Omo Valley Tribes Tour | 5-Day Cultural Expedition

Tour Overview

Experience an unforgettable 5-day journey through Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, exploring diverse cultures and breathtaking landscapes. This tour offers deep cultural immersion, scenic beauty, and extraordinary tribal encounters in one of the most culturally intact regions on Earth.

You'll cruise along Lake Chamo spotting hippos and giant crocodiles, visit the UNESCO-recognized Dorze and Konso villages, and meet the Kara people renowned for their body painting. Witness the thrilling Hamer bull-jumping ceremony (if available) and encounter the iconic Mursi people, famous for their lip plates. This is a compact, profound adventure into the heart of Ethiopia's living traditions.

Detailed Day-by-Day Itinerary

Your tour begins with an early flight to Arba Minch. After check-in, we visit the 'crocodile market' on Lake Chamo for a thrilling boat trip, where you'll see hippos and some of Africa's largest crocodiles. Later, we drive up to the Dorze village, famous for its unique beehive-shaped huts and skilled weavers. We return to Arba Minch for the night.

After breakfast, we drive to Konso, a UNESCO World Heritage site. You'll visit a traditional village, learning about their terraced agriculture and 'generation poles' that mark the history of the community. After lunch in Konso, we continue our journey south to Turmi, the heart of Hamer territory, for our overnight stay.

We drive to a Kara village on the banks of the Omo River, where you'll meet the tribe known for their elaborate body and face painting. After returning to Turmi for lunch, the afternoon is dedicated to the Hamer people. If we're lucky, we may witness a bull-jumping ceremony, a powerful rite of passage. Otherwise, we'll visit a Hamer village and enjoy the traditional Evangadi (night dance).

This morning, we head to Omorate to visit the Dassanech tribe, crossing the Omo River by local canoe. After returning to Turmi for lunch, we drive to Jinka. On the way, we may stop at the weekly market in Dimeka, a vibrant hub for the Hamer, Bena, and Kara tribes. We check into our lodge in Jinka for the night.

An early start takes us into Mago National Park to visit a Mursi village. The Mursi are famous for the large clay plates their women wear in their lower lips and their intricate body scarification. After this incredible cultural encounter, we drive back to Jinka for lunch before transferring to the airport for your flight back to Addis Ababa, concluding your tour.