7 Days South Ethiopia Tour from Addis Ababa

No of Day/night – 7 Days & 6 Nights          

Mode of transportation – Car & Flight

Day 01 Arrival and Addis Ababa City Tour          

You will meet our staff upon arrival from your international flight and after breakfast, begin your exploration of Addis Ababa with visits to some of the city’s most iconic historical, cultural, and religious sites. The day includes the following highlights:

• Entoto Maryam Church: Located on the Entoto Hills, this is one of the oldest Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo churches, built in 1877 by Emperor Menelik II. The church features traditional Ethiopian architecture with octagonal domes. Inside, you’ll find a collection of royal artifacts, including Emperor Menelik II and Empress Taytu’s crowns, ceremonial garments, their royal bed, and a mirror gifted to the Empress by Queen Victoria.
• Entoto Park: Drive toward Mount Entoto, located north of Addis Ababa. The drive gradually climbs into the Entoto highlands, passing through the eucalyptus-covered mountain landscape. At suitable viewpoints, stop to enjoy panoramic views over Addis Ababa and take photographs. You may also visit Entoto Park, depending on the guests’ interests and available time. The park is situated at around 3,200 metres and offers views across the city, forest scenery, walking areas and recreational facilities.
• National Museum of Ethiopia: One of the most important museums in sub-Saharan Africa, it showcases Ethiopia’s rich archaeological heritage. Here, you will find the world-famous fossil remains of Lucy (Australopithecus afarensis), as well as Selam, a remarkably complete child hominid fossil estimated to be 3.3 million years old.

Overnight Haile Grand Addis Ababa

Day 02 Fly Addis Ababa to Arba minch

This day after breakfast you will be taken to the airport for your flight to Arba Minch. You will meet upon arrival and take a boat cruise on the Lake Chamo, the third biggest Lake in Ethiopia you will have a boat trip to see the crocodiles, hippos & aquatic bird species. The northern shores of Lake Chamo are famous for its large crocodiles, which can be seen in numbers lounging in the heat. The lake is about 32km long and provides a lush wetland habitat for many species of flora and fauna. After lunch you will drive to

Dorze people who are expert in weaving called Shammas Weaving is a primary profession for a number of Dorze people. The shape of their house looks Elephant, in order to remember the existence of these animals around the area many years ago. They are known for their traditional weaving of huts made out of local bamboo.  Enset “fake banana” is the stable food for these peoples.

Overnight Haile Resort Arba Minch

Day 03 Drive Arba Minch to Konso village

After breakfast you will drive to Konso village, one of the UNESCO site in Ethiopia know by their terracing in order to protect against soil erosion from the sporadic and often heavy rainfall in the region. The villages are encircled by one to six concentric rings of stone walls, mainly consisting of basalt boulders. The age of each town is classified by a generation pole and each family lives in compounds that are accessible only through gateways that require the visitor to enter on all fours thereby rendering any potential attackers vulnerable. One of the best types of coffee for the country is also from this village.

Overnight Kanta Lodge Konso

Day 04 Drive Konso to Turmi

After breakfast you will drive to Arbore tribe, that living near Lake Chew bahir in hot and flat areas and mainly cattlemen. They are speaking their own language Arbore which is from the omotic language family. The Arbore men can have multiple wives with his first wife chosen by his father. Most Arbore children have shaved heads with the older girls often wearing a black cloth draped over their heads to protect from sun as well as a visual tradition to indicate they are unmarried virgins. Late afternoon you will visit Hammer people, distinguished by the fact that their women wear leather skirts decorated with shells, wear several copper bracelets on their hands and heavy iron necklaces around their necks, symbolizing their social status, and their hair is colored with ocher and animal fat. Men, in case of victory over the enemy or a dangerous beast, fix the hairstyle with clay and decorate with ostrich feathers. This hairstyle is carefully guarded the Hammer sleep with a special borkotos chair under their neck. They are also known for their unique custom of “bull jumping,” which initiates a boy into manhood, practice of body adornment and wearing a multitude of colorful beads.

Overnight Paradise Lodge in Turmi

Day 05 Drive Turmi — Karo tribe – Turmi – Jinka

This morning, we continue through the savannah with shrubs and umbrella acacia trees to Kolcho, the village of

Karo people at the eastern bank of Omo River with beautiful views, Karo are famous for their intricate face and body painting practices, which they apply on their heads and torso before major events and on the weekly markets. Karo is the smallest tribes of the Omo Valley and Karo men also sculpts and shave their hair into extravagant shapes, with special ochre “caps” of hair usually containing several ostrich feathers. Then back to turmi for lunch and continue south by private vehicle toward

Jinka, the gateway to the Omo Valley, upon arrival in Jinka, visit the Jinka Museum and Cultural Center, where you can learn more about the diverse ethnic communities of the Omo Valley and the region’s cultural traditions. Depending on time and energy, enjoy a relaxed visit around Jinka town or a local cultural experience without requiring extensive walking.

Overnight Eco Omo Lodge Jinka

Day 06 Drive Jinka to Mago Park to Mursi and Fly to Addis Ababa

After breakfast you will drive to Mago park visit the Mursi village, the Mursi women, like their Surma cousins, live on the other bank of the Omo River, are famous for their large round (and not only) lip plates worn by women. There are several theories of the wearing of lip plates: disfiguring to prevent enslavement by Arabs in antiquity; protection against the penetration of evil spirits into the body through the mouth; determination of social status, showing the amount of cattle that the groom must pay as a dowry for the bride owning the plate. Mursi are unsurpassed masters of scarification. The scars on their bodies symbolize social status and past merits. The scars are created by using a razor blade and camel thorn. To achieve a bulge, an ash or a fly larva is planted in the wound, which, among other things, eliminates all possible infections. After visiting, you’ll be drive to Jinka Airport to catch your flight back to Addis Ababa.

Overnight Haile Grand Addis Ababa

Day 07 Addis Ababa Highlights, Souvenirs & Departure

After breakfast, enjoy a relaxed final morning in Addis Ababa.

• Ethnological Museum: Situated within the main campus of Addis Ababa University, this museum is housed in the former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie. It offers a deep insight into Ethiopia’s diverse cultures, with exhibits covering anthropology, music, and traditional life. It is also recognized as the first university museum in Ethiopia.
• Merkato, Africa’s largest open-air market. Established during the Italian occupation in the late 1930s, Merkato spans several square miles and hosts over 7,000 businesses. It offers a dynamic experience of the city’s daily life, where you can find everything from spices and textiles to handmade crafts and electronics.
• You could visit a local coffee shop or cultural venue for a traditional Ethiopian coffee experience. The final activities will be arranged according to your international flight schedule, avoiding long drives and unnecessary walking. At the appropriate time, transfer to Bole International Airport for your departure flight END OF SERVICE.