On your arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, you will be welcomed by a Journeys Worldwide representative with a 'Journeys Worldwide' sign. Outside your guide for the tour will be waiting with the vehicle and they will transfer you to your hotel.
After breakfast, drive to Arba Minch. On the way visit the archaeological site of Tiya, classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, where you can see the northern most example of a peculiar type of engraved, standing Stelae 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.
Arba Minch is the unofficial capital of the Ethiopian Rastafarian community.
This morning drive south to Omo, often portrayed as some sort of cultural Garden of Eden.
Then drive to Jinka, the administrative capital of south Omo, through Konso, Weito and Key Afer.
En route, drive to Yetnebersh village to visit the Ari tribe and see how they make local liquor made of Sorghum, Garlic and maize. Also watch how they make a pot. As today is a Thursday, stop at Key Afer to attend the Thursday market. Key Afer market is the best known market of the lower Omo valley and is attended by many decorated tribes from the area.
After taking a rest at Jinka visit the recently opened south Omo research centre and museum, which is perched on a hill overlooking the town centre and offers an attractive view over it.
Today, after breakfast, drive to Mursi villages, 70kms away: the Mursi has become a cultural symbol of the Lower Omo Valley. They are the most renowned of the Omotic - speakers, famed for their practice of inserting large clay plates behind the lower lips of their women and colourful dresses.
Then drive to Turmi via Dimeka and Key Afer.
Turmi is the home of the Hammer, who are known for their body decoration, moonlight dance (Evangedi Dance) and bull-jumping. Bull jumping marks the rite of passage from childhood to adulthood. Bull jumping is not done every day and so unfortunately we cannot guarantee you see this ceremony.
After breakfast, drive to the village of Kolcho and visit the Karo tribes. They are considered masters of body painting, in which they engage when preparing for a dance, feast or celebration.
Then drive back to Turmi to visit one of the smaller villages that lie outside the Hamer towns of Turmi. Incredibly neat and constructed entirely from mud, wood and thatch, one of the most striking aspects of these small villages –which typically consist of a few extended families across perhaps 10-15huts –is the total absence of non –organic or western artefacts.
After breakfast, drive to Konso and visit Konso village.
Konso people are known for their intricately terraced hill sides, fine woven materials and the carved totems in which they decorate their graves. At Konso visit the village of Machekie and on the way to Machekie there is a home of the king of all the Konso tribes .
Today after breakfast drive to Arba Minch.
On arrival at Arba Minch transfer to your hotel and after taking a rest, have a boat trip over Lake Chamo, where you can see hippos and crocodiles at a close range. The place known as “Azo-Gebeya" meaning Crocodile Market offers one of Africa's most impressive displays of big crocodiles.
Late afternoon, take a drive to visit the Dorze people at Chencha (it is about 35km away) - famous for their huge beehive huts). Every Dorze compound is surrounded by enset (false banana) and other crops. In addition to this some of the country's best-woven cotton comes from this village and the Shama (traditional) cloth produced around Chencha is regarded to be the finest in Ethiopia.
Drive back to Arba Minch for overnight stay.
Transfer to the airport for your return flight to Addis Ababa.
After taking a rest, drive up to Entoto Hills – Mt. Entoto is the highest peak in Addis Ababa reaching 3,200 meters above sea level, giving the opportunity to catch stunning views over the city and the surrounding area from the summit. It is the first settlement in Addis Ababa where Emperor Menelik II resided and built his palace in 1887. The compound at the peak hosts the Entoto Mariam church, an Ethiopian artefact museum, as well as Menelik II palace.
On the way up the roadside stalls offer fresh Ethiopian coffee. Also, if you have an interest in Ethiopian traditional clothes and if there is time, stop by at Shero Meda Market. There is a wide variety of beautiful fabrics, shawls, scarves, dresses, tops and jewellery with lots of choice and really good for gift ideas.
Tonight you will have a wonderful cultural evening at one of Addis Ababa's restaurants; Ethiopia is a mosaic of people with more than 80 languages, different lifestyles, costumes and cultural dances. Take a chance to experience some of these cultural dances and traditional meals with a drink of Tej - a type of wine made from honey.
Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
