Journey to the South and Great Rift

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  HELLO ADDIS ABABA, CITY TOUR

  

  Activity: discovery tour of the capital In the morning, arrival at Addis Ababa airport. Welcome by your accompanying guide outside the arrivals hall. Transfer to the hotel. Refreshing and thirst-quenching break if you arrive in the morning. Then, depending on your arrival time, discovery tour of Addis Ababa, a city undergoing rapid change and the seat of the African Union. You will make your first visits to Ethiopian Orthodox churches with the Holy Trinity Cathedral, ascent to Mount Entoto and visit, from where you overlook the entire city at an altitude of 3,200 m, and visit the former imperial palace. You will discover the national museums, trace the origins of humanity by admiring the famous Lucy, the most famous of the Australopithecines; you will explore the history and traditions of Ethiopia. Visit to the Merkato, one of the largest markets in Africa. Night: Addis Ababa Walking time: none Car journey: 90 km Elevation: 2,300

• day 2

  ADDIS ABABA - YIRGALEM

  

  Activity: Meeting the inhabitants of Sidama (coffee region) In the morning, head to Yirgalem, via Ziway. Ziway is located at an altitude of 1,643 meters, on the shores of Lake Ziway. Walk along the shores of Lake Ziway to observe the many birds such as swans, Senegal hammerkops, and fish eagles. Then, visit the Abyata and Shalla National Park, which is home to alkaline lakes with an impressive colony of pink flamingos as well as many other bird species (cormorants, pelicans) and ostrich families. In the afternoon, accompanied by your local guide, you will cross traditional Sidamo villages and discover a remarkably rich fauna and flora. You will meet the local people and discover coffee culture through the lush landscapes of this hinterland. Night: Yirgalem Accommodation: ecolodge Walking time: 1h Car journey: 4h Elevation: 1560

• day 3

  Yirgalem - Arba Minch

  

  Activity: road to Arbaminch / Meeting with the Dorze people In the morning, visit to the fish market on the shores of Lake Awassa, famous for its tilapia and catfish, at Amora Gedel park to observe monkeys and birds. Then, drive to Arbaminch (“40 springs”). Before reaching Arbaminch, in the afternoon, we will head into the surrounding mountains to go to Dorze, a village of the Dorze ethnic group. This visit to the village will be an opportunity to discuss the importance, for this ethnic group, of the Enset, a false banana tree used from roots to leaves. A central element of the survival of the Dorze, the Enset will be explained to us by our guide. This plant, which resembles the banana tree, can reach 8 to 9 meters in height. It is found in many countries, but Ethiopia is the only place where an edible product is extracted from it. Return to Arbaminch for the night. Night: Arbaminch Accommodation: Hotel Walking time: no Car journey: 6h Elevation: 1,128 m

• day 4

  ARBAMINCH - TURMI

  

  Activity: Konso is one of the last stelae raisers In the morning, departure for a boat excursion on Lake Chamo, which is home to an impressive population of crocodiles. Lazing on the Azzo Gabaya shore, known as the "crocodile market," dozens of saurians, some of which can reach up to 6 m, bask in deceptive stillness. Further on, a cove shelters a colony of hippos and large birds such as great white pelicans, storks, ibises, as well as spoonbills and fish eagles. Then, departure for Konso and visit to a fortified Konso village, the only farmers in Ethiopia who practice terrace farming. The villages have paved alleys, small squares adorned with generational totems, and are surrounded by walls for protection against wild animals and enemies. Also visit the Konso museum, created in partnership with France in 2009, to protect and honor the Konso people's wooden funerary statues, the Waka. This museum is rich in fascinating explanations about this incredible people, their culture, their villages, and their way of life. In 1996, 200 wakas destined to be sold on the black art market were seized by Ethiopian customs. The local authorities then questioned the fate of these works, which bear witness to the culture and religious beliefs of the small Konso ethnic group in southwestern Ethiopia. Night: Turmi Accommodation: Lodge Walking time: 2h Car journey: 4h Elevation: 925m

• day 5

  TURMI - KARO - TURMI

  

  Activity: At the heart of the last Ethiopian tribes In the morning, excursion to Koricho to meet the Karo tribe, one of the most endangered tribes, as their culture is tending to disappear. The region is extremely wild, and the landscapes and the view over the Omo River are magnificent. The Karo are farmers (cereals, cotton, and sugar cane) who also raise livestock. They spend time in the art of decorating their bodies, especially during festivals. They use chalk to imitate the spotted plumage of the guinea fowl. They are also very inventive in making their jewelry, using anything they can find! Then, you will return to Turmi for a visit to a village and the Hamer tribe. They are mainly cattle breeders, so livestock holds a very important place in their culture. The Hamers are semi-nomadic. They follow a route traced by their ancestors, with many stopping points. After the market, return to Turmi. Night: Turmi Accommodation: Lodge Walking time: no Car journey: 5h Elevation: 925m

• day 6

  TURMI - DASANECH - JINKA

  

  Activity: Dassanech, a people full of customs and encounter with the Ari tribe In the morning, full-day excursion to Omorate to visit the Dassanech tribe. Here, you will cross the Omo River by local boat and enter a Dassanech village that is home to an Omotic tribe with their own language. Dassanech men raise cattle, around which many social systems are built, and women cultivate cereals on the banks of the Omo and Omo Kibish rivers. Then, continue to Jinka and visit the Ari. The Ari people live north of Mago National Park, around Jinka, and number 120,000 members. It is the tribe with the largest territory in this area. Their lands are exceptionally green and fertile, which allows them to have diversified crops such as cereals, coffee, or fruits. They also harvest a lot of honey, which often serves as a means of exchange, and own many heads of cattle. Night: Jinka Accommodation: Hotel Walking time: 1h Car journey: 4h Elevation: 1,250 m

• day 7

  JINKA - MUSRI - JINKA - ADDIS ABABA

  

  Activity: Meeting with the Mursi, famous for their lip plates Early morning departure to meet the Mursi people. The Mursi, agro-pastoralists, are located in Mago National Park. The piercing of Mursi women's lips, performed with a fire-heated point, is accompanied by the removal of the lower incisors. The lip is coated with butter to speed up healing and ensure the elasticity of the flesh, and will receive increasingly larger labrets, up to the largest which can reach 18 cm in diameter. Return to Jinka then flight to Addis Ababa according to Ethiopian Airlines schedules, 1 hour flight then transfer to the hotel. Night: Addis Ababa Accommodation: Hotel Walking time: no Car journey: 3h Elevation: 2,300 m

• day 8

  Visit of the capital Addis Ababa

  

  Activity: Visit of the capital The last day of your Ethiopian adventure. Today, you will visit the new Unity Park, located on the grounds of the former Grand Imperial Palace. The palace was originally built during the reign of Emperor Menelik and has since been the decision-making seat of Ethiopia: its successive occupants included both the last Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie and the Marxist president Mengistu. After the lunch break, you will have time for shopping. Then, you will be transferred to your hotel to pack your bags and prepare for your return flight. In the evening, before your international flight, farewell dinner at the Ethiopian Traditional restaurant. Finally, your driver will take you to Bole International Airport and you will take your return flight. Your Ethiopian adventure ends here.