Ghion Travel & Tour - GTT

	The Omo Valley & Rift Valley Lakes ( Tour Code GTT:006 Duration 13 Days )

Day 1: ADDIS ABABA Arrival at Bole International Airport (Addis Ababa) where you will be met by Ghion Travel and Tours representative and transferred to Hotel. Dinner and overnight in Hotel.

Day 2: ADDIS- ABIJATTA SHALLA NATIONAL PARK-AWASSA: Drive to Awassa and on the way you will have a stop at Lake Ziway to enjoy watching different species of birds on the shore of the lake. After lunch you will visit Abyjata-Shalla lakes National park. The park comprises of the two soda lakes together with a portion of the surrounding countryside. The chief attraction of this park is undoubtedly the scenic beauty of the lakes and the wealth of bird life. Then continue to drive to Awassa. Overnight stay will be in your hotel.

Day 3: AWASSA-SIDAMA VILLAGE-YABELLO: After breakfast visit the fish market at the shore of Lake Awassa with the surrounding views. Then drive to Yabello where you would experience watching the bird species of the juniper forest that includes Strese man's bush crow, the white tailed swallow as well as the endangered endemic species Prince Ruspoli's Turaco. On the way visit the cultural house of Sidama people and their false banana plantation. You will also have an excursion to visit the Borena people's cultural sites. Overnight stay will be in local hotel.

Day 4: YABELLO-KONSO: Early in the morning drive to Konso en route you will have a stop at a small town of Brindal to have some experience of the Borena people. The Borenas are one of the Oromo groups of people that remained in the surrounding when the other group migrated to the north and eastern high lands of Ethiopia in the 16th century. The hilly semi desert scenery and the rich wildlife concentration including Olive baboon, Guenthers dik dik, and flocks of vulturine guinea fowl in combination with the remote Borena settlements make the area excitingly beautiful. After check in to the hotel visit one of the Konso tribal villages at Mecheke. visit the so called 'New York village', due to its natural landscapes with mountain structure that seems exactly a big city with modern buildings. Mainly rocks of quartz minerals form the mountains. You will also visit the Konso tribe king's house to have an experience of the structure and history of the royal families in Konso community. Overnight stay will be in your hotel.

Day 5: KONSO-TURMI: Drive to Turmi to visit the Hamer tribal group. The Hammers exercise body decoration like the others and they wear quantities of colorful beads and clay hair buns with ostrich feathers. Scarification is also widely practiced. The Scars are cut with a knife or razor blade and ash is rubbed in to produce a raised welt. En route you will have a visit of the beautiful local market at Albore. Overnight stay will be camping.

Day 6: TURMI-DASCENETCH TRIBE-TURMI: Drive to Omorate to visit the DASCENETCH tribal village. They are one of the tribes on the boarder of Omo River which are very experienced swimming; because they have to always cross the river for the daily trading purpose at Omorate market. Afternoon explore markets if it is market day. The Hammer people with their unique culture are part of a visit in this day. Overnight stay will be camping.

Day 7: TURMI-KARO VILLAGE- MAGO PARK: Early in the morning, drive to Mago National Park. En route to Mago, you will have a visit of the Karo tribes in Dus and Korecho. The Karo people decorate their bodies with chalk paint, often imitate the spotted plumage of a guinea fowl. The Karo excel in face and torso paintings. Both the women and men scarify their chests to beautify themselves and to make themselves more appealing to the opposite sexes. Late afternoon you will enjoy game viewing in Mago. Overnight stay will be camping.

Day 8: MAGO-MURSI VILLAGE-JINKA: Early morning drive to the Mursi village and visit their astonishing culture and way of life. The Mursi women wear clay lip plates that they make from locally dug clay. The men adorn themselves with clay. Continue to drive through the natural forests and undulating terrain to Jinka. Overnight stay will be in your Hotel.

Day 9: JINKA-ARBA MINCH:Morning drive to Arba Minch enjoying the diversity of cultures of Giddole, , Tsemai, and Ari tribes who are adorned with their unique cultural apparel living on border of the Omo River and preserve their traditional ways of life hardly changed from what they were centuries ago. En route you will have a visit of the local market at Key Afer village and Konso town. Overnight stay will be in your Hotel.

Day 10: NETCH SAR PARK AND LAKE CHAMO EXCURTION: In the morning drive to Netch Sar National Park which is situated between Lake Abaya and Chamo. Of major importance, here are the endemic Swayne's hartebeests, Burch ell's zebra, greater and lesser kudu, grants gazelle and other plain games. Out of 180 species of birds, you will frequently see secretary bird, ground hornbill and different species of bustards and lunch at the hotel. Afternoon boat ride over Lake Chamo to enjoy viewing the famous hordes of crocodiles and hippopotamus. These animals can be seen cooling in the water or sunning on the bank of the Lake. Overnight stay will be in your hotel.

Day 11: ARBA MINCH-DORZE VILLAGE-WONDO: In the morning drive 40 kilometers up hill to Chencha to visit the Dorze tribal village with the people's life style and their bee-hive like hut. Then continue driving to Wondo Genet resort area and check in to Wabishebelle hotel. After noon relax in the natural hot spring baths and swimming pool. The surrounding vegetation and favorable climate offers great relaxation Colobus and velvet monkey are also frequently observed. Overnight stay will be in your Hotel.

Day 12: WONDO-ADDIS ABABA: Drive to Tiya, the place where you see the old stele of Tiya. Proceed to Adadi Maryam, the 12th century rock hewn church. Continue driving to Addis for your overnight stay in your hotel.

Day 13: CITY TOUR AND DEPARTURE; Sightseeing tour that includes Trinity Cathedral-a beautiful church with a baroque style of European Architecture unique to both Ethiopia and Africa, National Museum-the home of the famous complete hominid fossil remain of Lucy dated 3.5 millions years back, Ethnological Museum-presents different collections to have an overview of the history, culture, tradition and religions of almost all tribal groups in Ethiopia, St. George Cathedral and Museum-a historical church with the traditional Ethiopian Orthodox Church architecture founded by Emperor Menelik-II, Mount Entoto panoramic view point at the highest pick in Addis with an altitude of 3200 meters, The Merkato: the biggest open air market in Africa. Evening welfare dinner party with national music and dancing, and transfer to Bole International Airport for your flight back home.

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P.O.Box: 25504 Code :1000 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia or Email: info@ghiontour.com