Ethiopian Rift Valley

In this trip through southern Ethiopia, we will discover the Ethiopian Rift Valley, surrounded by immense mountains, deep cracks and canyons produced by the slow volcanic rock erosion, which has greatly hampered access to the Omo River delta for decades. This physical difficulty to access this region has allowed the tribes that inhabit the Omo Valley to be isolated, not only from the rest of Ethiopia but from the rest of the world: this offers a unique experience for the travellers.

14 days

Hotel

Camping

Trekking

Day 1

Arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport

Meet and greet your Adimasu Travel representative at the exit of luggage claim and transfer you to the hotel.

Depending on the time of your arrival, you will visit the National Museum (prehistoric, cultural, archaeological attractions) and the Ethnographic Museum (culture, dressing style, traditional practices of over 80 ethnic groups, and collection of traditional musical instruments). Lunch at Lucy Restaurant.

After lunch, you will visit the Emperor Menelik’s Palace and — after a drive to Entoto Mountain ( 3000 meters above sea level) — you will visit Merkato, the largest open market in Africa. In the evening, you will have dinner at the hotel and you will rest. Overnight in Harmony Hotel.

Day 2

Drive to Jimma

In the morning after breakfast, you will drive to Jimma (225 Km from Woliso) via Wolqite, which is home to the Gurage tribe, known as “the hardest working people in Ethiopia”.

On the way, you will pass through beautiful landscapes as you drive through the Gibe River Valley.

You will be arriving in Jimma afternoon and check into a hotel. Later, you can visit the Jimma Museum and King Abba Jiffar Place (the last king of the Jimma region). You will have dinner and spend the night at the hotel. Overnight in Dololo Hotel.

Day 3

Drive to Bonga, the birthplace of Coffee

In the morning, you will have breakfast and drive to Bonga (125 km from Jimma). And upon arrival at Bonga and check in to a hotel. You will have lunch at Bonga. Later you will be driven to the forest for a short walk to the birthplace of the coffee, Makira.

Late afternoon you will be driven back to Bonga. You will have dinner and spend the night at the hotel. Overnight stay in Coffee Land Hotel.

Day 4

Visit Bongo’s waterfalls, forest and natural bridge. Drive to Mizan Teferi

An early morning drive will take you to the surrounding Bonga forest with its Natural Bridge and Berta waterfalls. You will have lunch in Bonga.

After lunch, you will drive to Tepi (163 km from Bonga). You will be arriving in Tepi late afternoon and check into the hotel. You will have dinner and spend the night at the hotel. Overnight in Kashinin Hotel.

Day 5

Drive to Kibish

After breakfast, you will be driven to Kibish (approx. 300 km from Mizan Teferi). On the way visit the Bebeka Coffee Plantation (the largest coffee farm in Ethiopia), where they cultivate organic coffee tree, peppers, as well as rubber trees. You will have a picnic lunch.

Then you will be driven to Kibish and you will be arriving in Kibish late afternoon and stretch your tent for camping. Later, you can walk around the Surma village at Kibish, where you can visit with the local Surma people. You will have dinner and spend the night camping.

Day 6 / Day 7

Trekking and visit to the Surma villages

An early morning drive will take you to Surma villages. Surma women are known for their beautification rituals, in preparation for marriage: most women have their bottom teeth removed and their bottom lips pierced, then stretched, so as to allow the insertion of a clay lip plate. Instead, men are known for stick-fighting competition, known as Donga (that is officially prohibited now).

You will have a picnic lunch before to continues the visit to the villages in the afternoon. In the evening you will have dinner at our camp and spend the night camping.

Day 9

Kibish to Karo camping

During this transfer, you will continue exploring the unique lifestyle of the Omo Valley people. In the evening you will have dinner at our Karo camp and spend the night camping.

Day 10

Karo to Turumi

Other transfer and other day spent exploring the beauty of Omo Valley. In the evening you will have dinner and spend the night at the Turumi Hotel.

Day 11

Turumi

After breakfast, you will have an excursion to Omorate to visit the Dasenech people who are the southernmost known people of the country and are known for their scarifications. Then we will drive back to Turmi for camping inside a Hamer village.

Day 12

Turumi to Arba Minch

On the way, you will visit the village of Tsemhai, Banna and Ari people. Then you will experience the Omo Valley’s most colourful and multicultural market in Key Afer. Overnight in Arba Minch at the Haile Resort.

Day 13

Arba Minch to Dorze Wolaita

You will visit the Dorze people, a small ethnic group inhabiting the Gamo Gofa Zone that is renown for their weaving and for their polyphonic multi-part vocal music that features a sophisticated use of hocket. You will overnight in a local village.

Day 14