LAKE TANA TOUR - places & itineraries

SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA: OMO RIVER, RIFT VALLEY LAKES, BALE MOUNTAINS

While the Northern part of the country is very well known for its historical attractions, the south is famous for its wildlife resources and its natural beauty: splendid landscapes, beautiful lakes, prolific bird life, protected endemic species, a kaleidoscope of ethnic groups that live in this part of the country where people speak at least, 45 different languages. The Omo river, with its awe-inspiring gorge and its rapids has become a popular river for rafting. The Omo valley offers the most attractive and beautiful landscape. The Omo National Park, 4,068 km2 of wilderness bordered by the Omo river, is home to an amazing range of wildlife. The region holds many interesting tribal villages home to the Hamer, Mursi, Karo, Dorze, Surma, Geleb, Bume and others.
Both their lifestyle and their culture are deeply imbued in tradition still untouched by our modern world. The Rift Valley hosts a splendid chain of lakes that run from Ethiopia to Tanzania. These lakes are home to such a vast variety of domestic and migratory birds that they have earned a reputation as a bird-watcher’s paradise. The lakes are surrounded by national parks, beaches and depressions, lake Langano with its volcanic waters is the only one suitable for swimming. The magnificent Bale Mountains dominate the south-east of Ethiopia, the Bale National Park is a high altitude plateau interspersed with cascading mountain streams, grassy plains, small blue lakes and dramatic peaks.

MUST SEES:

THE NATIONAL PARKS: Abijata-Shalla, Nechisar, Mago, Omo, Bale
TREKKING: Bale mountains National Park
SOF OMAR CAVES: the Web river carved this extraordinary natural phenomenon out of the limestone rock creating a network of souring underground chambers. In the past century they have become an important Islamic shrine.
OMO LOWER VALLEY: this visit of different tribes and their markets presents the traveler with a unique experience: Mursi women and their labial plate, the Hamer with the bull jumping ceremony, Karo people with their bodies beautifully painted.
ABIJATA-SHALLA LAKES: surrounded by an acacia forest and hot sulphur springs, they are home to numerous white pelicans and pink flamingoes which use this area as a breeding ground
WONDO GENET: a thermal resort, an oasis located in a luxuriant forest with natural hot springs and a stunning view over the Rift Valley, ideal for relaxing and bird watching
LANGANO LAKE: Despite the mineral-darkened color of this lake its waters are pleasant for bathing and water sports and those tourists with a passion for fishing are bound to catch a fresh and tasty meal.

ITINERARIES:

Code LTT 301 OMO RIVER – 10 DAYS

Day 01 Arrival in Addis Ababa, city tour, O/N
Day 02 Drive to Arba Minch, O/N
Day 03 Arba Minch – visit Nechisar National Park and boat excursion on Lake Chamo, O/N
Day 04 Drive to Turmi, visit Hamer tribe, O/N camping/lodge
Day 05 Turmi – drive to Murulle, visit Karo and Dus villages, O/N camping/lodge
Day 06 Drive to Jinka (via Tsemay villages), O/N
Day 07 Jinka – visit Mursi O/N

Day 08 Drive to Arba Minch, along the way visit Konso’s King residence, O/N

Day 09 Drive to Addis Ababa via Chencha village, traditional dinner with Ethiopian music, in the night fly back to Italy

Day 10 Arrival in Italy

Code LTT 302 OMO RIVER – 12 DAYS


Day 01 Arrival in Addis Ababa, city tour, O/N
Day 02 Drive to Arba Minch, O/N

Day 03 Arba Minch – visit Nechisar National Park and boat excursion on Lake Chamo, O/N

Day 04 Drive to Jinka (via Tsemay villages), O/N

Day 05 Jinka – visit Mursi, O/N
Day 06 Drive to Omorate, visit Dessanech villages, proceed to Turmi, O/N camping/lodge
Day 07 Turmi – drive to Murulle, visit Karo and Dus villages, O/N camping/lodge
Day 08 Drive to Yabello (via Konso), O/N
Day 09 Drive to El Sod, for Borana salt extraction and stop at Dublock for the “Singing Wells”, visit-Borana villages, O/N
Day 10 Drive to Dilla, visit Tutu Fella and Tututi Stelae and proceed to Yirgalem Forest, O/N
Day 11 Drive to Addis Ababa, visiting Awassa fish market and Lake Langano, traditional dinner with Ethiopian music, in the night fly back to Italy

Day 12 Arrival in Italy

Code LTT 303 OMO RIVER – 16 DAYS


Day 01 Arrival in Addis Ababa, city tour, O/N
Day 02 Drive to Abjiata-Shalla National Park and Langano lake, O/N
Day 03 Drive to Arba Minch, via Chencha and Dorze, O/N

Day 04 Arba Minch – visit Nechisar National Park and boat excursion on Lake Chamo, O/N
Day 05 Drive to Jinka, visit Tsemay, Ari and Benna people, O/N

Day 06 Drive to Mago National Park, and visit Mursi villages, O/N camping
Day 07 Drive to Hanna Mursi and Omo Mursi villages, reach Mago National Park Headquarter, O/N camping

Day 08 Drive to Murulle, visit Karo and Dus villages, O/N camping
Day 09 Drive to Omorate, visit Dessanech villages, proceed to Turmi, O/N camping/lodge
Day 10 Turmi – visit Hamer tribes and some markets, O/N camping/lodge

Day 11 Drive to Yabello, via Arbore, Weyto and Konso villages, O/N
Day 12 Drive to El Sod, for Borana salt extraction and stop at Dublock for the “Singing Wells”, visit Borana villages, O/N

Day 13 Drive to Dilla, visit Tutu Fella and Tututi Stelae and proceed to Yirgalem Forest, O/N

Day 14 Yirgalem forest trek and visit coffee plantation, O/N
Day 15 Drive to Addis Ababa, visiting Awassa fish market and Lake Langano, traditional dinner with Ethiopian music, in the night fly back to Italy
Day 16 Arrival in Italy