Itinerary

1. Day 1: Addis Ababa City Tour

   • Visit the National Museum with your Ethiopian guide.
   • Explore the bustle around the “Mercato” (market), which has an array of fascinating goods and curios selling typical artisan wares and antiques.

2. Day 2: Addis to Arba Minch - Dorze village

   • Drive to Arba Minch, one of the main towns in Southern Ethiopia, and visit Dorze Village in the Guge Mountains, known for its tall, beehive-shaped bamboo houses.

3. Day 3: Arba Minch - Jinka

   • After breakfast, take a boat trip to Lake Chamo and view some of the largest crocodiles in the world, sunning on the banks of the lake. Hippopotami and birdlife are also abundant here.
   • Drive to Jinka and meet the Gamo and Derashe people.
   • Stop at Key Afar's weekly market and wander among the tribes, such as the Benna and Ari, gathered to barter their goods.

4. Day 4: Jinka - Mursi Tribe - Turmi

   • Take an early morning drive to the Mago National Park to visit the Mursi people. The Mursi women are known for the clay plates they insert into their lower lip.

   • After lunch, drive to Turmi to visit the Hamer tribes, well-known for scarring their bodies using clay and shaping their hairstyles.

   • Watch the unique practice of "Bull-Jumping", which every young man must accomplish before marriage.

5. Day 5: Karo Tribe and Dassanech Tribe - Turmi

   • Begin the morning with a visit to the Karo Tribe, famous for their body paintings. They use clay and locally available vegetable pigments to trace fantastic patterns on their bodies.
   • After lunch, drive to Omorate and visit the Dassanech people. 
   • Visit the Hammer Tribe's Village to see their lifestyle and attend the Evagadi traditional performance.

6. Day 6: Konso Tribal Village - Arba Minch

   • Visit the Konso Tribal village, a World Heritage-listed site of cultural significance, invariably built on hilltops as protection from the lowland tribes. You will see the unique architectural aspects, largely unchanged cultural heritage and social cohesion of the village, and how it has adapted to its harsh environment.
   • Overnight in Arba Minch.

7. Day 7: Arbaminch - Awassa

   • Drive to the lakeside town of Awassa.
   • Rest at one of its finest resorts. Relax by the hotel, take a boat ride, and visit the town if possible. 

8. Day 8: Awassa - Addis Ababa

   • In the morning, visit the Awassa fish market.

   • Drive to Addis Ababa, the country's commercial and cultural hub and visit the Rift Valley Lakes.

   • Enjoy a farewell dinner at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant featuring dancers and musicians representing some of the country's many ethnic groups. 

   • Transfer to the airport.