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  • 1km away from Bole airport, Addis Ababa
  • +251-930-034920

Zagwe Ethiopia tour

Omo Valley Safari, Rift Valley and Bale Mountains - 10 days

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  • Trip Code

    ZET 020

  • Duration

    10 days / 9 nights
    Any date departure

  • Group Size

    1- 20 Participants

  • Transportation

    Surface- 4WD- Air

  • Discount

    10% OFF

Cultural tour, Omo valley and Bale Mountains

Rift Valley, Omo valley and Bale Mountains-10 days

This is an extraordinary opportunity to meet some of the more remote ethnic groups of the fascinatingly diverse areas surrounding the Omo River in South West Ethiopia. While the Omo Valley is an area which has been on the “tourist radar” for several years, the vast majority of visitors to the region find themselves unable to escape the “4WD circuit” which has arisen. This comprehensive itinerary visits some of the region’s better known tribes. we aim to learn about the varied ethnic groups who inhabit the region – from the Mursi, renowned for their lip-plates, the Konso famous for their terraced farming to the Hamer famous for their bull jumping coming of age ceremony. This is a unique itinerary in an unforgettable part of the world.

The Mountain Nyala and the almost blackish–Menelik’s bushbuck in the Bale Mountains–National Park, spot Ethiopian wolves on an excursion to the moorlands of the Sanetti Plateau and look out for black-maned lions, leopard and the Bale monkey in the Harenna Forest. There is also the opportunity to visit the impressive Sof Omar Caves.

Two days in Bale Mountains National Park, home of the endangered and endemic Ethiopian wolf

Cultural encounters with the Dorze, Konso and Zay people, just a handful of Ethiopia’s 94 distinct ethnic groups.

Some of Africa’s best birding in Nech Sar National Park, Lake Ziway and the Lepis Forest.

Day 1:Arrive to Addis Ababa

We’ll be met at the international airport and privately transferred to Hotel where rooms will be ready for immediate occupancy.  Relax from the long flight then enjoy a first taste of authentic Ethiopian cuisine over lunch with our guides at a local restaurant. In the afternoon on a site-seeing tour of Addis Ababa. you will visit the National Museum which houses some of the country’s historic treasures. The collection of fossils and bones of early hominids discovered in Ethiopia include the 3.5 million year old remains of “Lucy”, the oldest hominid every found. We will also visit the Holy Trinity Church, Ethiopia’s main cathedral and home to the remains of the last emperor, Haile Selassie. Finally we will visit Menelik”s Mausoleum.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Capital hotel or similar hotel.

Day 2 :Fly to Arba Minch

transfer to the airport for  1 hour flight to Arba Minch .Located in southern Ethiopia’s Great Rift Valley, the surrounding environs of Nech Sar National Park are a rich, green environment, truly a hidden gem for travelers with a lush landscape of lakes, natural springs and grasslands teaming with wildlife such as crocodiles, hippopotamuses, baboons, the endangered Swaynes Hartebeast , zebra and more than 300 bird species. accommodations for the night are at Paradise Lodge, a sustainable development abutting the edge of Nech Sar National Park.  Settle into our private bamboo thatched huts and relax or opt to join our local naturalist guide for an early evening birding walk through the Forty Springs area, a natural oasis thought to have sacred healing properties.

Enjoy the sunset over the grasslands and Lake Chamo while sharing dinner at Paradise Lodge.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Paradise Lodge.

Day 3 : Arba Minch

After breakfast, board local boats for a morning of wildlife viewing on Lake Chamo.  Get close to Nile crocodile, hippopotamus, fish and various bird species (greater and lesser flamingos, along with white-necked cormorants several species of herons, storks, spoonbills, African ducks, gulls and Sterns) and check out what is fondly referred to as “the crocodile market”, a daily gathering spot on the banks of Lake Chamo where crocodiles seem to go to see and be seen.  We return to Paradise Lodge to collect our picnic lunch then drive approximately 45 minutes into the Guge Mountains and the community of Dorze, well known for their conical thatched huts that are supposed to resemble the heads of elephants that once roamed these plains.  Talented weavers, we’ll spend part of the afternoon on a ‘cultural hike’ through the Dorze community, pausing at the homes of various locals to learn how they produce artful baskets, scarves and pottery. You can even try your own hand at weaving if you choose!  A late picnic lunch will be enjoyed at a scenic overlook in the Gamo Highlands before we finish our day at the Ch’ench”a Market — Campbell’s favorite local market from his time in the Peace Corps.  Some of Ethiopia’s best cotton and woven goods come from this region. Return to Paradise Lodge after a full day for a well-earned dinner and restful overnight.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Paradise Lodge

Day 4: Drive to Konso

The rolling hills of Ethiopia’s Southern Rift Valley, dotted with bright green moringa trees and quaint thatched huts, are home to the Konso people — traditional farmers who cultivate cotton and rear cows and goats. With ties to the land dating back more than 400 years, the traditions of the Konso tribe, including their ancient walled settlements and stone waga sculptures, have been recognized as a UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site.  We’ll enjoy a scenic picnic lunch and then learn about the tradition of carving and erecting stone waga statues to honor the deceased.

We’ll spend this evening at Kanta Lodge overlooking the Konso Village, a stunning location for photography in the evening light. This marks the southernmost point of our journey.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Kanta Lodge

Day 5 :Drive to Awassa

Today we journey overland from Konso to Awassa, capital of the Southern Nations and arguably one of the most pleasant towns in Ethiopia. Our travels will take us through the Sidamo Region — a land of lush lowland forest where some of Ethiopia’s finest coffee is cultivated, alongside a cultural tradition of innate environmental conservation. We’ll stop for lunch and a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the coffee growing process — from bean to cup — then continue on to north to Awassa, arriving in the mid to late afternoon. Check-in at the Haile Resort for overnight then head out as a group to Dolce Vita, which specializes in delicious pizza with an Ethiopian twist. After dinner enjoy some free time to explore the vibrant nightlife of Awassa.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Haile Resort.

Day 6: Drive to Bale Mountains National park

spectacularly diverse landscapes. The high altitude, afro-montane Sanetti Plateau rises to over 12,000′ and includes the highest peak in the southern Ethiopia highlands. This undulating plateau is marked by numerous glacial lakes and swamps and surrounded by higher volcanic ridges and peaks while the southern slopes are covered by the lush and largely unexplored Harenna Forest.  With such varied habitat, Bale Mountains National Park provides refuge to an array of species, including a number of threatened Ethiopian endemic species such as the Ethiopian wolf (rarest canine in the world), the mountain nyala, the wattled crane, the rock hyrax, the blue-winged goose and the Bale monkey. It is considered one of the top birding destinations in all of Africa, with residents and migrators accounting for nearly 500 individual species.

We enter the park in the early afternoon and meet with a representative of the Frankfurt Zoological Society to learn about the various ecosystems within the park, the species we may encounter and challenges to conservation.  Up on the Sanetti Plateau, we’ll join rangers on a guided hike through the highlands, spotting for game such as the giant molerat (endemic to the Bale Mountains), rock hyrax and Starck’s hare. The plateau is also home to Ethiopian wolves and a trip to the plateau all but guarantees a sighting of this charismatic carnivore! The plateau also hosts a large number of raptors that feed on the sizeable rodent population, including Verreaux’s, tawny and steppe eagles; lanner falcons; kestrels; and golden eagles.

After sun downers on the plateau, we proceed to our home for the next two nights, the beautiful Bale Mountain Lodge, located within the Harenna Forest, one of the largest and most extensive remaining in Ethiopia.  We’ll share dinner with our lodge hosts and eagerly anticipate the next two days on safari in the Bale National Park.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Bale Mountain Lodge .

Day 7:Bale Mountains

full days of guided wildlife safari, exploring the various ecosystems of Bale Mountain National Park. Our explorations will focus on the Harenna Forest, which teems with wildlife of all types but of particular note are the endemic Bale Monkeys, which can routinely be seen in and around the lodge site, alongside the spectacular birdlife of the forest. Other primates, rare cats and unusual plants may be seen and every trip into the trees provides a different experience. Imperial Eagles and Wattled Cranes are also frequently seen here.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Bale Mountain Lodge.

Day 8: Drive to Ziway

As we make our way out of Bale Mountains National Park, we drive through the Sanetti Plateau and northern grasslands (Gaysay Grasslands), retracing our path of entrance.  This journey will provide one final chance to spot the Ethiopian wolf as well as grassland dwellers such as the Mountain nyala and Bohor reedbuck.   We’ll pause briefly in Shashamene, a town famous for the Rastafarian community which has settled there since the 1960s, considering the land to be sacred ground. In the afternoon we arrive at the pristine and secluded Lephis Forest, a haven for wildlife and also home to more than 5,000 individuals who depend on the forest for their livelihoods.   Local leaders in ecotourism and conservation developments will escort us on a horseback ride through the forest to a scenic waterfall; along the way we’ll spot for colobus monkeys and birds and learn about the various forest plants and their uses.  Late afternoon we depart for Lake Ziway, offering visitors an excellent blend of nature and culture.  Hippos and birdlife abound and the Lake is home to the culturally and linguistically unique Zay people, who are believed to have safeguarded the Ark of the Covenant on Tullo Guddo Island a millennium ago.  Dinner and overnight at the Haile Resort Ziway-Batu, situated near the water’s edge.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Haile Resort

Day 9: Ziway

Full day exploration of Lake Ziway. A boat ride to Tullu Guddo, Ziway’s “Big Island” is a step back in time; fisherman still ply the waters in papyrus boats and weavers still use wooden looms to create shawls, not to mention the Maryam Monastery’s collection of artifacts and relics dating back more than 1,000 years.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Haile Resort

Day 10: Return to Addis Ababa

After a leisurely morning at Lake Ziway, we make our way back to Addis, stopping for lunch en route.  Check back in at the Hotel for day use and spend the afternoon exploring the city of Addis’ best markets and shops for purchasing last minute gifts and souvenirs.  We’ll meet as a group for a final farewell dinner at a local restaurant to celebrate and toast our time in Southern Ethiopia.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

End of Tour

 

  • Please note: This tour may precede or follow any other Ethiopian tours offered by Zagwe Ethiopia Tour.
  • This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirement.

Date and Availability = All the year This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirement and itinerary can be adjusted according to your time, budget and interest. Price: , if you want quotation or any other tour information about this trip we are very happy to help. Request a quote

suit your requirement and itinerary can be adjusted

Price Includes:

  • Hotel accommodation (double room sharing)
  • Full board accommodation in the best Hotel available in the region Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
  • All ground transportation with 4´4WD Vehicle with Ac
  • All Entrance fees
  • All government tax
  • Professional Guide
  • 
 Guaranteed window seat in 4WD jeeps
  • Airport Transfers
  • City transfer
  • All ground transportations with fuel/ Ground transportation by a newest model air conditioned 4WD /
  • Cook
  • Airport Transfers
  • City transfer
  • Scout fee
  • Cooking materials -while camping utensils, kitchen materials, chairs, tables, etc
  • Boat trips on Lake Chamo

Price Excludes:

  • International & Domestic air ticket and embarkation fee
  • Telephone, laundry, any payable alcohol drinks
  • Permits to take picture or video
  • Tips and any other personal interest, which is not specified in the itinerary
  • Any alcoholic drinks
  • Single accommodation (available on request)
  • Personal expense like souvenirs, laundry, etc
  • Meals (Lunch and Dinner)

Essential Trip Information

Plan your trip

Getting around Ethiopia: If you have more time, or delight in the joys of overland travel, we can provide you vehicles (4WD, minibus and coaster bus)

An increasingly popular option with tourists is to travel overland as much of the roads are an asphalt and all –weather roads.

More remote parts of the country, such as the Danakil Depression and Erta Ale, or the tribal lands of South Omo, can only realistically be visited by 4WD expedition.

Although all-weather roads do run through Simien Mountains and Bale Mountains national parks, the most rewarding way to explore these biodiverse highland destinations  is by 4WD.

Visas: –All nationalities require a visa for Ethiopia which can be obtained before departure or on arrival (at a cost of USD50).

Upon request we arrange visas for our travellers, or if an invitation letter is necessary then we will arrange this for you.

Vaccination: –There are no mandatory vaccination requirement for this trip.

 Climate:The dry seasons occur from June through to September, and between November and March. There are two rainy seasons. The first of these – late March through to early June – is heavier, with the South Omo Valley and regions local to the Bale Mountains receiving between 200 and 250mm in April and the first weeks of May, the mid-south peaking at about 125mm, and Ogaden receiving 75mm at its very best. This pattern – the further south-east one travels, the drier it gets – is just as true later in the year, during the area’s second set of rains, when between September and November the likes of Hagere Marian (just north of South Omo) peak at around 180mm (October), while Gode in Ogaden barely gets above 50mm. Clearly, travel in the mid-south and south-east is hard going, with temperatures soaring into the late thirties, the heat dry, the habitats extremely arid. The South Omo Valley is also dry and hot, but, being in the Rift Valley, better watered and fairly comfortable during the dry seasons.

Being relatively close to the equator, Ethiopia has almost twelve hours of constant daylight no matter what time of year you visit. With the sun rising at 6:30am and setting at 6:45pm, most of our days start early so as to be at our hotel by sunset. The program for each day will vary, according to whether we are travelling, visiting local villages or both.

When to go –All year round

Transport: We will be using a Coaster buses , mini buses or 4WD Toyota land cruiser  depending on the condition of the road and the size of the group. The distances covered are fairly large.vehicles :-During the course of your trip, we will use a variety of vehicles, all which are fit for purpose and the conditions encountered( for this trip We will be using 4WD Toyota land cruiser )

Whilst we do not include animal rides on most of our trips, there are occasions where it may be possible to undertake them.

We take every precaution to ensure smooth logistics, our vehicles and equipment are the best available on the market. Most importantly, our adventures have always sought to benefit the local peoples we interact with, safeguard the ecosystems we explore and contribute to the sustainability of travel in the regions we experience. You will be also accompanied by local guides whose knowledge and passion will add a unique dimension to your trip. Their experience and enthusiasm ensures that we maintain the leading edge in adventure travel and therefore providing excellent value for money. Given our local knowledge, experience and excellent leadership, we are quite sure that this tour will be a trip of a lifetime.

Foods :

Hotel meals are generally good and full of variety. Local dishes tend to be very good if you like hot, spicy food although milder versions can be requested. Local food is traditionally eaten with the hands. The sour bread known as injera is used as a scoop for the casserole dishes known as wat.

Private groups:The adventures featured in our itinerary are just a starting point for many of our private group travellers. Working closely with our Groups Department we can organize custom designed itineraries for groups of friends, clubs, charity’s, schools or even work colleagues. Our team will assist you with all aspects of your private group adventure from itinerary design to group flights. For group traveller pledge considerable discount.

Accommodation:All accommodation throughout this tour is 3-4 star (comfortable hotels and Lodges with en-suite facilities)) All accommodation is based on twin sharing.

what you carry :-In your daypack you will need to carry extra warm clothing (depending on the altitude, location and weather), a rainjacket, water bottle, camera gear, valuables and personal items such as sunscreen, lip balm etc.

Private groups:The adventures featured in our itinerary are just a starting point for many of our private group travellers. Working closely with our Groups Department we can organize custom designed itineraries for groups of friends, clubs, charity’s, schools or even work colleagues. Our team will assist you with all aspects of your private group adventure from itinerary design to group flights. For group traveller pledge considerable discount.

Customized tours: On request, this tour can be customized for small groups.

Proceeding / additional days: It’s no problem to add days before or after the expedition and we’ll book these for you. If you bring more time, you could do day trips from Addis or take an extension tour

Group booking discount: If at least 5 people together book this trip, 6% discount is given.

Please remember that all Zagwe Ethiopia tour prices mean NO hidden extras, NO local payments.

Tipping – Local Crew : Although entirely voluntary, tipping is a recognized part of life in Ethiopia . Some local staff will look to members of the group for personal recognition of particular services provided. In order to make things easier for you, your Guide may organise a group’s tips kitty and if this is the case, they will account for it throughout the tour.
Accordingly, you should allow US$50 for tipping of local drivers, guides, boat crew and for any miscellaneous tipping of hotel staff.

Adventure Rating
Comfort Grade
Fitness Level

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