Yama Ethiopia Tours is always ready to plan and escort your trip to such diverse tourist attraction sites that will be visited within an eight-day journey from Addis Ababa to Arba Minch, Dorze Village, Jinka, Konso, Omorate, and Turmi along Ethiopia's Southern Cultural Route. Explore Addis Ababa's museums, the Rift Valley lakes of Hawassa and Chamo, the weaving culture of the Dorze people, the terraced hillsides of the Konso, and the remarkable traditions of the Omo Valley's Dasenach, Hamer, Karo, and Mursi peoples.
Itinerary
| Day | Day Activities | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| Day 01 | Arrival in Addis Ababa & Sightseeing Upon arrival at Bole International Airport, you will be met by your Yama Ethiopia Tours representative and transferred to your reserved hotel. Depending on your arrival time, enjoy a city tour of Addis Ababa, including the National Museum (home of the famous 'Lucy' fossil skeleton), Trinity Cathedral Church, the Ethnological Museum, and Entoto Hills. | Hyatt Regency — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 02 | Drive to Hawassa via Abiatta–Shala National Park In the morning, meet your Yama Ethiopia Tours representative at your hotel and begin the tour by driving to the lakeside town of Hawassa, a bustling Ethiopian town in the heart of the Great Rift Valley, built on the shores of beautiful Lake Awassa and overlooked by Tabor Mountain, with a truly spectacular abundance and variety of birdlife. On the way, visit Abiatta–Shala National Parks, home to the breeding and feeding grounds of Flamingos, Pelicans, Cormorants, and other aquatic birds. | Haile Resort — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 03 | Drive to Arba Minch & Visit Dorze Village In the morning, visit the local fish market at Lake Awassa, then proceed driving to Arba Minch via the Dorze people. Weaving is a primary profession for many Dorzes, and their houses are built from bamboo, reflecting their unique way of life. They also cultivate false banana, from which they extract their local bread called Kotcho. | Paradise Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 04 | Excursion in Arba Minch & Drive to Turmi via Konso Village Take a morning boat cruise on Lake Chamo, one of the Rift Valley lakes, to see giant Nile crocodiles, hippos, and abundant water birds, then head toward Turmi via Konso tribe village. The Konso are known for their unique social structure and their practice of agricultural terracing. Visit the Konso market and meet the Konso King. | Paradise Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 05 | Excursion to Omorate Take an excursion to Omorate to visit the Dasenach tribes across the Omo River by wooden local boat, then return to Turmi. In the afternoon, visit the nearby Hamer tribe village, with the possibility of seeing special occasion ceremonies such as weddings and rituals. | Paradise Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 06 | Excursion to Karo & Drive to Jinka In the cool morning, drive to Karo to make an excursion to the Karo village and visit the Karo tribes, known for their distinctive body decorations and scarification, then continue driving to Jinka. | Jinka Eco-Omo Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 07 | Excursion to Mursi Village & Drive Back to Arba Minch Enter Mago National Park to visit a Mursi tribes' village. The Mursi are the best known of the Omo peoples; their most famous tradition is the lip plate worn by the women. The origin of this tradition is unknown, but the Mursi themselves consider it something that distinguishes them from the surrounding tribes. | Paradise Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 08 | Drive Back to Addis Ababa In the morning after breakfast, drive back to Addis Ababa, visiting the Alaba local village along the way. Enjoy final shopping at a souvenir shop and an evening farewell dinner at a traditional restaurant with folkloric dance, before transferring to the airport to fly back home. | Departure — Breakfast with Farewell Dinner |