OMO VALLEY , BALE MOUNTAINS & SURMA

Bale Mountains National Park
Bale Mountains National Park, situated at 425 kilometers southeast of Addis, is one of the largest mountain parks in Africa, boasting the most extensive area of Afro-alpine habitat in the continent. It’s the best place in the country for mountain walks, horse trekking, scenic drives and the chance to view, besides staggering number of bird species, many of Ethiopia’s endemic mammals like mountain Nyala and red fox.

Program-Bale Trekking
Code- OT701
Duration- 11nights/12days
Transport-Land

Day01: Arrival in Addis, City tour of Addis. O/N Hotel.
Day02: 4WD to Awassa. O/N Hotel
Day03: Awassa-Dodola. O/N Dodola hotel
Day04: Trekking starts here to any of the five areasof trek in Adaba-Dodola region. Trek to Duro overnight is usually in a hut or camping in tent.
Day05: Trek by Mule or on foot to Mololicho.
Day06: Trekking continues to another campsite called Adele or Angafu.
Day07: Trek to Waho.
Day08: Trek back to Dodola where the trekking end.
Day09: 4WD to Arbaminch. O/N hotel.
DAy10: Tour of the Dorze village and afternoon Boat trip on Lake Chamo to see Crocodile market. O/N hotel.
DAy11: 4WD to Langano. In the afternoon visit the National park of Abijata.
DAy12: 4WD to Addis.

Program-Bale Trekking
Code- OT702
Duration- 9nights/10days
Transport-Land

Day 01: Arrival in Addis. O/N hotel
Day 02: Addis-Dinsho in 4WD.
Day 03: Start trekking heading towards to areas such as Fencha Abera, Weib River.
Day 04: Trek to Wassama which lies at high altitude of 3900 meters.
Day 05: Wassama- Gebreguracha
Day 06: Gebreguracha- Konte
Day 07: Meet 4wd and drive to Wendogenet resort area.
Day 08: Wondogenet to Arbaminch. O/N hotel.
Day 09: AM- Dorze village PM- A boat trip on Lake Chamo. O/N hotel.
Day 10: Drive back to Addis.

OPTIONS: The trekking tour can be prepared in such a way that it could last more than 10 days, Such as 15-20 days. Tours to the south or historic route can be combined with this tour.

Omo valley
An adventure in the uncontaminated territories of the South, along difficult tracks, sometimes barely visible trails in the savannah, to encounter populations who have lived in complete isolation for centuries, and whose life-style is still truly and deeply African:
the Karos, the Galebs, the Hamer, the Bumes and the Mursis, who are known for the lip plates worn by their women.

The Nech Sar Park, between Lakes Chamo and Abaya, where you can often see zebras and antelopes roaming freely, and the Mago Park where, if you are lucky, you can see towards Addis Ababa, populated by myriads of birds, the hot springs of Wondo Genet, and Lake Langano, where swimming or hear elephants trumpeting in the night. And then the lakes of the Rift Valley in the volcanic water, pink at sunset, is a sublime pleasure.

Program- Omo-Mago
Code-OT703
Duration-03nights/04days
Transport: Air

Day01: A.M. fly to Jinka and drive straight to Turmi to visit the Hammer tribe.
Day02: Depart for Murulle and visit Karo villages.
Day03: Leave for Jinka en-route visiting the Mursi villages.
Day04: Visit the Ethnological Museum in Jinka town before flying back to Addis Ababa.

N.B. Upon request we can arrange tours combining market days within the duration varying form 8-12 night stays.

Program- OMO -Mago
Code- OT704
Duration-09nights/10days
Transportation-Land

Day01. Arrive Addis Ababa and city tour. Visit Entoto Mountains, with very nice view over the capital, and church of St. Mary with adjacent museum of imperial objects. Then back to the city, for the National museum. O/N hotel.

Day02. Drive to Arbaminch, with some stops for Wolayta people and houses on the way. Very interesting their houses, way of life, cultivation of the false banana (from which they extract their local bread, called Kotcho) and more. O/N Hotel

  Day03. AM drive to the mountains of Chencha to visit the houses, works of weavings (for which they are extremely famous), cultivations (Sorgun or false banana) of Dorze people. PM boat trip on Chamo Lake, for hippos and crocodiles with length reaches 06 meters. Meals & O/N.

Day04. Drive to Jinka, admiring on the way the interesting Konso, Derashe, Ari, Benna and Tsemay people, very famous for hairstyles, their unique culture and traditions, as the ornaments all over their body. Konso people famous for their terracing agricultural works and villages traditions. O/N local hotel Jinka town.

Day05. Admire Mursi people and villages. Here for beauty women inserts to a round clay plates in to their lips. Men different scarification based on number of enemies or wild animals killed in battle and many other cultures. O/N Mago park camping

Day06. Cross the Karo people region and visit their village of Kortcho, with beautiful views over the Omo River. Karo people are famous for their extravagant hairstyle in men and for the different ornaments and painting all over their body all men, women and children. Continue for the beautiful Hammer people region & O/N Turmi camping.

Day07. Full day Turmi, the region of the very nice Hammer people, with unique hairstyles, different cultural traits, ornamental traditions and more. Visit some very interesting villages and folk dances. If by chance it happen, you will see the Hammar marriage ceremony with unique celebrations, such as the bull jumping by men and many others. If necessary, in the morning can be done an excursion at Omorate, around the bank of OMo River, for Dassanech tribes & villages too. O/N Turmi camp.

Day08. Drive toward Konso & visit the Konso villages and very interesting cultures. O/N htl in Arbaminch.

Day09. AM Netch Sar Park. PM drive to Langano Lake. O/N htl

Day10. Rift valley lakes of Shalla & Abyata back AA O/N htl.

N.B. Upon request we can arrange tours combining market days within the duration varying form 8-12 night stays.

Program-OMO -Mago & Yabelo
Code-OT705
Duration-13nights/14days
Transportation-Land

Day01. Arrive Addis Ababa and afternoon city tour including the National museum (not on Mondays), Entoto Mountains for views and St Mary church and tour of the capital. O/N (overnight) chosen hotel.

Day02. Start your drive AM by going to visit the crater lakes of Debrezeith and the Rift Valley lakes of Shala, Abyata and Langano. Visit these lakes rich in birds, such as pelicans, flamingoes, storks and more. Lunch on the way, dinner and O/N Langano Hotel.

Day03. Continue driving to Arbaminch, in Amharic meaning 40 springs. Admire very interesting views and the Wolayta people, their villages, culture, the cultivation of the false banana tree (from which roots they extract their traditional bread, the Kotcho) and more. Afternoon drive to Chencha, to visit the Dorze people, their particular weaving works for which they are famous, strange houses, cultivation of sorghum and the false banana and more. Dinner and O/N Hotel

Day04. Morning visit the Netch Sar park with spectacular views over the lakes and different mammals, as the endemic Swaynes Hartebeest, Zebras, lesser kudu, and others. Back lunch Arbaminch. Afternoon make a boat trip on Chamo. Admire crocodiles and hippos (here crocodiles are some of the longest in Africa, with length of 6 and also above meters). Dinner and O/NHotel.

Day05. Drive to Turmi, crossing the Konso and Derashe people and villages, with particular culture, traditions, way of life and more. They are famous also for their terracing style agriculture. Continue so crossing Tsemay and Elbore people and villages. They have very colorful hairstyles, way of dressing and living quite peculiar. Continue to the village of Turmi, of the Hammer people. Dinner and O/N Turmi camping .

Day06. Visit Hamer people, their villages, possibly some dances, and more. If possible we look for the unique marriage ceremonies, with women slashing, bull jumping and more. If the day you arrive is MON or SAT admire the very colorful markets of the Hamer, Karo and Dassanech tribes respectively at Turmi or Dimeka villages. These tribes are famous for their hairstyles, ornaments, scarification, culture and more. O/N Turmi.

Day07. Drive to Omorate, at bank of Omo River, to admire the Dassanech villages. If more than one (1) Vehicle, excursion to the Turkana Lake at border of Kenya can be added. Back for dinner and O/N Turmi.

Day08. Drive to the Karo people and villages. Visit on the way Bume tribe after crossing the omo river and drive back to Kortcho village to visit Karo people, with very nice views over Omo River, at Dus village. Dinner and ON Murulle camping, at bank of Omo River or near a village.

Day09. Continue for the Mago Park and camp at bank of the Neri River, admiring different animals, among which different antelopes and birds. O/N camping.

Day10. Proceed to the Mursi people and villages. Admire these tribes. Where for beauty women use to put clay plates into their lips, men have different scarification and more particularities, visit their way of life in the villages and other. Continue to Jinka village for dinner and O/N local hotel.

Day11. Continue to Konso, admiring the Ari, Benna and Tsemay people. If market days visit very colorful ones on the way. Visit then Konso famous villages and traditions. ON Konso Edget or St Mary hotel.

Day12. Continue for the Borena people and afternoon drive to Elsod crater, from where Borena men extract salt. Visit some of their villages. O/N Yabelo local htl or camp.

Day13. Crossing Guji people and very nice landscapes, drive to the Rift Valley lake of Awasa. O/N Hotel.

Day14. Morning visit the fish market, then drive to Addis. Lunch at Addis Ababa. Afternoon free at leisure or we propose tour of the Mercato (not on Sundays), biggest open-air market in Africa, and different souvenir shops. Dinner we propose a traditional restaurant with folkloristic dances of the different Ethiopian regions. O/N chosen hotel.

N.B. Upon request we can arrange tours combining market days within the duration varying form 8-12 night stays.

Program- Omo-Mago-Yabelo& Bale(inc.Markets)
Code-OT706
Duration-16nights/17days
Transportation-Land

DAY 01 SUNDAY:ADDISS-WONDOGENET
Drive southwards to the rift valley region. Stops at lake koka (a man made lake formed by damming river Awash) Zeway, Abijata & Shalla al Known for their scenic beauty and rich bird life. Stop for lunch a hotel by yet another lake-lake Langano- a beautiful lake with its sandy shores. Continue driving to Wendo Genet is a beautiful resort area situated amid wooded hills, which are sources for the hot springs in which people enjoy taking an open-air bath. Wendo Genet is also known for its rich bird life, colobus and verve monkeys, which can easily be seen flitting on tree branches.O/N Wabi Shebela resort hotel.

DAY 02 MONDAY: WONDOGENET-GOBA
Drive to the high country of the Bale mountains where, the Bale mountains national park which is home to unique wild life and several bird species. After picnic lunch, stop at Dinsho-the park ahead Quarters, to pay the entrance fees but more-to see games like the endemic mountain Nyala, Menelik's Bushbuck and others like the Grey Duiker, Bohor Reedbuck, Warthogs and others. Continue on to Goba to stay over night at Goba Wabi Shebele hotel.

DAY 03 TUESDAY: GOBA
Setout with a picnic lunch to the high plateaus of Sanette(4000m. high) home to the shy Ethiopian Wolf and many bird species. This drive takes as to the impenetrable Harena forest-reputedly home to lions and the black Leopard. After picnic, drive to the Tulu Dimtu peak-the 3rd highest peak of Ethiopia with an altitude of 4,377 m. Drive to Goba in the late afternoon. O/N Goba wabi Shebele hotel.

DAY 04 WEDNESDAY: GOBA
Drive to the Sof Omar caves-which were formed by river Weib on its long jorney to the Indian ocean. The cozy interiors of the caves have been used as holy shrines for the past hundreds of years by the Muslim community living in the country and abroad. Torches are handy here, though they may prove useless at some dark points of the caves. After picnic,drive back to Goba. O/N Goba Wabi shebele hotel.

DAY 05 THURSDAY: GOBA-AWASA
Drive to Awassa, situated close to a lake of same name again rich in bird life. O/N Awassa Wabi Shebele hotel.

DAY 06 FRIDAY: AWASA-YABELLO
In the morning, after a brief stop at the fish market, drive some 300km to Yabelo. Stop at Wenago to visit the Tutu Fella Stelae Park. The stones are carved to symbolize the sex of the dead.O/N Local hotel or camping

  DAY 07 SATURDAY: YABELLO
Drive some 80km down south,turn off from the main road to the left, and drive further 13km to reach at the village called El Sod. Visit the 'the house of salt' by hiking down 2km which is a deep crater lake. Drive back to and stop at Dublok to visit the 'singing well'. Continue driving back to Yabelo and visit the Saturday Market. O/N local hotel or camping.

DAY 08 SUNDAY: YABELLO-KONSO-WEITO
Drive via Konso to stay overnight camping at Woito. Stop at Konso for lunch and continue driving to Woito. Reach Weito and spend the time with the Tsemay people at their village. O/N camping.

DAY 09 MONDAY: Weito-TURMI
Drive to Turmi. Visit en-route the Elbore tribe at their village and after visiting of the Elbore village continue drive to Turmi for Monday market of Hamar people here at Turmi and their famous Monday Market. O/N camping at Turmi.

DAY 10 TUESDAY: TURMI-OMORATE-TURMI
Set out with picnic lunch and drive southwest to Omorate. Visit the everyday market and the Dansanech tribe, one of the nomadic people of the Omo region. Drive back to Turmi and continue to Dimeka to visit the Tuesday market.

DAY 11 WEDNESDAY: TURMI-MURULLE
Drive to Murule on the way visiting to the Karo village at Korcho and continue driving to Murule campsite. After lunch drive to Kangate and cross the Omo River by boat to visit the Bume tribes. O/N camping at Murule.

DAY 12 THURSDAY: MURULLE-KEY AFER-JINKA
Early in the morning drive northward to Jinka. On the way visit the Benna and Ari tribes. On the way stop at key-Afer and visit the famous Thursday Market. Lunch en route. Get at Jinka for an over night stay at a local hotel.

DAY 13 FRIDAY: JINKA-MAGO
Drive across Mago national park to the banks of the Omo River to visit the Mursi, one of the major interests in the Omo valley. Set out with a picnic lunch to the Mursi village. Drive back to the campsite and in the late afternoon explore the Mago park,and see some games .O/N camping at Mago campsite.

DAY 14 SATURDAY: JINKA-KONSO
After an early breakfast drive back to Jinka. Visit the Saturday Market at Jinka; continue drive further northeast to the Konso en route seeing the Tsemay and Konso people .O/N Konso local hotel.

DAY 15 SUNDAY: KONSO-ARBAMINCH
After breakfast, drive to 'New York' and Machekie, the famous Konso village. Walk the trails that snake through the homestead and somehow experience their way of living. The Konso people are known for their close-knit homesteads terracing of their hilly farmlands and wonderful wooden artifacts. Back to Konso and continue driving further to Arbaminch. Check in to hotel, after having your lunch and relax, go out for a boat trip over Lake Chamo to the crocodile market and the Hippos

DAY 16 MONDAY: ARBAMINCH
Set out with picnic lunch to the Nech Sar national park to see games like Zebra, Gazelle, Kudu, the endemic Swaine's Hartebeest, Dik-diks, and Crocodiles by the shores of lake Chamo. After picnic lunch, drive to high countries of the Dorze people who are known for their weaving and unique egg shaped houses. Visit also their colorful market at Chencha. Return to Arbaminch in the late afternoon. O/N hotel.

DAY17 TUESDAY: ARBAMINCH-ADDIS ABABA
Drive back to Addis.

NOTE: This Program is designed in a way that will enable you to see all markets at different places.

Program-Omo-Mago&Yabelo
Code-OT707
Duration-13nights/14days
Transportation- Land

Day01. Arrival Addis Ababa.
Day02. Visit lakes Ziway, Shala, Abyata and Langano after lunch visit Alaba &Wolayita people. O/N Arbaminch htl.

 Day03. AM Visit Netch Sar National Park and PM boating on Chamo Lake. O/N Arbaminch htl.
Day04. Drive to Jinka on the way visit the Tsemay, Ari and Benna people and possibly market. O/N Jinka in hotel or camp.
Day05. Drive to Mursi people & villages. O/N Mago National Park (camping at bank of Neri river).
Day06. Drive to Murulle, visit Karo tribes and their village. O/N camp Murulle or Duss.
Day07. Cross the Omo river to visit the bume. ON Turmi camp.
Day08. Drive Omorate and visit Dassanech (Gelab) tribe + Turkana (If possible). O/N Turmi, at Hammer people region.
Day09. Visit the Hammer village with their dances, possibly wedding too. O/N Turmi.
Day10. Drive to Konso en-route visiting Elbore tribe. Continue to Konso and visit konso village.O/N Hotel.
Day11. After breakfast to Yabelo, for Borana people. After lunch drive to "El Sod" for Borana (Oromo people) salt extracting and at Dublock for singing wells some villages. O/N Yabello. camp or Hotel..
Day13. Drive to Awasa. O/N hotel.
Day14. Drive to Addis Ababa.
N.B. Upon request we can arrange tours combining market days within the duration varying form 8-12night stays.

SURMA
Program-Surma short program
Code-OT801
Duration-7nights/8days
Transportation-land

Day 01: Depart by 4x4 vehicles south west of Addis Ababa for Jimma en-route visiting Wonchi Crater Lake and Guder Falls.
Day 02: Drive to Mizan Teferi en-route visit the Keffecho tribe at Bonga. Overnight stay at hotel/camp site.
Day 03: Leave for Tum and visit Diz tribe at Maji.
Day 04: Depart for Kibish – the very heart of Surma tribe who are the highlight of this trip.
Day 05: Full day visit of the Surma villages.
Day 06: Drive back to Mizan Teferi.
Day 07: Depart for Jimma.
Day 08: Drive or fly back to Addis Ababa. Back to Top

Program-Surma , Omo-Mago & Yabelo
Code- OT802
Duration- 20nights/21days
Transportation-Land

Day01. Arrive AA.
Day02. Drive Jimma O/N htl.
Day03. Mizan O/N camp.
Day04. Turn for Dizi people O/N camp.
Day05. Tulgit for Surma people O/N camp.
Day06 Kibish for Surma, villages, ceremonies, ways of life possibly look for the game of donga O/N camp.
Day07. Back Tulgit O/N camp.
Day08. Drive Tum O/N camp.
Day09. Drive Tepi. ON camp.
Day10. Drive Jimma O/N htl.
Day11. Cross Wolayita people, for Arbaminch, O/N htl.
Day12. Morning visit Dorze people. Afternoon crocodiles on Chamo lake On Arbaminch.
Day13. Morning Netch Sar park. Afternoon Konso people & villages O/N local htl.
Day14. Tsemay & Hammer people O/N Turmi camp or lodge.
Day15. Hammer people, possibly markets & ceremonies as bull jumping to qualify for marriage. Visit their villages & traditions. O/N Turmi.
Day16. Omorate for Dassanech people at Omo riverbank. O/N back Turmi.
Day17. Karo people & tradition Dus & Kortcho villages & view over Omo River. O/N Turmi.
Day18. Visit Elbore people O/N Konso.
Day19. Yabelo for Borena people and El Sod crater possibly Dublock wells too. O/N camp or local htl.
Day20. Back to Rift Valley lake of Awassa. O/N htl.
Day21. Rift Valley lakes and back AA. O/N htl.

Program-Surma Trekking
Code-OT803
Duration-18nights/19days
Transportation-Land

Day 01: Addis arrival.
Day 02: Addis-Jimma. O/N hotel
Day 03: Jimma-Mizan. O/N camp or local hotel.
Day 04: Mizan-Tum.
Day 05: Tum-Maji. (Trekking starts on this day)
Day 06: Maji-Adikas
Day 07: Adikas-Kormu
Day 08: kormu-kibbish
Day 09: Kibbish
Day 10: Kibbish-Kormu
Day 11: Kormu-Adikas
Day 12: Adikas-Tum. End of trekking.
Day 13: 4WD to Mizan Teferi. O/N hotel.
Day 14: Mizan Teferi.-Gambella. O/N hotel.
Day 15: Visit the Nuer & Anuak village.
Day 16: Drive to Gambella.
Day 17: Gambella-Nekemte
Day 18: Nekemte-Ambo
Day 19: Ambo-Addis.