OMO VALLEY AND BEYOND

• Day 1 – ADDIS ABABA – JINKA

  Arrive Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, clients met and assisted with connecting flight to Jinka -departure 12:30PM. Arrival at Jinka Airport around 01:40PM. Zulla Discovery representative will meet and transfer to Jinka Resort for check-in - followed by lunch. Clients already in Addis Ababa, Zulla Discovery representative will meet at 11:00 AM to give a brief of upcoming tour and assist with flight to Jinka.  

  Afternoon activity: Visit the South Omo Ethnographic Museum and Ari village. Afterwards visit the village of Ari (Ari is the biggest and have a fertile land from the Omotic Ethnic Groups). It is believed the Ari were the original ethnic group from which the other ethnic groups originated from the Lower Omo Valley. Here you will learn more about the Ari ethnic groups’ culture and history.  

  
  
  

• Day 2 – 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, but there. 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 3 – TURMI& OMORATE 

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

  Afternoon activity: Visit the Hamar people at their traditional village. The Hamar are 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 which is styled with various pigments, mostly red and white.  

  
  
  

• Day 4 – TRUMI to KONSO & ARBAMINCH

  Early breakfast and depart 07:00AM for city of Arbaminch by road. On route, visit one of the many walled villages of the Konso people - the Konso landscape is an UNESCO site located in a dry, hilly environment at the edge of the Rift Valley in southern Ethiopia. A relatively isolated area of the country, where life has remained largely unchanged for at least 400 years.  The people live in closely-packed communities of wood-and-mud built thatched dwellings from which they travel out to tend fields on a daily basis. 

  Lunch at Lodge. 

  Afternoon activity: Boat trip on Lake Chamo as part of the Netch Sar National Park. Located between the rift valley lakes of Chamo and Abaya. Nech Sar National Park ranks the most visited Ethiopia safari National Parks. After seeing the abundant wildlife the lake has to offer, transfer to Paradise Lodge for check-in and dinner. 

  
  
  

• Day 5 – ARBAMINCH 

  Morning at leisure at the lodge or walk around 40 springs in the immediate area. 

  Afternoon depart Arba Minch to visit the village of the Dorze people, famous for their intricately woven bamboo huts and weaving of traditional clothes. Knitting is the main profession for many Dorze. Traditional Dorze textiles are colorful and considered the best in Ethiopia. The Dorze weaving skill are also displayed in their beehive-shaped hut that resemble the face of an elephant. Get immersed onto their culture including the making of Kotcho- a pizza like bread made from False Banana and cultural dance! Enjoy sunset on the return drive to Arba Minch as Dorze is located on a commanding hill overlooking the two lakes- Abaya and Chamo. 

  
  
  

• DAY 6 – ARBAMINCH to ADDIS

  Sleep in and take-in the last bit of Ethiopia before transfer to Arbaminch Airport for departure flight to Addis Ababa at 03:15PM, arriving 04:20PM for connecting flight back home.

  
  
  

• Eco-Omo Lodge or similar includes Lunch and Dinner

  
  
  

• Paradise Lodge or similar (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

  
  
  

• Buska Lodge or similar includes Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

  
  
  

Package Price Includes:  

• Accommodations as specified in the program. 
• Meet and greet services. 
• English speaking guide services. 
• Airport transfers as per the program. 
• All ground transports per the program. 
• All entrance fees such park fees, village fees and museum fees as stated in the program. 
• Local boat fee to cross Omo River and Lake Chamo 
• Bottled water will be provided in vehicles.  
• All government taxes. 

Package Price Excludes 

• International flight airfares. 
• Domestic airfares inside Ethiopia (confirm with agent when making a booking)   
• Airport taxes.  
• Visas 
• Personal travel, baggage and medical insurance.  
• Telephone bill, laundry and any items of a personal nature 
• TIPs for service providers such as portages, drivers, guides, scouts, waiters/waitress and others. 

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