13-Day Best of Ethiopia Cultural & Natural Tour

Day 1

Addis Ababa

On arrival at Bole Int Airport, the Aman Ethiopia Tours team will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. Later, you'll start exploring Addis Ababa. You'll visit the various museums, including the National Museum, where you’ll discover ‘Lucy’, the fossilized skeleton of an ancient human ancestor dating back 3.2 million years, who changed our understanding of human evolution. You'll head to the Mercato market, the largest open-air market in Africa, and experience a traditional coffee ceremony. You'll discover what Haile Selassie and Sylvia Pankhurst have in common at the copper-domed Holy Trinity Cathedral. You'll see why the European Council on Tourism and Trade named Ethiopia its number-one place to visit in 2015.

Day 2

Fly Addis Ababa To Jinka

After having breakfast, you will take your flight to Jinka in the Omo Valley. Jinka is a small market zone town that houses the South Omo Research Centre Museum. From here, there is an optional expedition to the Omo National Park, a lesser-visited national park in Ethiopia, and home to incredible vistas. The park has a rugged, off-the-beaten-track appeal. Later in the afternoon, you will meet the Ari people.

Day 3

Jinka-Turmi

After breakfast, you'll visit the Mago National Park and the Mursi people. You'll drive (2.5 hrs) from Jinka to Turmi. En route, you'll visit the Key Afar market.

The Mursi are famous for the lower lip plates worn as decoration by the women, along with their traditional dress and ornate headdresses. The Mursi people are one of the few tribes that continue to wear traditional clothing and accessories.

Day 4

Turmi Excurshion To Karo Tribe

On this day, after breakfast, you will be driving to the Korcho. You will get to see the Karo tribe in Korcho. Later, after lunch, you will visit the small town of Kangate. You will visit the Nyangatom tribe in Kangatan.

Overnight stay: Emerald Lodge.

Day 5

Turmi - Dasenach Peoples

After breakfast, you will be driving to the small town of Omorate to see the Dasanech tribe in Omorate. In the afternoon, you'll visit the Dimeka market and the Hamar people. The Hamar people are agro-pastoralists who adorn traditional body decorations and colorful beads. The women use ochre and resin to deftly style their hair, which is known as ‘goscha’. When the men come of age, they have to partake in a bull-jumping ceremony. These friendly people will welcome you into their community, offer you wild coffee and barbecued goat, and introduce you to their customs and traditions.

Day 6

Turmi-Konso- Arba Minch

After breakfast, you will be driving from Turmi to Arba Minch. En route, you'll visit the Arbore and Konso people. Today, you’ll be exploring Konso, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Named after the Konso people, this isolated village is located in hilly terrain at the edge of the Rift Valley. The Konso settlement is over 400 years old, with fortified stone walls surrounding the terraced village. Beekeeping, cotton weaving, and agriculture are the main local industries. It is most famous for its Waga Sculptures. These anthropomorphic wooden carvings memorialize and commemorate people from the community. You'll spend the day with these incredible people and experience their rich culture. Your guide will be there at all times to help you navigate the interactions.

Day 7

Arba Minch

In the morning, you'll take a boat trip on Lake Chamo, part of Nechisar National Park. As you head out onto the expansive lake, you’ll see crocodiles, hippos and flamingos bathing in the Ethiopian sun. You'll explore Nechisar National Park, or discover the incredible bee-hive huts of the Dorze tribe, who are famous for their structures, weaving, and singing.

In the afternoon, you'll visit the Dorze people and the market.

Day 8

Arba Minch - Awasa

Both Arba Minch and Hawassa are rich in lakes and natural attractions. You will enjoy the beautiful landscapes of Ethiopia.

On this day, after breakfast, you will be driving from Arba Minch to Awassa. En route, you'll visit Senkele Game Sanctuary.

Overnight stay: Haile Resort Awasa.

Day 9

Bale Mountains National Parks

On this day, after breakfast, you'll visit the fish market in Awassa. The Hawassa fish market is famous, and the stalls around the market offer some of the best fish soup you’ll ever have. Next, you'll drive 5.5 hours from Hawassa to the Bale Mountains National Park via Dinsho, the headquarters of the park, where you’ll meet your guide. Your guide will talk you through the itinerary for your hike over the next few days.

Day 10

Bale Mountains National Park

Today is a full day exploring Bale Mountains National Park.

You'll awake to the sounds of the Harenna Forest and the smell of freshly brewed ‘wild’ coffee, which is harvested just south of the lodge. In the morning, you’ll explore the forest some more, spotting much of the wildlife. Remember your binoculars and a camera!

In the afternoon, you’ll head to the lunar landscape of the Sanetti Plateau, where you’ll try and spot the Ethiopian Wolf, Africa’s rarest carnivore. Although only a few hundred Ethiopian wolves exist in the world today, over half the global population resides in the Bale Mountains. You might also spot the giant mole rat, another endemic species, and the primary food source for the wolves.

Day 11

Lake Langano

Today, you will drive from Bale Mountains to Lake Langano. You'll spend the afternoon relaxing around the lodge and lake.

Lake Langano lies in an irregularly shaped basin with a perimeter of 62 kilometers, an area of 305 square kilometers, and a depth of 30 meters in some parts. Langano Lake water is soft brown in color, but pure enough for swimming, which makes it an ideal spot for water sports.

Overnight stay: Hara Langano Lodge.

Day 12

Lake Langano

After breakfast, you'll start exploring Lake Langano and the surrounding area, including Abijatta-Shalla National Park. Today, you’ll head to Abijatta-Shalla National Park, approximately a 40-minute drive, and home to Lakes Abijatta and Shalla. These lakes host an impressive number of flamingos and also several hot springs. The steam rising from the pools casts an ethereal haze over the surrounding area. After this, a 4×4 will take you around the park in search of warthogs, antelopes, and ostriches.

In the afternoon, you'll go for a dip in Lake Langano. You'll retreat to the lakeside lodge and enjoy dinner surrounded by the expansive views and the tranquil atmosphere of this remote region.

Overnight stay: African Vacation Lodge.

Day 13

Return to Addis-Departure

After breakfast, you will be driving to Addis Ababa via Lake Ziway. Situated between four lakes in the Ethiopian Rift Valley, this town is the perfect base from which to explore the lakes over the next few days.

You’ll see the diversity of animals and birdlife that Ethiopia is famous for. A boat trip on Lake Ziway takes you to Great White Pelicans, Marabous, Hammerkop, Sacred Ibis, Yellow Billed Storks, and Flamingos. Of course, hippos are a famous resident of the lake. You’ll be able to see them bathing in the sun from the safety of your boat.