NORTHERN HISTORIC SITES AND OMO VALLEY SAFARI

• DAY 1 - ADDIS to BAHIRDAR

  Early morning flight from Addis Ababa to Bahir Dar – depart at 07:00 am to arrive at 08:00 am.  
  Upon arrival at Bahir Dar Airport, welcomed by a Zulla Discovery representative and transferred to the lodge for check-in.  

  Morning activity: Enjoy a boat trip on Lake Tana and visit a medieval monastery of Ura Kidane Mihret at Zeghe Peninsula. Observe the separation point of the Blue Nile River from Lake Tana before heading back to the lodge for lunch.  

   Afternoon activity: Transfer by vehicle to Tis Abay village and visit the Blue Nile Falls. Hike through the beautiful scenery and cross a bridge built by the Portuguese to the waterfall. After spending time at the Falls, cross the Blue Nile River by boat, which joins the White Nile to form the longest river in the world before heading back to the lodge.  

  
  
  

• DAY 2 – BAHIRDAR to GONDAR

  After breakfast travel by road transfer to Gondar. (A comfortable 3 hour drive).  
  Along the way stop at Tara Mountains to enjoy the amazing landscape. Continue the journey to Gondar and arrive in time for lunch at the hotel.  

  Afternoon activity: Visit to the Royal enclosure consisting of several castles inscribed by UNESCO.  
  King Fasiledes’s bath and the fascinating Debre Birhan Selassie church which is well known for its intriguing ceiling paintings. Debire Birhan Selassie Church, meaning 'Trinity and Mountain of Light' is the most famous place of worship in Gondar. (On approach, twelve rounded stone towers representing the 12 apostles stand stoically guarding the church, as they have done for centuries. The 13th tower, the tallest of the group of towers, represents the Lion of Judah. 
  Originally built in the 17th century by Emperor Eyasu II, the present structure was redeveloped during the 1880s following a raid by marauding Sudanese Dervishes and a lightning strike that reduced the original building to rubble. 
  Return to the hotel for accommodation and dinner service.

  
  
  

• DAY 3 - GONDAR to LALIBELA

  After breakfast, transfer to Gondar Airport for flight to Lalibela - departure time is 09:15 am for arrival 09:45 am. Upon arrival at Lalibela Airport, a Zulla Discovery representative will meet and assist, followed by a 30 minute drive to Lalibela Town and check-in at the hotel.  

   Morning activity: An allocated Guide will collect the entrance tickets and other necessary documents for entrance to visit the first group of the rock hewn churches of Lalibela (encompasses 6 churches).  

   After lunch, continue to visit both the second and third groups of rock hewn churches of Lalibela with a total of 5 and 1 church. The churches were not constructed in a traditional way but rather were hewn from the living rock of monolithic blocks. These blocks were further chiseled out, forming doors, windows, columns, various floors, roofs etc. This gigantic work was further completed with an extensive system of drainage ditches, trenches and ceremonial passages, some with openings to hermit caves and catacombs. 

  
  
  

• DAY 4 - LALIBELA to ADDIS ABABA

  A leisure morning with breakfast at the hotel, followed by a road transfer to Lalibela Airport for flight to Addis Ababa at 11:10 am arriving at 12:10 pm.  

   Afternoon at leisure. Inquire with our booking consultants for optional activities in and around the city. 
  (City tour, Birding tour, Museum and or Cathedral visitations) 

  
  
  

• DAY 05: ADDIS ABABA to JINKA

  Arrive in Addis Ababa - Bole International Airport, clients are welcomed and assisted with the connecting flight to Jinka (depart at 12:30 pm). Arrival at Jinka Airport around 01:40 pm. A Zulla Discovery representative will meet and assist to transfer to Jinka Resort for check-in followed by lunch. For clients already in Addis Ababa, Zulla Discovery representative will meet you 11:00 am to provide a briefing of the upcoming tour and assist with the flight to Jinka.  

  Afternoon activity: Visit to the Ari village. Outside the town of Jinka, visit the Ari which is the largest village to occupy fertile land from all the ethnic groups within the Omo Valley. Learn and experience more about the Ari ethnic group culture and history.  

  
  
  

• DAY 06: JINKA to MURSI VILLAGE & back to TURMI

  Early breakfast transfer by road to Mursi village through the Mago National Park. A perfect opportunity to see wildlife enroute. The Mursi people are known for piercing and extending the lower lip to put circular shaped clay materials to adorn themselves. The Mursi are renowned for the lip plates worn by women. Rituals, rites of passage and ceremonies are still practiced and follow rules that have been handed down from one generation to the next. The most important figures for the Mursi are the Komoru or priest and the Ngerre or the healer.  

  After lunch at the lodge, drive to Turmi. Travel across the countryside and observe the landscape changes and local villages along the way. Afternoon at leisure.  

  
  
  

• DAY 07: TURMI to OMORATE & back to TURMI

  After breakfast, drive to Omorate. An hour’s drive followed by an authentic river crossing of the Omo River in a dug-out canoe to visit the Dassenech people. The Dassanech people are predominantly agro-pastoralists, who complement their income from livestock production and cultivation of crops on the flooded banks of the Omo River and along with fishing. After the morning excursion, return to the lodge for lunch.  

  Afternoon activity: Visit the Hamar people at their traditional village. The Hamar known for their unique custom of "bull jumping," which initiates a boy into manhood. The men of the tribe will often style their hair with clay, creating a sculpture of sorts that is styled with various pigments, mostly red and white.  

  
  
  

• DAY 08: TRUMI to KORCHO & JINKA

  An early wake up and breakfast followed by the departure at 07:00 am for an overland drive to Karo village. 
  Visit the people who are best known for body painting. The typical village of the Kara consists of a series of round huts, built by intertwining poles made from branches that are covered with mud to form the perimeter walls. The conical roof is a framework of wooden poles covered with straw and local herbs. After the visit, enjoy lunch at Turmi followed by an afternoon drive to Jinka Resort. 

  
  
  

• DAY 09: JINKA to ADDIS ABABA

  After a leisure breakfast, depart to visit the South Omo Ethnographic Museum before transfer to Jinka Airport for departure flight to Addis Ababa at 02:10 pm.  

  Connect with your onward international flight OR check in to the hotel for overnight accommodation. 

  
  
  

• Kuriftu Resort and Spa or similar

  
  
  

• Gondar Hill Resort or similar

  
  
  

• Mezena Lodge or similar

  
  
  

• Skylight Hotel or similar

  
  
  

• Eco-Omo Lodge or similar

  
  
  

• Buska Lodge or similar

  
  
  

• Jinka Resort or similar

  
  
  

Deposit & Cancellation Policy  

• A 30% refundable deposit is required within 14 days of making the booking, 
• Final payment is due 65 days of date of departure.  
• Cancelation before 60 days, a fee of $50 per person is charged as a handling fee to cover the cost of processing the booking and subsequent cancellation.   
• Cancellation between 59 days and 30 days, a rate of 50% of the value of booking is applicable. This applies for all services cancelled or reduced in number, from noon on the first day of their commencement.  
• In the case of cancellation within 29 days from noon on the day the services commence or in the case of a no-show, a 100% of the value of the booking is applicable.  

Additional remarks 

• Please request any further information on this if required. 
• We may have to re-route the itinerary or accommodate in similar lodges in case of non-availability. 
• Prices for domestic flights, airport taxes or park fees may be changed without prior notice. This is beyond our control and any increase levied will be passed to you. 
• Specific language speaking guides must be requested at time of requesting booking and are subject to availability at time of confirmation. 

Passenger Information 

The tour is modular and combines with other tours so there may be need for clients to change vehicles on occasion. 

 Luggage 

Passengers should bring only soft sided bags. Due to limited luggage space in vehicles, suitcases are unsuitable for scheduled road safaris. We recommend luggage packed in inexpensive barrel/sausage bags or soft sided bags not exceeding 15kgs and 65x46 cm. 

 Covid-19 Policy  

 Please familiarize yourself with our latest Covid-19 policy