01. Arrival in Addis Ababa. Transfer to the chosen hotel. Have a free morning. Afternoon (1400 hrs from the hotel) tour of the capital: visit the National museum, St George church and the Mercato, biggest open air market in Africa. Meals free. ON (overnight) hotel.
02. Fly to Bahirdar. Morning drive to visit the Blue Nile falls (it takes about 1 hour drive and then 20 minutes’ walk, each way). Admire these spectacular falls and amazing views. Afternoon make a boat excursion on lake Tana to visit the monasteries over its islands, as Ura Kidane Mehret and Asua Mariam. Dinner & ON hotel in Bahirdar.
03. Morning drive to Gondar. It takes about 2 hrs driving, visit on the way very nice landscapes. Afternoon visit the castles compound including king Fasiladas and other castles, King Fasiladas bath and the Debre Birhan Sellasie church (light of Trinity) with wonderful murals. Dinner & ON hotel in Gondar.
04. Fly to Lalibela. Transfer hotel. Afternoon visit the rock-hewn churches, defined as the 8th wonder in the world. Dinner & ON hotel
05. Morning visit the remaining churches in town. Afternoon take part of the coffee ceremony (the coffee ceremony in an important part of Ethiopian culture). Dinner & ON hotel
06. Fly to Axum. Visit the steles, St Mary of Tsion church (where legend says the Ark of Covenant is deposited), the bath & palace of Queen of Sheba and more. Dinner & ON hotel
07. Fly to Addis, meet the minibus at the airport & drive to the Rift Valley lake of Awasa. If time permits on the way stop to visit also the Rift Valley lake of Zway. Lunch on the way; dinner & ON hotel
08. Early morning around 06 visit the fish market in Awasa. Then after breakfast drive to the Arbaminch. Ones arrived, check-in and lunch at Emerald Resort Arbaminch. Emerald Resort is a beautiful Resort with a spectacular view over the Rift Valley lakes of Chamo and Abaya which are divided by a mountain called in Amharic “Yezghier dildi” which means “Bridge of Heaven” and the Netch Sar National park, in Amharic meaning “white grass”. www.emeraldresortandlodge.com Afternoon drive to Chencha mountain to visit the Dorze people, with their unique culture, houses and traditions. The Dorze are famous for their elephant truck shaped houses, their cultivation of the false banana (from which root they extract their traditional bread called Kotcho), the weaving works, cultivation of sorghum and more. If time permits visit also their Saturday’s market. Meals & ON Emerald Resort Arbaminch
09. Morning drive about 2 hrs from Arbaminch south to the Omo valley and visit a Konso people village, famous for being the first in Africa to start the terracing agriculture. Visit their culture, lifestyle, way of counting the age of the village, the community works and much more. Note well that this is a UNESCO heritage site! Have spectacular view over the hills too. Afternoon proceed to Turmi, the famous colorful Hamer people town. Have lunch in Konso; dinner & ON Emerald lodge Turmi www.emeraldresortandlodge.com
10. Morning walk with the Hamer people to the colorful Turmi’s village weekly market. This is the Monday’s market of Hamer, Dassanech, Karo and Tsemay people. Enjoy this vibrant market, meet different people and see how they merchandise. Afternoon visit a Hamer villages and understand their way of life and culture. With luck we’ll try to participate to ceremonies as the bull jumping and the Evangadi dances. The Hamer are known for their unique custom of “bull jumping” which initiates a boy into manhood. First, female relatives dance and invite whipping from men who have recently been initiated; this shows their support of the initiate, and their scars give them a right to demand his help in time of need. The boy must jump back and forth twice across the backs of a row of bulls or castrated steers, and is ridiculed if he fails. Have meals & ON Emerald lodge Turmi
11. Morning drive to Omorate, at bank of the Omo river, to visit the Dassanech people. Are very colorful villages and interesting culture. We are at border with Kenya. Afternoon relax and make walks around Turmi for the Hamer people and villages. Have meals & ON Emerald lodge Turmi
12. Very early morning drive to Jinka town (about 2 hrs driving); then enter into the Mago National park, cross it to proceed to visit the Mursi people and their villages. Here for beauty women use to put round plates into their lips and men different scarifications all over their body. Their villages and way of life is very unique. Have a lunch box before or after the Mursi village visit; dinner & ON in a hotel in Jinka.
13. THU. Early morning drive to visit one Ari people village with very interesting traditions. Then proceed to KeyAfer village to visit the weekly market of the Tsemay & Erbore people. After the market’s visit, proceed to Arbaminch, to reach late afternoon. Have lunch on the way (KeyAfer or Konso); dinner & ON Emerald Resort Arbaminch.
14. Morning have a boat excursion on Chamo lake to admire the biggest crocodiles in Africa (reach 6 meters of length), hippos and many birds. Afternoon free enjoying the facilities at the Emerald Resort Arbaminch & relax. Lunch Emerald Resort; dinner & ON Emerald Resort Arbaminch.
15. SAT. Drive or fly back to Addis Ababa. Late afternoon time for final visits or souvenir shops. Evening Green Land Tours will invite you a fare well dinner in one of the Ethiopian restaurant for cultural dances from the different ethnic groups. Then transfer to the airport for flight back home.
***END OF OUR SERVICES, ENJOY YOUR TRIP***
