hominids discovered in Ethiopia include the 3.5 million year old remains of ‘Lucy’, the oldest hominid every found. Proceed visiting to the two major highlights of the city, 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.

Day 2 Fly to Arba Minch and Visit the Chencha Village

In the morning have a sightseeing tour in Addis Ababa and then transfer to the Airport for our flight down to Arba Minch where our 4 WD car with driver will waiting us at Arba Minch Airport and then start driving 40kms northwest of Arba Minch to Guge Mountains to visit the Dorze and Chencha villages. Once warriors, the Dorze have now turned to farming and weaving to earn a living. They speak an Omotic tongue and the Dorze name is synonymous with the best woven cotton cloth. Also, the Dorze beehive-shaped houses are constructed entirely of organic material and has its own small garden surrounded by beds of spices, cabbage and tobacco. Some of Ethiopia’s best woven cottons come from Chencha, which is located 8 km northwest of Dorze Village. Men weave and women spin. In the late afternoon drive back to Arba Minch.

Day 3 Drive to Jinka via Konso and Key Afer

Early morning drive to Konso where colorfully costumed dress, impressive terracing of the land and unusually engraved wooden statues used as grave markers can be seen. Differing from their neighbours, the Konso are pure agriculturists, famed for their use of the stone terraces that they utilise to such good effect in this dry and barren region of basalt hills. Originally from the east and speaking an east Cushitic language, the Konso live in settlements that are surrounded by stone walls. The age of each town is classified by a generation pole and each family lives in compounds that are accessible only through gateways that require the visitor to enter on all fours thereby rendering any potential attackers vulnerable.Keep driving to Key Afer for the colourful Thursday market where we should see and photographed the Ari, Bena, Hamer and Tsemay people. The Bena and Hamer women usually favour red clay braids in their hair, shiny with butter and perfumed with incense. The long beaded skirts of the Tsemay have a stick incorporated in the back to denote a married woman and the men have elaborately plaited hairstyles decorated with feathers and colourful beads. After visiting the market we drive on to Jinka, often called the gateway to the Omo Valley.

Day 4 Visit the Mursi Tribes in Mago Park and Drive to Turmi

Early morning drive to Mago National Park, from here, visit the Mursi highlands where the most illustrious of Ethiopia’s unique tribes lives. The Mursi are known all over the world, for their decorative lip plates that adorn the lower lips of the Mursi women. The plates stretch the lower lip beyond imagination and the women’s beauty , pride and desirability is determined in direct proportion to the size of the plate. The Mursi men and women may appear gracious but the Mursi warriors are not to be sneezed at. On their arms are deep crescent incisions that represent each enemy they have killed in battle. The men are also famous for their hairstyle. The various cultural aspects of the tribe will be explained and you will be able to take their photographs but not for free. Back to Jinka for your lunch.In the afternoon we will continue driving through the Omo Valley region to Turmi via Dimeka for visiting the Hamer tribes. The Hamer tribe is one of the largest groups in the Valley. The Hamer cultivate millet, vegetables, tobacco and cotton as well as raising cattle and goats. They are known for the fine pottery they produce as well as their remarkable hairstyling. Most dramatic of all are the clay hair buns with ostrich feathers that the men don when they have killed a fierce animal. The Hamer women are simply stunning. The women wear beaded necklaces and iron coils around their arms and decorate their skin with cowry shells. These decorations indicate the wealth and prestige of a woman’s husband.

Day 5 Turmi – Murulle – Turmi and Drive Back to Arba Minch

This day morning, we continue through the savannah along tracks that are barely visible, passing through a vast meadowland with shrubs and umbellifers (‘umbrella’ acacia trees) for an excursion to the Murulle area. We arrive at Korcho village with beautiful views over the Omo River to see the Karo ethnic group, experts in body painting, using clay and locally available vegetable pigments to paint fantastic patterns on each other’s faces, chests, arms and legs. These designs have no special symbolic significance, but are created purely for fun and aesthetic effect, each artist vying to out-do their fellow artists. Karo men also sculpt and shave their hair into extravagant shapes, with special ochre “caps” of hair usually containing several ostrich feathers. In early afternoon, we will start driving to Arba Minch through Konso.

Day 6 Boat Trip on Lake Chamo and Fly Back to Addis Ababa and Departure

This day in the morning, we will have a boat trip on clear blue waters of Lake Chamo to see the crocodiles, hippos & aquatic bird species. The northern shores of Lake Chamo are famous for its large crocodiles, which can be seen in great numbers lounging in the heat. The lake is about 32km long and provides a lush wetland habitat for many species of flora and fauna. Then in the mid-day, we transfer to the Arba Minch Airport and fly back to Addis Ababa. We will arrive in Addis Ababa in late afternoon and transfer to the Hotel and have a room as a day use for wash/change and get ready for the evening flight. You might be interested for the last minute souvenir shopping at the markets. In the evening, we will go out to one of the best cultural restaurant for the Farewell Dinner at traditional restaurant with live traditional dances program. Then, we will transfer to airport for flight home.

Arrival to Addis Ababa and City Tour

Addis Ababa

I recently returned from an unforgettable trip to Ethiopia, all thanks to the exceptional service provided by Absolute Ethiopia Tours especially our guide Mr.KIBRU who is well aware of the history and knows each and every corner of the country. From the very beginning, their team demonstrated outstanding professionalism, responsiveness, and genuine care in crafting a perfectly tailored travel experience.

Customer Name

This was one of the most visually and culturally striking destinations we have ever visited. the programme was designed so that we can sample many attractions and really considerate of our needs. every wish we had was realized and although we travelled with two elderly people, every possible problem was thought about and solved in advance. T cannot recommend Absolute Ethiopia tours and our personal guide kibru enough. really an unforgettable journey thanks to them.

6 Days Omo Valley Highlights

A Fast-Paced Journey to Meet the Tribes of the South

Omo Valley Highlights Tour

Want to know more?

Experiences

Highlights

Route

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival to Addis Ababa and City Tour

Day 2 Fly to Arba Minch and Visit the Chencha Village

Day 3 Drive to Jinka via Konso and Key Afer

Day 4 Visit the Mursi Tribes in Mago Park and Drive to Turmi

Day 5 Turmi – Murulle – Turmi and Drive Back to Arba Minch

Day 6 Boat Trip on Lake Chamo and Fly Back to Addis Ababa and Departure

Arrival to Addis Ababa and City Tour

Fly to Arba Minch and Visit the Chencha Village

Drive to Jinka via Konso and Key Afer

Visit the Mursi Tribes in Mago Park and Drive to Turmi

Turmi – Murulle – Turmi and Drive Back to Arba Minch

Boat Trip on Lake Chamo and Fly Back to Addis Ababa and Departure

Addis Ababa

Arba Minch

Jinka

Turmi

Arba Minch

Addis Ababa

Customer Name

Elif K

FAQs

Answer

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