SEPTEMBER 23/2019: ADDIS ABABA
Welcome to the Horn of Africa and the capital of ancient Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. Upon arrival in Addis Ababa FINOT TOUR ETHIOPIA representatives will meet you at Bole International Airport and transfers to Monarch Hotel. An overview of the program and itineraries will be given. Addis Ababa is a city of contrasts - the diplomatic capital and fourth-largest city on the continent, where modern and ancient cultures come together. Located at the foot of the Entoto Mountains and dotted with Eucalyptus trees, the city is known as the 'New Flower' and hosts interesting historical and cultural sites worth visiting. Ethiopia is one of the oldest places inhabited by human societies, dating back some 3000 years. For most of its history, it has been a monarchy, with its roots dating back to the 2nd millennium BC. Ethiopia is also considered to be the place from where Homosapiens migrated to the Middle East and beyond. Places of interest include the National Museum, Ethnological Museum and Holy Trinity Cathedral. View the old colonial buildings of the city, visit the attractions and head up Mount Entoto to look over the city and surrounds.
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Transportation: Land cruiser 4WD
Accommodation: Soaramaba Hotel or Similar
Consultant Note
You will drive approximately 80 km including pickup
Game drives varies the time duration
SEPTEMBER 24/2019: ADDIS ABABA- GURAGHE
Drive to Gurage: On the way you will have a short but interesting day driving. We travel through the rolling fertile hills along the Butajira Road and then down to the acacia savanna on the bottom of the Rift Valley. We pass the historical sites of Melka Kunture, Adadi Maryam and Tiya. visit Gurage village; overnight in local house and village.
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Transportation: 4X4 Land cruiser
Accommodation: Local Village House or Camping
CONSULTANT NOTE
You will drive approximately 190km and 8 hours
Game drive varies the time
SEPTEMBER 25/2019: GURAGHE
This day in the morning the Gurage tribe is a Christian tribe; the religious part of the festival will be held today. Around churches on a wider field there will be a big bon-fire with their traditional dance, this tradition comes from an old Roman Empire Queen who uses torches and follow the direction of the smoke while in search for the True cross of Jesus Christe. Ethiopia still shelter in one of its monasteries the left piece of the Cross. Since the men will be busy slaughtering oxen. Depending on the size of the family, neighbor hoods can share an ox or they can slaughter one for a family. So, men are in charge of the meat supply and women they worry about the butter and the food cooking. This day the feast starts with the best food and drinks and who are now well fed with their favorite meals. In the evening around the villages will be a big bon-fire with their traditional dance; overnight in local house and village.
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Transportation: 4X4 Land cruiser
Accommodation: Local Village House or Camping
CONSULTANT NOTE
You may not need of transportation to visit the festival
SEPTEMBER 26/2019: GURAGE – ARBAMINCH
Drive to Arbaminch; Arbaminch in Amharic meaning 40 springs. Admire very interesting views and the Wolayta people, their villages, culture, the cultivation of the false banana tree (from which roots they extract their traditional bread, the Kotcho). You will stop for lunch at Wolayta Sodo. Here you will visit the Wolayta people museum. You will continue driving to Dorze 20km before Arba-Minch and visit the Dorze people and village with their Bee-Hive like tubules and traditional weaving culture, their particular weaving works for which they are famous, strange houses, cultivation of sorghum and the false banana and more with spectacular, you will have attractive views over the Chamo and Abaya lakes with bright afternoon sunlight
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Transportation: 4X4 Land cruiser
Accommodation: Mora Hight lodge or similar
CONSULTANT NOTE
You will drive approximately 220km and 6 hours
Game drive varies the time
SEPTEMBER 27/2019: BOAT TRIP ON LAKE CHAMO, DRIVE TO JINKA
This morning we enjoy a boat trip on Lake Chamo - one of the best in Ethiopia. There is a chance to spot many hippos and large concentrations of giant crocodiles. Water birds around and the scenery is truly unforgettable. The world's most spectacular concentrations of Giant Nile Crocodiles which measure about 6 meters. The lake is about 32km long and provides a lush wetland habitat for many species of flora and fauna. In the afternoon we drive to Jinka.
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Transportation: 4X4 Land cruiser
Accommodation: Jinka Resort or similar
CONSULTANT NOTE
You will drive approximately 250km and 6 hours
Game drive varies the time
SEPTEMBER 28/2019: MURSI VILLAGE VISIT, JINKA MUSEUM, DRIVE TO TURMI
Today our journey begins with an excursion to a Mursi village (approximately 66km from Jinka). The Mursi are one of the original ethnic groups in Ethiopia. They live in very low huts made of straw leaves. The women like to wear terra cotta jeweler on their enormously stretched lower lips and ear lobes. The men are famous for their hairstyle. Then we visit the Jinka Museum, which contains the Southern Omo Research Centre's permanent cultural collection and continuing research of the various ethnic groups and provides an in-depth overview into the people and traditions of the Omo Valley. This afternoon we drive to Turmi (120km), one of the largest towns in the region
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Transportation: 4X4 Land cruiser
Accommodation: Turmi lodge or similar
CONSULTANT NOTE
You will drive approximately 220km and 6 hours
Game drive varies the time
SEPTEMBER 29/2019: KARO AND HAMER VILLAGES
This morning we begin with a memorable excursion to the Karo Tribe (approximately 63km drive), who are very famous for their body painting. The Karo people use clays and locally available vegetable pigments to trace fantastic patterns on each other’s faces, chests, arms, and legs. Karo men, as with neighboring tribes, are also famous for their unique hairstyle. In the afternoon we visit a Hamer village. The Hamer tribe (also called Hammer or Hamar) is one of the largest groups in the Valley. The Hamer cultivate millet, vegetables, tobacco and cotton as well as raising cattle and goats. They are known for the fine pottery they produce as well as their remarkable hairstyling. Most dramatic of all are the clay hair buns with ostrich feathers that the men don when they have killed a fierce animal. These hair buns stay on for 3-6 months at a time. The women wear beaded necklaces and iron coils around their arms and decorate their skin with cowry shells. These decorations indicate the wealth and prestige of a woman’s husband. We return to Turmi in the evening.
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Transportation: 4X4 Land cruiser
Accommodation: Mora Hight lodge or similar
CONSULTANT NOTE
You will drive approximately 190km and 6 hours
Game drive varies the time
SEPTEMBER 30/2019: RETURN TO ARBAMINCH, VIA KONSO TRIBAL VILLAGE
As we have seen already, Ethiopia has a huge diversity of ethnic groups and today we will witness the distinguishing behavior of another of these. We travel north to Arbaminch (approximately 270km), en-route visiting a Konso tribal village - a World Heritage listed site of cultural significance. Invariably built on hilltops as protection from the lowland tribes, traditional Konso villages are surrounded by high stonewalls and encompass separate compounds, with outlying terraced agricultural fields. You will be fascinated by the unique architectural aspects, largely unchanged cultural heritage and social cohesion of the village, and how it has adapted to its harsh environment. Another highlight is the famous 'wagas' - a funerary tradition where magnificent carved wooden sculptures were created in honor of Konso warrior heroes who have killed an enemy or animal, and often grouped to represent the man, his wives and his adversaries.
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Transportation: 4X4 Land cruiser
Accommodation: Mora Hight lodge or similar
CONSULTANT NOTE
You will drive approximately 270km and 6 hours
Game drive varies the time
OCTOBER 01/2019: RETURN TO ADDIS ABABA, TRIP CONCLUDES ON ARRIVAL
Early in the morning drive back to Addis Ababa. On the way ou will visit the Wolayita people farm areas and around their huts they have their own little garden with vegetables, spices; tobacco and Enset (False-banana or Muzi). You will pass through the Great Rift Valley, passing more interesting villages and attractions. On the way lunch at Ziway, late afternoon arrival at Addis Ababa, finally cultural dinner with live cultural dance performances in one of the best Ethiopian traditional restaurants’. Then transfer to the airport for your departure.
Meals: Lunch and Dinner
Transportation: 4X4 Land cruiser
Accommodation: -
CONSULTANT NOTE
You will drive approximately 480km and 8 hours
Game drive varies the time
Please ask your consultant for the price if you need accommodation on this day
