13-Day Surma Safari Trekking and South Omo Valley Tribes

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Addis Ababa

Welcome to Ethiopia! Upon arrival in Addis Ababa, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure. Please note that this is an arrival day, so you may arrive at any time. If you arrive early, an optional visit to the National Museum can be arranged.

Addis Ababa is a vibrant city, characterized by Italian architecture, fascinating churches, and friendly locals. It is a place of stark contrasts—home to the luxurious Addis Sheraton, known for its "singing fountain," yet just a few streets away, you'll find bustling markets that showcase the city's lively spirit. Founded by Emperor Menelik II in 1887, Addis Ababa is relatively young and, at 2,500 meters above sea level, is the third-highest capital in the world.

A visit to Entoto Hills offers stunning panoramic views over the city. You can explore the area covered with eucalyptus trees or visit the historic Entoto Maryam Church.

Main Destination:

Addis Ababa (City)

Accommodation:

Monarch Parkview Hotel

• Mid-range hotel located in Addis Ababa (City)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Addis Ababa - Jimma

After breakfast, we’ll drive 345km to Jimma. Along the way, you will cross the magnificent and picturesque Gibe Gorge and the Gibe River. Jimma, once the capital of the former Keffa province, is famously known as the birthplace of coffee, where it was first discovered by a shepherd.

As you journey towards Jimma, you'll have the opportunity to visit the Gurage and Oromo communities and explore their beautiful villages. The route also takes you through lush coffee and khat plantations, reflecting the region's rich agricultural heritage. Upon arrival in Jimma, you'll check in for your overnight stay at the hotel.

Jimma is now inhabited by the Oromo, Kefecho, and Kulo people, and continues to be a vibrant cultural hub with a deep connection to Ethiopia's coffee origins.

Main Destination:

Jimma (Town)

Accommodation:

Awetu Grand Hotel

• Mid-range hotel located in Jimma (Town)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Jimma - Mizan Teferi

Today we will continue your journey southwest towards Mizan Teferi, covering a 240 km drive through a lush mosaic of forest and cultivated land. This region is dominated by coffee, tea, and various spice plantations, offering a vibrant landscape full of photographic opportunities. As you travel, you'll have the chance to stop at a local coffee farm, where you'll gain insight into the traditional coffee production processes that are integral to the region's heritage. This is one of the greenest and most fertile areas of Ethiopia.

Main Destination:

Mizan Teferi (Town)

Accommodation:

Salayish The Grand Hotel and Spa

• Mid-range hotel located in Mizan Teferi (Town)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Mizan Teferi - Kibish

Continue driving west from Mizan Teferi to Kibish through the Bebeka coffee plantation, Ethiopia’s largest and oldest. On the way, visit the Menit tribe. After crossing the Akobo River, you'll experience the African savanna grassland. Stop in the small town of Dimma for lunch. This is the day you start trekking, and we will arrange mules for carrying your personal equipment (and for riding if needed). The trek takes about 8-9 hours. Along the way, visit the Dizi and Surma people and experience walking through the grassland. Your overnight will be at the camp.

Main Destination:

Kibish (Lower Omo Valley)

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Kibish

Early in the morning, visit a Surma village to explore their lifestyle and culture in more detail. If we are here during the Donga festival season, we will witness stick fighting. Every year, after the rainy season and when there is a surplus of food, Surma men from different clans gather for Donga stick battles to determine the strongest. Donga is a rite of passage, a ceremony where boys become (and re-prove themselves as) real men and warriors, who will be ready to defend the tribe's honor and protect their cattle in tribal wars. We will also witness the young men bodypainting on the riverbank.

Main Destination:

Kibish (Lower Omo Valley)

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Kibish - Omo National Park

Today, we set off early in the morning to cross Omo National Park, which is known for its fascinating flora and fauna. Established in 1959 as Ethiopia’s first national park, it is home to the country’s densest animal population. Here, you will experience the unspoiled wilderness of Ethiopia. While exploring the park, we will look for wildlife such as buffalo (rare), Swayne's hartebeest, elephant (rare), leopard (rare), cheetah (rare), lion (rare), kudu, dik-dik, hyena, and various monkeys, including vervet, common, and colobus, as well as diverse birdlife. An experienced wildlife guide will join us at the park’s head office. Your overnight stay will be at a tented camp at the park’s headquarters.

Main Destination:

Omo National Park (Lower Omo Valley)

Accommodation:

Budget camping

• Outside Omo NP (Lower Omo Valley)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Omo National Park - Lower Omo Valley

In the early morning, we’ll drive through Omo Park to the village of Kangaten to visit the Nyangatom tribe. The Nyangatom live on the west bank of the lower Omo River, with their territory extending to the Kenyan and South Sudanese borders. They were the first tribe in the Omo Valley to use automatic weapons (AK-47s), obtained from their South Sudanese cousins, the Toposa. Known as fierce warriors, they traditionally scar their chests—one scar for each enemy killed.

We’ll then drive a short distance (38 km, approximately one hour) to Kolcho, the village of the Karo people on the eastern bank of the Omo River, where we will camp overnight. The Karo are renowned for their elaborate face and body painting, which they apply before major events and weekly markets. Their language and traditions are somewhat similar to those of the Hamer and Benna tribes.

Main Destination:

Lower Omo Valley (Cultural Village)

Accommodation:

Budget camping

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Lower Omo Valley - Turmi

After breakfast, take some photos with the Karo tribe before proceeding to the Turmi area (70 km, approximately one hour) to visit the Hamar village. The Hamar are known for their distinctive attire: women wear leather skirts decorated with shells, several copper bracelets, and heavy iron necklaces, which signify their social status. Their hair is colored with ocher and animal fat. Men who have achieved victory or slain a dangerous beast fix their hairstyles with clay and decorate them with ostrich feathers. This hairstyle is carefully protected, with Hamar men sleeping with a special borkotos chair to support their necks.

Check if a bull Jumping ceremony is taking place, as it is a significant ritual for Hamar men. This rite of passage marks the transition into adulthood and is an important cultural event.

Main Destination:

Turmi (Lower Omo Valley)

Accommodation:

Emerald Lodge Turmi

• Mid-range lodge located in Turmi (Lower Omo Valley)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Turmi - Omorate

In the morning, drive from Turmi to Omorate, near the Omo River. Upon arrival we’ll cross the river by local boat to visit the Dassenech (Galeb) people, who are known for their unique house designs and body painting. Spend a couple of hours with them before crossing the river again and returning to Turmi for lunch and a short break from the heat. After lunch, visit the Turmi Market, where the Hamer people have a majority of the stalls. The Hamer take great pride in their appearance, with both men and women shaving and coloring their hair, oiling their bodies, and decorating themselves with beads and bracelets.

In the late afternoon, visit some Hamer villages to explore their lifestyle at home and attend an Evangadi Dance.

Main Destination:

Omorate (Lower Omo Valley)

Accommodation:

Emerald Lodge Turmi

• Mid-range lodge located in Turmi (Lower Omo Valley)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Omorate - Arba Minch

In the morning, drive back to Arba Minch via the Woita road, stopping to visit the Erbore people. The Erbore are known for their intermarriage with other ethnic groups and their vibrant Saturday market, which features a mix of Hamer and Borena women, adding a cosmopolitan feel.

Continue to Konso, where you'll see colorfully costumed locals, impressive terracing of the land, and uniquely engraved wooden statues used as grave markers. The Konso are dedicated agriculturists, known for their effective use of stone terraces in the arid region of basalt hills. Their settlements are surrounded by stone walls, with a generation pole marking the age of each town. Each family lives in compounds accessible only through gateways that require visitors to enter on all fours, providing protection from potential attackers.

Your overnight stay will be in Arba Minch.

Main Destination:

Arba Minch (City)

Accommodation:

Mora Heights Hotel

• Budget hotel located in Arba Minch (City)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Arba Minch

After breakfast, embark on a boat trip on the clear blue waters of Lake Chamo. You’ll have the chance to see crocodiles, hippos, and various aquatic bird species. The northern shores of the lake are especially known for their large crocodile population. The lake, about 32 km long, also provides a lush wetland habitat for diverse flora and fauna.

After lunch, drive 17km northwest of Arba Minch to the Guge Mountains to visit the Dorze and Chencha villages. Once warriors, the Dorze now focus on farming and weaving. Their distinctive "elephant huts" are unique and worth seeing. The Dorze's beehive-shaped houses are made entirely of organic materials and are surrounded by gardens growing spices, cabbage, and tobacco. Your overnight stay will be in Arba Minch.

Main Destination:

Arba Minch (City)

Accommodation:

Mora Heights Hotel

• Budget hotel located in Arba Minch (City)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Arba Minch - Hawassa

After breakfast, we’ll drive to Hawassa, with a lunch stop at Wolita Sodo. After lunch, we’ll visit a private farm surrounded by coffee plantations that produce Sidama coffee, one of the renowned Arabica coffee varieties. Spend the day exploring the coffee farm before returning to Hawassa for your overnight stay.

Main Destination:

Awasa (City)

Accommodation:

Heron Hotel

• Mid-range hotel located in Awasa (City)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

Hawassa - Addis Ababa

After breakfast, you’ll visit the daily fish market on the lake shore, where you can also spot numerous water birds, including African marabou storks. On the way, explore Abijatta-Shala National Park, featuring Lake Shala, a deep crater lake, and Lake Abijatta, a soda lake known for its flamingos. Later we’ll drive back to Addis Ababa.

In the evening, enjoy a farewell party hosted by our guide, featuring a dinner with a traditional buffet and local drinks. Experience one of Ethiopia’s famous meals and enjoy several tribal dances. After the farewell dinner, you will be transferred to Bole International Airport for your international departure.

Main Destination:

Addis Ababa (City)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Non-alcoholic drinks

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.