Day 1: Arrival at Addis Ababa airport

Welcome to Ethiopia! Arrive at Addis Abeba Bole International Airport. Here you will be greeted by your tour guide or driver from Ecotravel Ethiopia Tours. Then you will be transferred to hotel. If your arrival is early morning, after a leisurely morning rest and relax you will spend the afternoon on a site seeing of Addis Abeba. Established by Emperor Menelik II 1887 Addis Abeba or ‘New flower’ in Amharic, is relatively young city full of contrasts. This city tour includes, The National Museum which houses the country’s historic treasures & the famous ‘Lucy”, The Holy Trinity Orthodox Church Ethiopian main cathedral and home to the remains of the last emperor: Drive up to Mount Entoto to have a panoramic view of the city and end the tour with Merkato, one of the largest open air markets in Africa.

Overnight: Golden Tulip Hotel

Day 2: Drive to Dinsho, Bale Mountains National Park Headquarter

After breakfast, we continue our journey through Shashamane to Dinsho, where the headquarters of the Bale Mountains National Park are located (approx. 5 hours). In the afternoon we undertake a gentle, very interesting walk around the headquarters in Dinsho and almost certainly encounter animals such as warthogs, the endemic Menelik bushbuck or the Mountain Nyala as well as a variety of birds.

Overnight: Wabe Shebelle Hotel.

Day 3: Excursion to Sanetti Plateau and Harena Forest

Today it will take us approx. 5-6 hrs to explore the Senetti Plateau, usually the best place to see the Ethiopian wolf. We also will have a chance to visit the Crane Lakes and climb the 2nd highest point of Ethiopia “Mount Tullu Deemtu,” offering at an altitude 4377 m spectacular views of the surrounding areas. Afternoon drive further down to Harenna Forest for birding includes the Abyssinian Catbird, Abyssinian Woodpecker, White-backed Black Tit, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Yellow-crowned Canary, Somali Chestnut Winged Starling, Olive Pigeon and Mountain Buzzard.

Overnight: Wabe Shebelle Hotel.

Day 4: Drive to Lake Hawassa

Morning, drive to Lake Hawassa, which is on the edge of Abaro Mountains and Rift valley, rich with the habitat of edge effect species, includes Spotted Creeper, Banded Barbet, Black-winged Lovebird, Grey-backed Fiscal, Double-toothed Barbet, Beautiful Sunbird, woodland and Pygmy Kingfisher, Blue-headed Coucal, Abyssinian Waxbill, Red-throated Wryneck and White-rumped Babbler. Among shorebirds, African Pygmy Goose, White-backed Duck, Black Crake, Lesser and African Jacana, Goliath Heron, Purple Heron, Fulvous and White-faced whistling Ducks, Grosbeaks Weaver, Common Waxbill, Bronze Manikin, Pied and Malachite Kingfishers, Marabou Stork, Great White Pelican, Reed and Great Cormorant, Egrets, Hottentot Teal, Spur-winged Goose, Squacco Heron, Grey-headed Gull, Whiskered and White-winged Terns are some to mention.

Overnight: Haile Resort Hawassa.

Day 5: Travel to Arba Minch

Today, you’ll drive 275 km, Arba Minch. On the way, stop at Senkele Wildlife Sanctuary to watch the Swayne's Hartebeest. In this small nature reserve one almost can see the extremely rare Swayson's Hartebeest of which less than 500 survive in the wild, all in Ethiopia. A typical visit, whether driving or walking, goes through the savannah, where Swayne’s and oribi antelope are sure to be seen, and then up to Borena Hill, 6km from the headquarters, for views of Lake Awassa and likely wildlife encounters with warthogs, olive baboons, vervet monkeys and bushbuck.

Overnight: Haile Resort Arba Minch

Day 6: Lake Chamo and Dorze Village

In the morning embark on a boat trip on Lake Chamo, a lake that supports a large population of crocodiles, hippos and fish. First you will cross the lake and head to the east bank and climb the plateau to the NechSar national park to see Wild Zebras and Gazelles. Return to the boat trip & visit the famous Crocodile Market which is not a market but a place to see large concentration of giant Nile Crocodiles and many hippos. The lake is about 32 kms long and provides a lush wetland habitat for many of flora and fauna. In the afternoon visit the Dorzetribe who lives on the Guge Mountain. The Dorze are renowned for their cotton-weaving techniques and beehive shaped houses constructed entirely from organic materials. Here in their village you can see the unique beehive huts, observe their exceptional cotton weaving skills and learn about their life and traditions.

Overnight: Haile Resort Arbaminch.

Day 7: NechiSar National Park

After breakfast, drive to NechiSar National Park to visit many species of birds and mammals. This Park is located in the Rift Valley. It is enriched with many species of birds and mammals; African orange-bellied parrots, bustards, weavers, Somber rock-chat, yellow-throated serin, Red-fronted Barbet, Pygmy baits, Lesser striped swallow, and Anubis baboons, Black-backed Jackal, Bat-eared Fox, Egyptian Mongoose, Warthog, Soemmering’s Gazelle, Lesser Kudu, Salt’s Dikdik, etc

Overnight: Haile Resort Arbaminch.

Day 8: Drive to Turmi

After Breakfast, drive to the Konso small town, where the people wear colorful costumes, and use their steep land through impressive terracing; through annual wooden grave marks, they express their status. Their three-story community house called Mora is impressive; all the young boys above 12 years old stay there every night inside till they marry. - Have lunch in Weyto and continue driving to the Arbore tribe, who are pastoralists (livestock farmers). They believe that their singing and dancing eliminates negative energy and with the negative energy gone, the tribe will prosper. The women of the tribe cover their heads with a black cloth and are known to wear very colorful necklaces and earrings. Young children wear a shell type hat that protects their heads from the sun. The Abore use natural colors made from soil and stone for their Body paint. Traditional dancing is practiced by the tribe and wealth is measured by the number of cattle a tribesman owns. Finally, drive to Turmi overnight.

Overnight: Turmi Lodge

Day 9: Nyangatom and Karo

Early morning, depart from Turmi to the village of Kangatan. Here you will cross the Omo River and take a short walk through the local fields to visit a village of the Nyangatom tribe. After the visit, return across the river and proceed to the Karo village of Korcho, with a stunning location lookin over the Omo River. The Karo people, while the smallest tribe of the Omo Valley in number, are also known to be the most decorated. After the visit, return to Turmi for another opportunity to see Jumping of the Bulls.

Overnight: Turmi Lodge

Day 10: Excursion to Omorate

After breakfast, Cross Omo River to visit the Dassanech tribe. The First time, in the Omo Valley, travelers witnessed Ethiopia's many ethnicities and cultural traditions. The Southern Cultural Route takes travelers to the heart of the most remote tribes, whose animist beliefs strike a chord with the true African experience. In the afternoon drive to Hammer people who have a bull-jumping ceremony; This ceremony is a transformation for young boys from young to adulthood; During the ceremony, you see the real Hamer traditional dance called Evangadi; and also the women from the jumper’s family are being beaten by his friends to show their love to the Jumper and that he is ready for adulthood.

Overnight: Turmi Lodge

Day 11: Drive to Jinka Via Bena Tribe

After breakfast, start driving to Jinka Via Bena Tribe. Just like most of the indigenous tribes in the lower Omo Valley, the Bena practice ritual dancing and singing. The men often have their hair dressed up with a colorful clay cap that is decorated with feathers. Both the men and women wear long garments and paint their bodies with white chalk. Women of the tribe wear beads in their hair that is held together with butter.

Overnight: Eco Omo

Day 12: Explore Mursi tribe and Drive to Konso

Drive to Mago National Park to visit the Mursi people in their village. The Mursi are well known for the large clay discs their women wear inserted in their lower split lip. The Mursi women start cutting their lips between the age of 12 and 16 and thereafter, they put small wooden plugs into the hole and change it every night with the bigger one to stretch the lips till it can hold a 6 inch (15cm) round clay disc. The Mursi men wear very little, although a cotton wrap is becoming more common now. Then, Drive to Konso for Overnight.

Overnight: Kanta Lodge

Day 13: Drive to Langano

Morning, start driving to Lake Langano, where we will spend the night. In the afternoon/evening relax at the lakeside by riding a kayak boat or swimming.

Overnight: Sabana Lodge

Day 14: Back to Addis Ababa

After breakfast, A nice ride will take you to Addis Ababa. Along the way, you will pass Lake Koka, an artificial lake and Lake Ziway. You make a stop at this last-mentioned lake where you can see various bird species, such as pelicans, black ibises, hammerheads and marabou. Along the way, you come across shepherds who roam here with their cattle. They make a biblical impression. You will Arrive in Addis Ababa in the afternoon. Finally, The tour ends with a drop off at Bole International Airport for your flight.