Spend six days exploring arguably the most isolated and culturally rich regions in all of Africa. The Omo Valley in southwestern Ethiopia is home to a variety of diverse ethnic groups and tribes, many of whom still cling to their unique customs and live in relative isolation with the outside world. This short six-day Ethiopia tour offers a quick glimpse into their daily life. Visit villages of the Konso, Chencha, Tsemai, and Mursi people. Spend time wandering the stalls of the colorful Key Afar market where you can observe the Ari and Benna people buying and selling. This 6-day Omo Valley tour is for the traveler who is short on time, but wants to include a glimpse into the fascinating cultures on their Ethiopia trip.
Highlights
Visit Konso, Chencha, and Tsemai villages in the Omo Valley
Wander the Key Afar market and observe the Ari and Benna people at work
Travel to Mago National Park and visit the Mursi people
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
After a restful night in Addis, check out of the hotel and take a flight to Arba Minch, the largest town in southern Ethiopia, nestled among lush green hills near Lakes Abaya and Chamo. Arba Minch is named for the numerous local springs that produce a groundwater forest. Arbaminch, which means "forty springs" in Amharic, is divided into two separate communities. Shecha (on higher ground) and downtown Sikela are connected by buses and taxis. Shecha is the administrative center of uptown. Sikela, which has the city's business, industrial, and residential districts, is only 2.5 miles away. The entrance to Nechisar National Park, which covers the isthmus between Lake Abaya to the north and Lake Chamo to the south, is located on the eastern side of Sikela.
Upon arrival, drive to Chencha Village, which is home to the Dorze people. Renowned for their cotton weaving, the Shammas are known for their distinctive house-towering, beehive-shaped structures made from woven thatch.
Day 3: Boat ride on Lake Chamo | Drive to Konso (90 km & 2 hrs.)
Enjoy a one-hour boat ride on the lake to Azo Gebeya this morning, the so-called "crocodile market," which is more of a gathering area for pelicans and crocodiles than a market. The boat trip's main attraction includes viewing hippos and crocodiles up close.
Later, drive to Konso. The Konso region has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 for its vibrant culture. Low-terraced hills are the home of the Konso tribe. They are reputed to be one of the hard-working groups in the country. They grow some of the greatest coffee in the nation on a mountain with intricate terraces. They have a well-established custom of placing unusual totems on the graves of the departed.
Day 4: Drive to Jinka, en route visiting different Tribes
This morning, you take a day excursion to Mago National Park to visit the Mursi village. They are one of the most original ethnic groups. They live in very low huts made of straw leaves. The women like to wear terra cotta on their enormously stretched lower lips and earlobes, while the men are famous for their hairstyles. The tribe is renowned for its fierce warrior disposition and wildly decorative appearance, with large circular clay labrets that the women wear on the lower lip. The value of a woman in marriage increases with her lip plate size. She takes her dish off to eat and to sleep. Some ladies, particularly older women, might be without their lip plates. They can be identified by the way their long, distended lips hang down from their mouths.
Day 6: Fly back to Addis and Departure
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
You are transferred to the airport for your flight back to Addis. After refreshments at your hotel, you are transferred to the airport for your flight home or to your next destination.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
Initial deposit is 25%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days prior to departure by bank transfer, check, or credit card. Final payments by credit card may be subject to surcharge and $20,000 maximum charge
The trip was terrific with great planning on your part. Most of the adventures were not mainstream and somewhat off the beaten path which made it especially enjoyable!! We felt taken care of and you all were readily available to respond to questions and issues. I would highly recommend your company and friends have already expressed interest based on our pictures and excitement.
Gale Cantor
TrustScore 4.8 | 251 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 251 reviews on
4 days ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
5 days ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.
Mary Warren
6 days ago
Jess was very easy going and answered all our questions. It’s not easy dealing with 6 people at once but she did an outstanding job!
Diane Foster
1 week ago
Kassandra and the Adventure Life team have been incredible! Kassandra was very knowledgeable and attentive to our asks while making sure we kept within our budget. This was our first experience with a travel agent and we were blown away by the booking/initial exploration service. We will use Adventure Life again.