Tour name: Omo Valley
Transport: Surface
Duration: 10 Days & 9Nights

Day 01: Arrival Day
Meet at the airport and get transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon start to discover the city of Addis Ababa; Addis Ababa in Amharic means "new flower". Founded in 1886 by Menelik II, and situated between 2,500 m (8202 ft) above sea level and (3,000 m/9842 ft above sea level) at Entoto Mountain chain. Addis Ababa is a pleasant city with wide avenues of jacaranda trees, interesting museums and one of the largest open-air markets in Africa, known as the "Merkato". Overnight at Wassamar Hotel

Day 02: Addis-Hosanna
Early morning departure takes you south of Addis Ababa to Hosanna. First stop is at Melka Kunture, one of the most important Paleolithic sites with an open air Museum in Ethiopia. Along the Awash River where Melka Kunture is located, have been found the fossils of hippopotamus, rhinoceros, and elephants. Continue to the church of Adadi Mariam, the southern-most rock hewn church in Ethiopia. Tiya is another place of interest classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, where we can see the northern most example of a peculiar type of engraved, standing stone monoliths that stretch across parts of south Ethiopia. Then we drive down the beautiful landscape and picturesque Oromo and Guraghe people rural village to reach our today’s destination Hosanna and spend the night at Hemi Hotel.

Day 03: Hosanna-Arbaminch
Further continue to Arbaminch: Passing through the wonderful panoramic landscape of the Hadiya and Wolayita People. Then, drive on to Arbaminch – which means 40 springs in Amharic – set in a very scenic location, above a cliff overlooking Lake Chamo and Lake Abaya. Dinner and overnight stay at Paradise Lodge/other in Arbaminch

Day 04: Arbaminch
This morning you are going to enjoy a boat trip on Lake Chamo to discover the crocodile market said to be the most impressive display of big crocodile Market in Africa. In the afternoon drive up to the Dorze village high up in the Guge Mountains (2,900m). They are famous for their beehive-shaped bamboo houses. Their woven cotton fabric is considered one of the finest in Ethiopia. And head back to the town to spend the night at the same hotel

Day 05: Arbaminch-Jinka
Head out in the morning to Jinka. Weito demarcates the south from the Omo valley. Making a stop over at the colorful Key Afer Market where the Tsemai, Ari and Bena people gather is worth a look. This market is set only on Thursdays. Overnight at Jinka Resort/other

Day 06: Jinka-Mursi-Turmi
Early morning drive from Jinka- Mago (33 km). Mago National Park is located on the east bank of the river Omo and ranges in altitude from 450 to 2,528 meters above sea level. Visit the Mursi village, the insertion of wooden and terracotta discs into the ear lobes is a widespread custom and Mursi women also progressively split and stretch their lower lips to make room for similar discs there too. These are people who farm the land and breed livestock; they live in almost complete isolation from the rest of the world. Then proceed to Turmi via Dimeka. Overnight at Buska Lodge/other

Day 07: Turmi
Turmi is a place where you visit the brownish people of Hamer. The Hamer is one of the most beautiful and dignified people of the Omo basin. The women colour their hair with red earth and butter, and wear elegant leather skirts festooned with tiny pearls. In the morning visit one of the villages of the Hamer; then continue your visit to the colorful Dimeka Market set only on Saturday’s. Overnight at the same lodge as before

Day 08: Turmi-Arbaminch
Early morning departure from Turmi to Arbaminch; Enroute visit Erbore village near Lake Stefanie; the road continues into the savannah, running alongside the mountains of Men, then raises up the Karkerte Mountains – providing splendid panoramic views until it reaches the soft and terraced hills of Konso. The people of Konso are famous for their terraced agriculture and for their unusual practice of sculpting wooden totems, the famous Konso “Waka” to mark their graves. Overnight at Paradise Lodge/other

Day 09: Arbaminch-Yirgalem
Leave Arbaminch and drive towards Yirgalem; Take the road that leads back up the Rift Valley, crossing fertile land planted with bananas, cereals and tobacco, and inhabited first by the Oromo people and then by the Sidamo. All kinds of fruit are sold along the roadside. Lake Awassa is surrounded by mountains and populated by countless species of birds. There is a beautiful track running along the lakeside, perfect for a walk, further continue some 38kms to Yirgalem. Overnight at the decent Aregash Lodge

Day 10: Yirgalem-Addis Ababa
Travel southwards through the Great Rift Valley, a 6,000 km fault line that runs from Syria, under the red sea, across Southern Ethiopia all the way to Mozambique. Drive past Shashemene, unofficial Ethiopian capital of the Rastafarian community. The road goes past all major lakes that dot the Rift Valley, Lake Ziway – notorious with bird watchers – Lake Langano on the shores of which Addis Ababans enjoy taking a break from the city, Lake Langano with it’s brown color is Bilharzias free and it’s common to see people swimming and sunbathing on the shore. Proceed driving to reach the final destination Addis Ababa. On the evening have dinner and get transfer to the airport for your flight back home.