Ethiopia: Authentic Cultural Tour & Omo Valley
$3490
per person
The Omo Valley is one of the most spectacular places on earth, a kaleidoscope of vanishing cultures and breathtaking landscapes. You’ll enjoy the best of what amazing Ethiopia has to offer, from Lalibela’s underground rock-hewn churches to a visit with the Mursi tribe, who are best known for their unique facial decor, lip plates. If Ethiopia has an all-star tour, this is it. Visit one of the world’s great tribal lands, escorted by your guide who knows the area and the nuances of its tribes and their customs. You can’t go wrong on this foray!
Ethiopia is a great county to combine with the incredible safari destinations of Kenya, Tanzania, or even Uganda! We recommend travels take a bit of time exploring any of these unique wildlife encounters with the incredibly rich culture of Ethiopia.
Highlights
- ZOMA Museum, an environmentally conscious art institution acting as a bridge between artists and architects from around the world to create cutting-edge ecological art and architecture
- Blue Nile Falls
- Lake Tana’s 14th century island monasteries
- Gondar’s Royal Enclosure
- Lalibela’s mind-blowing underground rock-hewn churches
- Nakuto Leab Monastery
- Chencha, home of the Dorze people
- Konso village
- Hamer Village — The Hamer display an elaborate and diverse array of body decorations.
- Ari Tribe — well-regarded blacksmiths
- Mursi Tribe — best known for their unique facial decor, lip plates.
- Farewell dinner party with cultural dance show featuring the different ethnic groups living here — a wonderful finale to an epic trip!
10 Nights, 11 Days
- Destination
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Included
AccommodationsActivities as SpecifiedEnglish Speaking GuideGovernment taxesMeals as SpecifiedTransportation
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Not Included
Domestic AirfareInternational AirfareTips For Tour GuidesTravel InsuranceVisa Processing
From our gallery
1
ARRIVE ADDIS ABABA
- Arrive in Addis Ababa (ADD), Ethiopia. Upon arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, you’ll be welcomed and assisted by your tour guide and driver for a short transfer to your hotel.
- The rest of the day is a city tour of Addis Ababa which includes: the National Museum which houses Lucy, the Ethnographic Museum, and the Mercato, the largest open air market in Africa.
- We will then head to ZOMA Museum. This is an environmentally conscious art institution acting as a bridge between artists and architects from around the world to create cutting-edge ecological art and architecture. In this context, Zoma Museum is built using ancient yet still existing construction techniques. The building materials include mud, straw, stone, wood, and cement.
- The activities of Zoma Museum include a gallery, library, children’s center, edible garden, elementary school, art and vernacular school, amphitheater and a museum shop. Welcome to Ethiopia!
- ACCOMMODATION: JUPITER HOTEL
- iNCLUDED: TRANSPORTATION, LUNCH, & TOUR ENTRANCE FEES
2
ADDIS ABABA- BAHIRDAR
- 40-minute morning flight to Bahirdar.
- After check-in to the beautiful lakeside resort, stroll around the lake and enjoy a relaxing morning.
- After lunch at the hotel, we’ll drive 35km to visit the majestic Blue Nile Falls. Thirty km’s after it exits Lake Tana, the Blue Nile plunges over a 45m-high face to form one of Africa’s most spectacular waterfalls.
- Hike to the falls through the beautiful river gorge and cross a 17th century bridge while meeting locals in small villages discovered along the way. This is the real deal!
- In the afternoon, we’ll have a sunset cruise on Lake Tana toward the outlet of the Blue Nile River.
- Relax via a sundowner with snack, wine, and cold drinks -- the ultimate way to enjoy the African Sunset and also spot birdlife and the hippocampus.
- ACCOMMODATION: KURIFTU RESORT
- INCLUDED: TRANSPORTATION, BREAKFAST, LUNCH, & DINNER
3
BAHIRDAR-ISLAND MONASTERIES OF LAKE TANA
- After breakfast, we’ll cruise by boat across Lake Tana to visit its ancient 14th century island monasteries. The 37 islands of Lake Tana shelter twenty monasteries that are surviving remnants of an old and contemplative tradition. Because of their isolation, they were used to store treasures and religious relics from all parts of the country. The Lake’s monasteries are famous for their typical Ethiopian religious paintings, illuminated manuscripts, and other ancient church treasures.
- Here we’ll also witness how the local people make different handicrafts including the papyrus boat. This boat is very similar to the boats you see in the ancient paintings of the pyramids of Egypt painted thousands of years ago.
- In the afternoon, we’ll visit the colorful Bahir Dar market. For today’s sundowner, we’ll chill out with a drink in our hand while having a relaxing 30-minute foot massage while enjoying the sunset on the lake. Now this is the way to end an epic day.
- ACCOMMODATION: KURIFTU RESORT
- INCLUDED: TRANSPORTATION, BREAKFAST, LUNCH, & DINNER
4
BAHIR DAR-GONDAR
- After breakfast, drive to Gondar through the beautiful countryside arriving in Gondar around lunchtime.
- After check in to Goha Hotel and having lunch there, we’ll start city tour of Gondar. Gondar, founded by Emperor Fasiledas around 1635, is famous for its many medieval castles and the design and decor of its churches -- in particular, Debre Birhan Selassie represents a masterpiece of unique Ethiopian School of traditional art.
- Visit the Royal Enclosure, a walled compound having six different castles built beginning in the 17th century by a succession of kings. The pool of King Fasilidas still serves as a baptismal pool during the Ethiopian Epiphany; we’ll also visit the famous Deberberhan Sillassie who interior is adorned with brilliant frescos.
- ACCOMMODATION: GOHA HOTEL
- INCLUDED: TRANSPORTATION, BREAKFAST, LUNCH, & DINNER
5
AXUM-ROCK-HEWN CHURCHES OF LALIBELA
- After having an early breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Gonder Airport for your flight to Lalibela.
- After check in to Hotel, we’ll stroll to the site to discover a concentration of some of Ethiopia’s most famous underground rock-hewn churches. These “living wonders of the world” are at least 800 years-old and remain an active Christian shrine and the spiritual center of the country’s religious life. The monolithic churches were carved out of 2,600-sq meter natural rock terrace in the 12-century AD by King Lalibela.
- This afternoon, we’ll also visit Lalibela elementary school and enjoy some up-close time with the curious children by visiting their classrooms to share stories.
- In the evening, there’ll be a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony for the group prepared at a local house. Those who can’t face their day without a cup of coffee may be surprised to know that Ethiopia is it’s birthplace, with the Kaffa region being its namesake. The berries were originally only eaten, never roasted and ground into a beverage; Ethiopians turned coffee into a hot drink in the 13th century. Coffee ceremonies are a traditional Ethiopian way of welcoming guests and sharing the ultimate hospitality -- a frequent celebration that remains in the heart of most Ethiopians.
- ACCOMMODATION: TUKUL VILLAGE HOTEL
- INCLUDED: TRANSPORTATION, BREAKFAST, LUNCH, & DINNER
6
LALIBELA-ASHETEN MARIAM
- A morning drive to Nakuto Leab Monastery, a very famous 13-century monastery/church built in a cave.
- After lunch and rest at the hotel, we’ll continue our journey into Ethiopia’s long and marvelous past with a visit to more of Lalibela’s remarkable churches, whose architecture and artistry must be seen to be believed.
- Once you have finished visiting the second group of churches we’ll stroll through the village via the bewildering labyrinth of underground tunnels leading to the monastery were the monks and nuns live.
- The underground rock-hewn churches that we’ll visit this afternoon include: Bete Gebriel, Bete Mercorios, Bete Amanuel, Bethlehem and Bete Aba Libanos.
- ACCOMMODATION: TUKUL VILLAGE HOTEL
- INCLUDED: TRANSPORTATION, BREAKFAST, LUNCH, & DINNER
7
LALIBELA- ADDIS ABABA-DEPARTURE
- After breakfast, transfer to Lalibela airport for flight to Addis Ababa.
- Same morning, fly from Addis Ababa airport Arbaminch.
- Upon arrival at Arbaminch, you’ll meet your driver and head to the lodge.
- After lodge check-in, we’ll drive to the mountain village of Chencha, home of the Dorze people. The Dorze people are renowned cotton weavers whose tall beehive-shaped bamboo-woven dwellings are among the most distinctive structures to be seen anywhere in Africa.
- ACCOMMODATION: PARADISE LODGE
- INCLUDED: TRANSPORTATION, BREAKFAST, LUNCH, & DINNER
8
ARBAMINCH –KONSO-TURMI
- After an early breakfast, we will drive to Jinka en-route visiting different cultural people and their villages which include the Konso and the undulating landscape of Konso area. The Konso are famous for their old and unique terracing and unusual engraved wooden statues of Konso grave markers.
- Between Konso and Jinka, will also have brief stops to visit the different cultural people and their villages like: Tsemay around Weito River, the Benna at Keyafer and the Ari at Kako Village.
- ACCOMMODATION: BUSKA LODGE
- INCLUDED: TRANSPORTATION & BREAKFAST
9
TURMI-OMORATE
- After an early breakfast, we’ll drive to Jinka -- while en-route, we’ll visit villages of varying cultures including a Konso village and its surrounding undulating landscape. The Konso are famous for their archetypal and unique landscape terracing and their crafting of unusual engraved wooden statues that become Konso grave markers.
- Between Konso and Jinka, we’ll also make brief stops to visit additional cultural villages including Tsemay around Weito River, the Benna at Keyafer, and the Ari at Kako Village.
- ACCOMMODATION: BUSKA LODGE
- INCLUDED: TRANSPORTATION & BREAKFAST
10
TURMI-KEYAFER MARKET-JINKA
- In the morning, we’ll drive to Jinka. En-route, we’ll visit the Bena Village and it colorful Keya Afer market. The type of market depends on which day of the week we arrive. We can also re-route the program to make sure it includes at least one tribal market day.
- In the afternoon, we’ll visit the Ari Village and Ethnographic Museum. You’ll witness the different lifestyles of the Ari Tribe, who are also well-regarded blacksmiths. They also produce all sorts of vital tools for the neighboring tribes; Ethiopians come from everywhere to purchase tools from the Ari.
- Late in the afternoon, we will enjoy a sundowner atop a hill. Life is good!
- ACCOMMODATION: ECO OMO LODGE
- INCLUDED: TRANSPORTATION
11
JINKA-MURSI-ADDIS ABABA
- In the morning, we’ll drive to Mursi Village through Mago National Park. The Mursi, undoubtedly the most celebrated residents of South Omo, are distinctive group of pastoralists (cattle farmers). The Mursi are best known for their unique facial decor, lip plates. These women wear circular clay plates inside their lower lips; the bigger the plate, the greater her value when she gets married.
- After Mursi Village visit, we’ll enjoy a picnic lunch in the Mago National Park and continue driving back to Jinka through the park.
- Board the early afternoon short flight back to Addis Ababa arriving at 2pm.
- The rest of the day features a city tour of Addis Ababa which includes the fabulous view of Addis Ababa from Mount Entoto and a chance to shop around Piassa and Bole.
- You’ll also enjoy a beautiful café where you can mix with the locals.
- In the evening, there’ll be a farewell dinner party with a traditional buffet and local drinks.
- There will also be cultural dance show featuring the different ethnic groups living here -- a wonderful finale to an epic trip!
- At the conclusion of the farewell dinner, transfer to Addis Ababa airport for the flight back home (while wearing a big smile on your face).
- INCLUDED: TRANSPORTATION, BREAKFAST, LUNCH, & DINNER
Dates
Unlike most tour operators, you are not required to choose a fixed date or travel with a group. You can choose to begin your private tour on any date. These are EVERYDAY DEPARTURES.Tour Price
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- Prices are per person based on double occupancy.
- Single supplement price for single room as part of a group of 2 or more.
- One person traveling alone will incur a higher price due to private tour.
- All prices and fares are quoted in U.S. dollars and subject to change.
- Prices for 4 & more travelers available upon request.