9-Day Omo Valley Cultural Tour From Addis Ababa — By Road

Travel Distance: Minimal city driving

Highlights: National Museum, Mount Entoto, St. George Cathedral, Mercato

Begin your journey in Ethiopia’s vibrant capital, Addis Ababa. Visit the National Museum—home to the famous 3.2 million-year-old hominid “Lucy”—and enjoy sweeping views from Mount Entoto. Explore the iconic St. George Cathedral and get lost in the colorful chaos of Mercato, Africa’s largest open-air market.

Overnight: Nexus Hotel, Addis Ababa

Travel Distance: 4U5 km (~7 hours)

Highlights: Dorze tribe, mountain vistas, bamboo houses, weaving, enset food culture

Travel south through Ethiopia’s Great Rift Valley, passing crater lakes and acacia woodlands. In the afternoon, ascend to the highlands of Chencha to visit the Dorze people, known for their skillful weaving and towering bamboo houses. Experience their daily life and taste local food made from the enset plant.

Overnight: Paradise Lodge, Arbaminch

Travel Distance: 232 km (~4.5 hours)

Highlights: Konso UNESCO site, terracing, Ari tribe coffee ceremony

Drive to Konso, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its terraced hillsides and wooden totems. Explore the fortified villages before continuing to Jinka. In the afternoon, meet the Ari people in their highland village. Learn about their daily life, from pottery-making to traditional coffee brewing.

Overnight: NASA Hotel, Jinka

Travel Distance: 228 km (~4.5 hours)

Highlights: Mursi lip plates and scarification, Hamar village life

Venture deep into Mago National Park to visit the Mursi tribe, known for their dramatic clay lip plates and intricate scarification practices. Afterward, continue south to Turmi with stops to meet the Bena and Hamar tribes. Experience rural life in the Hamar community, where tradition and nature remain deeply entwined.

Overnight: Paradise Lodge, Turmi

Travel Distance: 1G0 km (~3 hours round trip)

Highlights: Omo River views, body painting, copper and ivory lip plugs

Cross the Omo River to reach the remote Nyangatom tribe, known for their distinctive lip plugs and animal skin attire. Later, visit Korcho—one of the most scenic Kara villages—famous for bold body painting and scarification art set against breathtaking river landscapes.

Overnight: Paradise Lodge, Turmi

Travel Distance: 150 km (~2 hours round trip)

Highlights: Sunrise tribal life, cattle herding, pastoral village scenes

Depart early to visit the Dassanech people near the Kenyan border. Arrive before sunrise to witness daily life unfold—women milking cows, men tending to livestock, and children playing in the dust. Return to Turmi with a heart full of powerful, unscripted memories.

Overnight: Paradise Lodge, Turmi

Travel Distance: 2G2 km (~5 hours)

Highlights: Arbore attire and beadwork, dramatic landscapes, return to Rift Valley

En route to Arba Minch, visit the Arbore tribe—pastoralists of the arid Omo lowlands known for their dark veils, decorated leather skirts, and striking beadwork. Continue north through Konso’s rugged terrain and arrive in Arba Minch for a relaxing evening at Lake Chamo.

Overnight: Paradise Lodge, Arbaminch

Travel Distance: 257 km (~4 hours)

Highlights: Nile crocodiles, hippos, Rift Valley scenery

Start your day with a boat trip on Lake Chamo, where you may spot Africa’s largest crocodiles, basking hippos, and flocks of waterbirds. In the afternoon, drive to Hawassa—a lively lakeside town—where you’ll unwind and enjoy the cool air.

Overnight: Haile Resorts, Hawssa

Travel Distance: 282 km (~5 hours)

Highlights: Fish market, souvenir shopping, farewell dinner

Start the morning at Hawassa’s fish market, where pelicans and storks gather beside fishermen at work. After breakfast, return to Addis Ababa. Enjoy time for souvenir shopping and celebrate your journey with a farewell dinner featuring traditional Ethiopian music and dance.