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Ethiopia Private Tours & Cultural Holidays: Tribes of Omo Valley (Photography)

Ethiopia Culture: Tribes of the Omo Valley (Private)

Ethiopia Private Tours Cultural Holidays Tribes Omo Valley Photography

9 NIGHTS FROM:

$3,589

Per person sharing

Scheduled flights quoted separately

YPB9A

Our tailor made Ethiopia private tours & cultural holidays visit some of the fascinating tribes of the Omo Valley. Starting from Addis Ababa, travel south with your own private driver/guide to Lake Langano and Arba Minch. Visit the Dorze, Konso, Mursi, Ari & Karo tribes, as well as the Omo Museum. In Turmi we visit the Hamer tribes, where young men 'jump the bulls' when they come of age. Ideal for photography.

Detailed itinerary ▶

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Day 1

You will be met at Addis Ababa Airport and transferred into Ethiopia's capital city. This beautiful high-altitude country was once ruled by the Queen of Sheba and has a fascinating and ancient history. With over 80 different languages and many different religions, its strong tribal traditions and festivals are world famous.

On arrival enjoy a private tour of the city, viewing landmark buildings such as Headquarters of the African Union and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, as well as Meskel Square - the main meeting place of the city. We visit Trinity Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in the city, and the former palace of King Menelik II (also called the Imperial Palace or the Old Gebi), which has been the residence of various Ethiopian emperors including Haile Selassie. Today it contains the offices of the Prime Minister.

Ethiopia is one of the world's oldest civilizations and you can see many ancient artefacts on display at the National Archaeological Museum. This includes the fossil remains of Lucy, one of the oldest known hominids ever discovered who lived in Ethiopia over 3.2 million years ago. Over 40% of her skeleton was found intact.

Time permitting there is also the opportunity to visit the Mercato, the largest open air market in Africa, and drive up Mount Entoto for panoramic views over the city. As Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, do try to experience a typical Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony at some stage during your stay.

Day 2

Today leave Addis Ababa with your guide and drive southwards for 3-hours, travelling through the beautiful Rift Valley with its chains of lakes - Lake Ziway, Lake Langano, Lake Abijatta and Lake Shala.

Along the way we stop to visit the rock-hewn church of Adadi Mariam that is believed to be the southernmost church founded by King Lalibela. We also stop at the pre-historic archeological site of Melka Kunture in the Awash River Valley, where many ancient stone tools and huge mammal fossils nearly 2-million years old have been discovered.

Our next stop is at the amazing Tiya Stelea - the remains of an ancient Ethiopian culture whose age has not yet been precisely determined. There are 36 monuments at this UNESCO World Heritage site, including 32 carved stone slabs covered with symbols that are difficult to decipher.

On arrival at Lake Langano relax and enjoy the wonderful views over the lake, with its prolific birdlife. You can hope to see birds such as the ugly Marabou stork, the Hamerkop, African jacana, Black crake, Great white pelican, Pink pelican, Black-winged stilt, Darter, African fish eagle, Goliath heron, Black crowned crane, Malachite kingfisher, flamingos and many other water birds. You can also swim in the lake.

Day 3

Today we leave Lake Langano and travel 3.5-hours through beautiful Rift Valley scenery to Arba Minch, the gateway to the tribes of the Omo Valley.

Along the way you will be introduced to the rural way of life, as we travel through the fertile land of the Wolayta and Alaba regions. The Alaba people are famous for their beautiful home painting style. We also visit Senkelle Wildlife Sanctuary, dedicated to the protection of the endemic Swain’s hartebeest.

We continue driving through these spectacular green hills to Arba Minch, whose name means 'Forty Springs'.

Note: You will be expected to pay a small fee to photograph local tribal people.

Day 4

This morning we travel 2-hours to Chencha, where the main occupation is subsistence farming and cotton weaving, to visit the Dorze Tribe.

Their tall beehive-shaped homes that resemble elephant faces are among the most distinctive traditional structures to be seen anywhere in Africa. Their shama cloth is regarded as the finest in Ethiopia and white gabbi robes and brightly coloured fabrics can be purchased along the roadside.

We drive back to Arba Minch for lunch. In the afternoon enjoy a boat ride on Lake Chamo, where you can see the Crocodile Market - the point at which the Kolfo River empties into the lake and a popular place for giant Nile crocodiles to sunbathe. Here fishing for Nile perch and many other species by locals on their traditional boats is by far the best in the country. You can also see many hippos and many waterbirds such as the African fish eagle, great white pelican and egret.

Day 5

This morning we leave Arba Minch and travel 5-hours along a rough road to the market town of Jinka, located in the hills north of the Tama Plains.

Along the way we stop at a Konso Village situated in an isolated region of basalt hills. All Konso villages are located on hilltops and organised like wood fortesses, with an entrance gate and series of alleys you need to pass through to gain entrance. This tribe is known for their intricately terraced hillsides, as well as making colourful hand-woven cotton cloth. They also sculpt wooden totem poles called "waka" to mark their graves.

On arrival check into your hotel in Jinka and absorb yourself in the culture of this region.

Note: You will be expected to pay a small fee to photograph local tribal people.

Day 6

Today we drive 2-hours to Mago National Park to visit the extraordinary Mursi people, known for the clay lip plates the women insert in their lower lips when they reach maturity.

This practice is regarded as a sign of beauty among the Mursi – the bigger the plate, the more beautiful the wearer. You will have a light picnic lunch on the way today.

After returning to Jinka, we visit the small Omo Valley Cultural Museum which gives insight into the customs and traditions of the southern Ethiopian tribes.

Day 7

Today we travel 3-hours along a rough road from Jinka to the market town of Turmi.

Along the we stop at an Ari Village. The Ari people are the largest tribe in the Omo region, numbering over 100,000. Although they speak an Omotic language (like the Hamar and Banna), they are very different from the other people living here. They have adopted western clothing and live in villages with private compounds in which they have their huts and grow a variety of crops.

We continue to Turmi, which is home to the cattle herding Hamer tribe. On market days tribesmen and women of all ages gathering under open blue skies to buy and sell goods and participate in traditional ‘evangadi’ (night dancing).

Note: On Saturdays and Tuesdays we will stop at the colourful weekly market of the Hamer and Kara people at Dimeka. On Tuesdays we can also stop at the Alduba market of the Benna tribe.

Day 8

This morning we drive 2-hours to Murulle to visit the Karo Tribe, travelling along rough tracks and passing through vast meadowlands covered with shrubs and umbellifers ('umbrella' acacia trees).

The Karo people are the smallest ethnic group in the Omo Valley and are experts in tatooing and body painting - using clay and vegetable pigments to paint fantastic patterns on each other's faces, chests, arms and legs. The scars are cut with a knife or razor blade and ash is rubbed in to produce a raised effect, with the scarification of a man's chest indicating that he has killed an enemy or a dangerous animal. These decorations are an elaborate process, ranging from fine detail to rough but striking paintings, traced with the palms or fingers. One of the most beautiful combines white (chalk), black (charcoal), yellow, ochre and red earth - often immitating the spotted plumage of a guinea fowl. Karo men also sculpt and shave their hair into extravagant shapes, with special grey and ochre clay hair buns that usually contain several ostrich feathers.

Afterwards we return to Turmi and experience the culture of the Hamer people, pastoralists who live on sheep-raising and agriculture. The Hamer women wear colourful leather skirts embellished with beads and shells, and are known for their distinctive red clay hairstyles ('gosca'). These remarkable hair decorations are created from ochre, water, and binding resin, which is rubbed into their hair then twisted repeatedly to create copper-coloured locks. From August to December, on certain days the 'Jumping of the Bulls' ceremony occurs – when young Hamer men have to prove they are ready to come-of-age and carry the responsibility of marriage.

Day 9

This morning we travel 1-hour deep into the Omo Valley to the Omorate region, close to Lake Turkana and the Kenyan border.

We cross the Omo River in a small boat and walk to a tribal village, where we meet the Daasanach people -the southernmost tribe in the country. These semi-nomadic people stay here with their cattle and goats for only part of the year, so their homes are only built as temporary shelters. They have made an art form of creating wonderful headwear, using discarded items such as bottle tops, broken watches and silver mesh.

Afterwards we visit a vibrant Local Market, where you see various colourful tribes congregating together.

Note: Monday & Thursday is market day in Turmi and Thursday is market day in Key After.

Day 10

This morning we leave Turmi and drive 5-hours to Arba Minch Airport for your flight to Addis Ababa.

Here you will be met and transferred into the city for an included dinner at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant with local music, folk dancing and a variety of local food.

Afterwards transfer to Addis Ababa Airport for your flight home.

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