Yama Ethiopia Tours is always ready to plan and escort your trip to such diverse tourist attraction sites that will be visited within a ten-day journey from Addis Ababa to Arba Minch, Dorze Village, Jinka, Omorate, and the Bale Mountains along Ethiopia's Southern Cultural Route. Explore Addis Ababa's museums, the relaxing shores of Lake Langano, the endemic wildlife of Bale Mountains National Park, the Rift Valley lakes of Hawassa and Chamo, the weaving culture of the Dorze people, and the remarkable traditions of the Omo Valley's Konso, 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 Langano In the morning, drive to Lake Langano, the most popular Rift Valley lake, free of Bilharzia unlike other freshwater lakes in Ethiopia — perfect for swimming and relaxing. Enjoy your afternoon at the lake. | Sabana Beach Resort — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 03 | Visit Abiatta–Shala NP & Drive to Bale Mountains NP After breakfast, visit Abiatta–Shala National Parks, home to the breeding and feeding grounds of Flamingos, Pelicans, Cormorants, and other aquatic birds, then continue driving to Bale Mountains National Park. Here you will see many endemic species such as the Blue-winged Goose, Spot-breasted Lapwing, Abyssinian Long Claw, Wattled Ibis, Black-headed Siskin, Rouget's Rail, Banded Barbet, and other species too. | Bale Mountains Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 04 | More Excursions in Bale Mountains National Park Leave Goba early in the morning towards Sanetti Plateau. While crossing a lush green forest, you will see the Ethiopian Wolf, an endemic mammal. Then take a further hike to reach the highest peak at 4,377 meters above sea level, experiencing the chilly wind. Walk down across a moorland landscape dotted with white and yellow cushion flowers, colorful lichen-covered rocks, and sparse Giant Lobelias, visiting water birds in the small lakes. Also walk in the Harenna Forest to see the Bale Monkey and possibly lion, with a further excursion possibly enabling a sighting of the Ruspoli's Turaco. | Bale Mountains Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 05 | Drive to Hawassa In the morning after breakfast, drive 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. The abundance and variety of the lake's birdlife is truly spectacular. | Haile Resort — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 06 | Visit Fish Market & Drive to Arba Minch via Dorze Village In the morning, visit the local fish market at Lake Awassa, then proceed driving to Arba Minch, visiting the Dorze people along the way. 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 07 | Excursion in Arba Minch & Drive to Turmi via Key Afer Market 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 drive to Turmi, visiting the Konso tribe village along the way. The Konso are known for their unique social structure and their practice of agricultural terracing. Also visit Key Afer Market, joining in the colorful local weekly Banna and Tsemay market that attracts neighboring tribes from the region — the Ari from Jinka, the Tsemay from Weyto, and the Hamer from Dimeka, known for their showy decorative dressings and dyed, styled hair. | Paradise Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 08 | 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 to visit the nearby Hamer tribe village, with the possibility of seeing special occasion ceremonies such as weddings and rituals. | Paradise Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 09 | Excursion to Karo & Drive to Jinka via Dimeka (Saturday) Market 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 drive to Jinka via Dimeka to attend the Saturday market, which attracts neighboring tribes from the area such as the Hamer, Karo, and sometimes Dasenach. | Jinka Eco-Omo Lodge — Bed & Breakfast |
| Day 10 | Excursion to Mursi Village & Fly Back to Addis & Departure 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. In the afternoon, transfer to the airport and fly back to Addis. Enjoy final shopping at a souvenir shop and a farewell dinner at a traditional restaurant, before transferring to the airport to fly back home. | Departure — Breakfast with Farewell Dinner |