Hidden Treasures On The Horn Of Africa

Be welcomed by your guide on arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Air Port, and transfer-in to hotel. Later you will have the city tour of Addis Ababa includes the national museum (where you can see the Lucy fossil skeleton) found) the ethnological museum, Trinity cathedral church, Entoto hills and Merkato the largest open air market in Africa.
Overnight – Jupiter International or other Similar 4* Hotel
Information: There is a supplement fee for a tour guided tour in French, Spanish, German, and Italian.
-For groups of 2 to 4 pax, the fee is Euros 14 p/p per day.
-For groups of 5 to 8, the fee is Euro 10 p/p per day.

Drive from Addis to Langano: En route visit Melka Kunture, which lies near the Awash River Gorge 50 km south of the capital and is one of the most important Neolithic sites in Ethiopia. Hand axes and various other implements have been found here.
About 5 km further on the Butajira Road, is the rock hewn church of Adadi Mariam, contemporaneous with those of Lalibela. In fact local tradition ascribes it to King Lalibela who is said to have had it built on his visit to Mount Zuqwala in 1106. Damaged during the wars with Ahmed Gragn in the 16th century, it fell into disuse and was only reopened in the time of Menelik II. It is today in regular use.
Next stop is at Tiya, where we can see the northernmost example of a peculiar type of engraved, standing stelae which stretch across parts of southern Ethiopia. These stelae are believed to have been erected between the 12th and 14th centuries and are almost certainly grave markers. Recent excavations at Tiya have revealed the remains of young people of both sexes, aged between 18 -30 and buried in fetal positions.
Tiya is classified as a World Heritage Site. This is a drive through the Rift Valley going south towards Kenya.
Overnight at Sabanna Lodge or similar
Information: There is a supplement fee for a tour guided tour in French, Spanish, German, and Italian.
-For groups of 2 to 4 pax, the fee is Euros 14 p/p per day.
-For groups of 5 to 8, the fee is Euro 10 p/p per day.

Drive 300 km south to Arba Minch, visiting the tribal people of Alaba who are noted for their beautifully painted houses, Wolita, known for their cultivation of Enset or False Banana, who are renowned for their huge huts and colorful cotton clothes, en route.
Proceed through villages and admiring spectacular green hills, to Arbaminch, in Amharic 40 springs. O/N – Paradise Lodge or similar
Information: There is a supplement fee for a tour guided tour in French, Spanish, German, and Italian.
-For groups of 2 to 4 pax, the fee is Euros 14 p/p per day.
-For groups of 5 to 8, the fee is Euro 10 p/p per day.

Morning drive: visit the Dorze tribe, famed for their beehive-shaped houses and their weaving skills. Weaving is a primary profession for many Dorze. They are also farmers, who prevent soil erosion by ingenious terracing of the mountainsides. Around their huts they have their own little garden with vegetables, spices, tobacco and enset (false-banana or musa ensete). After lunch make a boat trip on Lake Chamo where we will see crocodiles sunbathing and hippos seeking the shade of the water. Birdlife is abundant and you will see a good assortment of birds including; weavers, sunbirds, waxbills and colonies of pelicans.
O/N – Paradise Lodge or similar Information: There is a supplement fee for a tour guided tour in French, Spanish, German, and Italian.
-For groups of 2 to 4 pax, the fee is Euros 14 p/p per day.
-For groups of 5 to 8, the fee is Euro 10 p/p per day.

We continue our experience with tribal life with a visit to the Konso. A pagan society, the Konso erect eerie wooden totems replete with phallic symbols over the graves of the dead and have numerous cults based around the breeding and veneration of serpents. The cornerstone of Konso culture, however, is a highly specialized and successful agricultural economy that, through terracing buttressed with stone, enable these people to extract a productive living from the none-too-fertile hills and valleys that surround them. An excellent day to meet the people, take photographs with them and learn of a culture that has had very little outside influence. Further along the route visit the Tsemay village. Continue driving down to the south to the small town of Key Afer. Stop at this little town and visit the Key Afer Tribal Market held on Thursdays.
O/N – Jinka Resort Hotel or similar.
Information: There is a supplement fee for a tour guided tour in French, Spanish, German, and Italian.
-For groups of 2 to 4 pax, the fee is Euros 14 p/p per day.
-For groups of 5 to 8, the fee is Euro 10 p/p per day.

Morning excursion to the Mago National Park, the Mago National Park is located on the eastern bank of the Omo River and ranges in altitude from 450 to 2,528 meters above sea level. We tour the park to view wild life and then continue on to a Mursi village to visit and appreciate the very attractive culture of Mursi tribe. They are renowned for the strange custom followed by their women who, on reaching maturity, have their lower lips slit and circular clay discs inserted. Later this afternoon after lunch drive to Tumri. Along the way we pass through a vast meadowland with shrubs and “umbrella” acacia trees. Turmi,which is the base to visit the Hamer village. Hamers have remarkable hairstyles made from ochre, water, and binding resin. They rub the mixture into their hair then twist the strands repeatedly to create Coppery-colored locks. This is a sign of wealth and welfare. Hamers are considered to be masters of body decoration.
O/N – Buska Lodge or similar
Information: There is a supplement fee for a tour guided tour in French, Spanish, German, and Italian.
-For groups of 2 to 4 pax, the fee is Euros 14 p/p per day.
-For groups of 5 to 8, the fee is Euro 10 p/p per day.

Turmi is well known for its Monday market. If we arrive on a Monday we visit the colorful markets of the Hammer, Karo and Dassanech tribes respectively. Turmi is our base as we explore the region and to meet the different tribes who live a life of their own. This day we drive towards the Murulle area. Murile Murile (also spelled Muelle and Murli) lies on the banks of the Omo River, and is a popular base for exploring what is essentially a rugged area.
There is a fair amount of wildlife in the area, and a good chance of seeing some form of antelope and possibly raptors overhead. The two main tribes who live in the area are the Karo and the Hamer, both of whom practice scarification and have elaborate hairstyles. The Karo ethnic groups are experts in body painting, using clays and locally available vegetable pigments to trace fantastic patterns on their faces, chests, arms and legs.
These designs have no special symbolic significance but are created purely for fun and aesthetic effect, each artist vying to outdo his fellows. Karo men also sculpt and shave their hair into extravagant shapes, with special ochre "caps" of hair usually containing several ostrich feathers.
O/N – Buska Lodge or similar
Information: There is a supplement fee for a tour guided tour in French, Spanish, German, and Italian.
-For groups of 2 to 4 pax, the fee is Euros 14 p/p per day.
-For groups of 5 to 8, the fee is Euro 10 p/p per day.

Drive to Yabello to visit the Singing Wells and Chew bet Crater Lake (80 km. south of Yabelo). Travel is through a semi-arid area, home to the Borena, a semi-nomadic tribe, and we can glimpse small flocks of camels with their Borena owners here and there. Their style of clothing is totally different than of the tribes of Omo Valley and the colourful dresses of the women resemble the semi-Arabic Harrar style. They survive in a dry area with their herds by digging very deep wells.
A kind of track leads to the water source and the men are standing in a long row, passing the buckets with water. They sing special songs during the job and that's why their wells are called: "singing wells". The 30 minute steep descend into Chew Bet (House of Salt) Crater Lake offers a splendid view. The Arebore people make their living extracting salt from the dark, muddy water of the lake.
O/N – Yabello Motel or similar
Information: There is a supplement fee for a tour guided tour in French, Spanish, German, and Italian.
-For groups of 2 to 4 pax, the fee is Euros 14 p/p per day.
-For groups of 5 to 8, the fee is Euro 10 p/p per day.

Morning after breakfast drive to Awassa, En route visit the Tutu Fela Stelae Field, Tutu Fela is one of the most impressive archaeological sites out of the 50 or so fields known in the Gedea zone, the other site being Tututi. There are two styles of stelae: the phallic stelae thought to date from the 9th century and the anthropomorphic stelae, thought to date from the 12th century.
Tutu Fela has around 300 stelae of both styles (mostly anthropomorphic), whereas the Tututi stelae are mostly phallic and some standing up to 6m high. These obelisks are essentially grave stones and excavation has revealed artifacts ranging from iron and copper bracelets, to pottery, beads and tools, which were buried alongside the occupant, and this drive also passes through the famous coffee growing area of sidamo and yirgachefe.
O/N – South star hotel or other Similar
Information: There is a supplement fee for a tour guided tour in French, Spanish, German, and Italian.
-For groups of 2 to 4 pax, the fee is Euros 14 p/p per day.
-For groups of 5 to 8, the fee is Euro 10 p/p per day.

This morning after breakfast visit the scenic morning Fish Market in Awassa where the fishermen sell their fresh Tilapia, Catfish, and Barbus and pelicans and storks compete for the leftovers. You can also spot Black and White Colombus monkeys around the Armora Gedele Fish Market compound.
We continue the drive to Addis stopping on the way in some of the rift valley lakes like ziway to spot a bird life. In the evening, before departure, have a farewell dinner party at one of the best traditional restaurants where you will see the folkloric dance of the different ethnic people of Ethiopia, and taste the variety of Ethiopian meals.
Then, be transferred to the airport for your departure.

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