Tour Name: Jima & Surma cultural Tour 12 days/ 11 nights
Tour Code: AD 012
Transport: Surface
Accommodation: Standard Hotels and Lodge
In the morning after breakfast, will drive to Jimma in route you will visit the interesting Gurage people village, and we will pass through beautiful landscapes as you drive through the Gibe River Valley. Later we can visit Jimma Museum and King Abba Jiffar Palace. Lunch Weliso or welkite Dinner Dololo hotel.
Overnight stay in Dololo hotel
Morning after breakfast we drive through lush green landscape and wild coffee forest passing through Kaffa, the birth place of coffee. Upon arrival you will have lunch. Kaffa is the place where coffee is believed to have originated. In fact the name itself “Coffee” might have derived from the name of this old region called “Kaffa”, and then drive to Mizan Tefari.
Overnight Hotel in Mizan Teferi Salayish hotel
In the morning we drive to Kibish. On the way visit the Bebeka Coffee Plantation, the largest coffee farm in Ethiopia where they cultivate organic coffee tree, peppers, as well as rubber trees. You will have a picnic lunch. The main settlement in this area is the colorful village of Kibish, set in a bowl in the forested hills, it is a fascinating place populated by the striking Surmi people. This area is covered by dense pluvial rainforest with different indigenous trees. The Anuak people also inhabit in the area. They are primarily found in villages situated along the banks and rivers of SouthEastern South Sudan as well as southwestern Ethiopia, in the Gambela Region.
Overnight Camping
After breakfast start exploring Suri (surma) tribe’s villages; Suri’s live in a remote corner of south-western Ethiopia, virtually untouched by the modern world. According to Suri oral tradition, came to their present territory near Mount Naita about 200 years ago from the banks of the Nile River. The Surma have a sky god named Tuma. Piercing and lip plates are a strong part of the Suri culture. Once the lip is pierced, it’s then stretched and a lip plate is then placed in the hole of the piercing.
Overnight Camping in Kibish
In the morning start our journey to the village Tulgit; Where to camp this day depends on where a possible stick-fighting which is called “DONGA” is available. Normally stick-fighting takes place between Kibish and Tulgit. A sport and ritual that the Surma take extremely seriously is stick fighting. In most cases, stick fighting is done so young men can find wives. It is a way for young men to prove themselves to the young women.
To the Suri, the ideal time to stick fight is just after it rains. The fights are held between Suri villages, and the fights begin with 20 to 30 people on each side. Of these 20 to 30 people, all get a chance to fight one on one against someone from the other side. During these fights there are referees present to make sure all rules are being followed. Nowadays this stick fighting is not allowed by the government.
Overnight Tulgit Camping
In the morning we drive to Omo National Park through a very dense tropical forest until Adika. Omo National Park is one of the National Parks of Ethiopia, located in the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Region on the west bank of the Omo River, across the Omo is the Mago National Park. Although an airstrip was recently built near the park headquarters on the Mui River, this park is not easily reachable.
Overnight Camp in the Park
After breakfast, Start Game drive in the park to see its many animals and around 306 species of birds have been identified here, while large herds of Eland, some Buffalo, Elephants, Giraffe, Cheetah, Lion, Leopard, Burchell’s Zebra and others then visit Mursi. The Mursi tribe is one of the last remaining tribes in Africa to still wear traditional dress and accessories. The Mursi women also wear clay or wooden plates in their lower lips or earlobes.
Overnight Eco Omo lodge Jinka
Morning after breakfast, we continue our trip to Turmi where we will meet the fascinating Hamer tribe. Turmi is our base to explore the Southern tribes of the Omo Valley. Afternoon we visit the villages in Turmi.
Overnight: paradise lodge Turmi
Morning we drive to Karo people, although most ethnic groups in southern Ethiopia practice body painting, the Karo are famous for elaborated decoration of their body. Different types of pattern are used for certain ceremonies. Then after, we drive back to Turmi.
Afternoon after lunch we experience the culture of the Hamer people. Hamer people are well known for traditional events and with some luck we will even participate in a Hamer marriage ceremony, with their bull jumping ceremony and more! In the late afternoon, we will also visit a nearby Hamer village and encounter the tribe in their daily life surroundings. With some luck, we may even witness a moonshine dance (Evangadi), a traditional dance of young Hamer men and women.
Overnight: Paradise lodge Turmi
Morning we drive to Omorate, Omerate is only 30 km away from Kenya and South Sudan and functions as a border post. At only 375 meter above sea level it is the lowest place in the Omo Valley and often very hot and dusty. We take an excursion to visit the Dassanech Ethnic group famous for their nomad lifestyle and very interesting decoration and scarification on their bodies.
There are also great views of the Omo River when crossing in a dugout canoe. Here you can cross the Omo River with local boat and enter to dassench village. Afternoon after lunch we drive back to Turmi and proceed to Konso. We will reach the well-kept Kanta Lodge in the late afternoon.
Overnight: Kanta Lodge, Konso
Morning we visit the cultural landscape of Konso. It is the youngest World Heritage Site of Ethiopia. The Konso are famous for their carved wooden grave markers called “waga”. A row of these grave markers are erected on the grave of an important Konso man. One symbolizing the heroic acts of his defeated enemies or killed dangerous animals, the others his wives. In the afternoon drive from Konso to Arba Minch.
Overnight Haile Resort Arba Minch
Morning will be a boat trip on Lake Chamo that would offers us variety of birds, most of the time hippo’s and a spectacular visit to the ‘crocodile market’ where dozens of crocodiles (among them the biggest of Africa) having sun bath.
Afternoon you fly back to Addis Ababa. On arrival at Bole Airport you will be taken to market to do some shopping for souvenirs. Finally you will be taken to a farewell dinner depending on your scheduled flight; you will be transferred out to Bole International Airport for return flight back home.
Place | Hotel | Hotel type | Night | web |
Jimma | Dololo | 3 star | 2 Night | |
Mizan Teferi | Salayish hotel | Hotel | 1 Night | |
Kibish | Camping | 2 Night | ||
Tulgit | Camping | 1 Night | ||
Jinka | Eco Omo | Lodge | 1 Night | |
Turmi | Paradise lodge Turmi | Lodge | 2 Night | |
Konso | Kanta Lodge | Lodge | 1 Night | |
Arba Minch | Haile resort | resort | 1 Night |
This itinerary is flexible, and will likely changed in order to coordinated visits with market days in the south, which is a great opportunity to mingle with the people, Traditional farewell Dinner in Addis Ababa.
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