CULTURAL & NATURAL

Please feel free to contact me with your thoughts, ideas and plans, and we can work out your perfect trip fitting your interests, timeframe and budget.

examplary 14-days-trip to the south

Day 1 – Arrival in Addis Abeba
Day 2 – Drive to Goba via Asela and pick a scout from Dinsho
Day 3 – Drive to Tulu Dimtu, one of the highest peaks in Sanette Plateau (4377 metres above sea level) and see the very rare and endemic mammal of Ethiopian Wolf. After lunch drive to Dinsho and hike a little to see the endemic Mountain Nyala and others more. Then drive to Wondo Genet (natural jungle with the natural hot spring – was once the palace of Emperor Haile Silassie).
Day 4 – Drive to Arbaminch with a stop at Sodo for lunch and visit the Dorze village – made of bamboo and bamboo leaves with a design of an elephant face for the memory of the elephants that lived in the area long ago. You will also enjoy the process of the pancake from the false banana and taste a local beer. En route you will find the kids dancing their traditional dance with their hips and also enjoy the view of Lake Abaya.
Day 5 – AM – Boat ride on Lake Chamo to see the giant crocodiles and hippos and different water birds. Then continue to Jinka having lunch at Konso. Enjoy the Key Afer market where the Benna, Tsemay, Ari tribes interact. If time allows, visit the wonderful Ari village and their way of living. En route, you will see kids dancing waving their legs.
Day 6 – Visit the Mursi village driving in Mago National Park and also see the guinea fowls, Dikdiks and if possible Kudus. Then drive to Turmi passing through Dimeka for a tea break.
Day 7 – Pick a lunch box from the lodge and Visit the Karo tribe at the village of Korcho. Then drive to Dimeka to see the Saturday market and meet the Hamer, Erbore, Beshada, Karo tribes and also visit the cattle market.
Day 8 – Visit the Elele clan of the Dasenech tribe at Omorate, crossing the Omo River with a traditional canoe or motor boat. After lunch at the lodge, rest and late afternoon visit one of the friendly Hammer tribes house. If by chance, you might enjoy the bull jumping ceremony where an initiate performs to join the manhood.
Day 9 – Driving through the dry river bed of Chew Bahir or Lake Estefan, Visit the Elbore tribe en route and have a tea break at Weyto passing the cotton farm. Then visit the village of Konso and the landscape called New York.
Day 10 – Passing through Borena arrive at Yabelo. After lunch drive to Elsod (Salt Lake) where the locals extract salt mud and the singing wheel, a reservoir up to 30metres deep, where the locals fetch water to their cattle with their traditional song. It happens in the dry season. Otherwise you will only see the place.
Day 11 – En route visit the pre-historic phallic shaped stelae at Tutofela. Have lunch at Dilla. At Yirgalem visit the surrounding Sidama houses and their way of processing the false banana. Late in the afternoon you will see the Hyenas coming close to the lodge.
Day 12 – Visit the endemic Swayne Hartbeest at Senkele sanctuary and Chitu Lake to see the flamingos.
Day 13 – AM – visit the fish market and hike in the forest up to the other side of the shore of the Lake Hawassa. Having lunch at Shashemene drive to visit the Abyata-Shalla National park. Here, you will see the Ostrich farm, Worthogs and Grants gazelles. Then proceed to the view point of the two lakes, Abyata and Shalla. Finally see the natural hot spring that the locals use as a steam, boil eggs, potatoes and maize. Then enjoy your stay at the natural forest of Bishangari Lodge which is close to the Lake Langano.
Day 14 – AM – Relax at Bishangari Lodge. Visit the water birds at Lake Ziway and drive to Addis with a coffee stop at Debre Zeyit at the crater lake of Bishoftu.