Omo Valley, Historic Route & Danakil Depression
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Tour name: Omo Valley, Historic Route, Simien Mountains, Lalibela and Danakil Depression Tour
Tour code: OHSLDTR-117
Destinations: Addis Ababa, Arba Minch, Dorze, Lake Chamo, Konso, Turmi, Omorate, Karo, Dimeka, Alduba, Jinka, Mursi, Bahir Dar, Gondar, Simien Mountains (Built Ras, Sankaber, Jinbber Valley, Chennek, Ras Bwahit, Lalibela, Danakil Depression (Erta Ale, Afdera/Lake Gulati, Dallol, Salt mountains/Canyons, Sulfur/Red Lake, Local Salt Mining, Camel Caravans)
Duration: 17 days/16 nights
Starting point: Addis Ababa
Ending point: Semera
Day 1. Addis
– You will be welcomed by your guide/a member of Magma Flow Team at Bole International airport Addis and transfer to your hotel/resort. If your arrival is early morning, city tour of Addis Ababa will be arranged.
Meal plan: Lunch & Dinner
Overnight: Zola/Guzara International hotel (3*) Addis
Day 2. Addis – Dorze – Arba Minch
– Fly from Addis to Arba Minch, pick up from airport and drive to Dorze.
- Visit the industrious Dorze Tribe in Dorze village.
- Attend Dorze market, if today is Monday or Thursday, or optionally Chencha market, if today is Tuesday or Saturday.
– Afterwards, drive back to Arba Minch.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Overnight: Haile resort (4*)/Paradise lodge (3*) Arba Minch
Day 3. Arba Minch – Nech Sar National Park (Lake Chamo) – Konso – Turmi (Hamer Tribe)
– Drive to Turmi. In route:
- Boat trip on Lake Chamo to visit Crocodile market, and local Hippos.
- Visit Konso Tribe in Konso Village.
- Attend Konso market, if today is Monday or Thursday.
- Visit Cultural Museum at Konso (if time permits).
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Overnight:
Option #1. Camping in Turmi village which would allow you to take as many photos as you want without people nagging you. This also makes the trip less touristy and enable you to see something natural, without people posing and going about their day to day life.
Optipon #2. Paradise lodge (4*) Turmi
Day 4. Turmi – Omorate (Dassenech Tribe) – Turmi
– Morning, cross Omo River by a Local Boat to Dassenech Village and visit the Dassenech Tribe.
– Afterwards, return to Turmi.
- Attend Turmi market (biggest market in Omo Valley), if today is Monday.
- Visit the Hamer Tribe
- Traditional Bull Jumping Ceremony (if available).
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Overnight: Paradise lodge (4*) Turmi
Day 5. Turmi – Karo – Dimeka/KeyAfer/Alduba – Jinka
– Morning, drive to Karo and visit the Karo Tribe.
– Afterwards, proceed driving to Jinka. In route, attend:
- Dimeka market, if today is Tuesday or Saturday.
- KeyAfer market, if today is Thursday.
- Alduba market, if today is Tuesday.
– At Jinka, visit:
- Walk around the surroundings of Jinka to visit the Ari Tribe.
- Visit the South Omo Museum and Research Centre (if time permits).
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Overnight: Eco Omo lodge (3*) Jinka
Day 6. Jinka – Mago National Park (Mursi Tribe) – Jinka – Bahir Dar
– Morning, Drive to Mursi through the Mago National Park and visit the Mursi Tribe.
– Afterwards, return to Jinka and transfer to Jinka airport to catch your flight to Bahir Dar via Addis.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Overnight: Jacaranda hotel (3*) Bahir Dar
Day 7. Addis – Bahir Dar
– Morning, fly to Bahir Dar, pick up from airport and check-in your hotel/lodge.
– Take a boat trip on Lake Tana.
Visit:
- ZegePenninsula
- AzuwaMaryam
- UraKidaneMehret
- DebreMaryam
– Afternoon, visit Blue Nile Falls & walk around to enjoy the beautiful views of the area.
– Sunset on the best viewpoint of the Lake.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight: Jacaranda hotel (3*) Bahir Dar
Day 8. Bahir Dar – Gondar
– Morning, drive to Gondar.
– Afternoon, visit sites in Gondar:
- The Royal Enclosure
- Fasilidass Pool, still used for Timket celebrations
- Ras Gimb Palace Museum
- Debre Birhan Selassie church
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight: AG/Ruth hotel (3*) Gondar
Day 9. Gondar – Simien Mountains (Buyit Ras – Sankaber)
– Morning, drive to Buyit Ras via Debark.
– Trek (2-3h) from Buyit Ras to Sankaber. En route, visit:
- The wonderful scenario of the landscapes
- Endemic Gelada Baboons
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Snack & Dinner
Overnight: Camping at Sankaber
Day 10. Simien Mountains [Sankaber – Jinbar Valley – Chennek
– Trek (3h) from Sankaber to Jinbar Valley. En route, visit:
- The place where the Jinbar Waterfall plunges into Geech Abyss.
- Jinbar Waterfall & its adorable landscape.
- Endemic Gelada Baboons
– Car picks us up from Jinbar Valley and drive to Chennek.
– Trek (0.5-1h) around Chennek to visit villages and local people.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Snack & Dinner
Overnight: Camping at Chennek
Day 11. Simien Mountains (Chennek – Ras Bwahit) – Gondar
– Drive from Chennek to Bwahit Pass and ascend (3h) to Ras Bwahit (4,430m) the second highest mountain in Simien, enjoy watching the wonderful views of the landscapes.
– Afterwards, descend back to Bwahit Pass, meet our car and drive back to Gondar.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight: AG/Ruth hotel (3*) Bahir Dar
Day 12. Gondar – Lalibela
– Fly to Lalibela, pick up from airport and check-in your lodge.
– Afternoon, visit best of the best churches in Ethiopia, Yemrahanna Kristos.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight: Sora lodge (3*) Lalibela
Day 13. Lalibela
– Morning, visit half of the 11 rock-hewn churches (Northwestern cluster):
- BetMedhaneAlem
- BetMaryam
- BetMeskel
- BetDanaghel
- BetMikael
- BetGolgotha (entry not permitted for women).
– Afternoon, visit the rest half (Southeastern cluster):
- BetGabriel-Rufael
- BetMerkorios
- BetAmanual
- BetAbbaLibanos
- BetGiyorgis until the sunset (the most famous of all)
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Overnight Sora lodge (3*) Lalibela
Day 14. Lalibela – Semera
– Morning, drive/fly from Lalibela to Semera.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Overnight: Hotel/Resort in Semera
Day 15. Semera-Afdera-Danakil Depression (HamadEla)
– Morning, pick up from your hotel/resort and drive to Afdera you can Swim in Lake Afrera & take a bath in hydrothermal springs.
– After lunch in Afdera, we proceed driving to HamadEla.
– Visit:
- Camel caravans heading back from the salt mining area to HamadEla & highlands (if available)
- Sunset on Lake Asale/Karum.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Overnight: Outside under the stars in HamadEla
Day 16. Danakil Depression (Dallol) – ErtaAle
– In the morning, visit:
- Dallol Volcano
- Salt Mountains (Canyons)
- Sulfur Lake
- Camel Caravans & Local Salt Mining (if available)
– Drive back to HamadEla, have lunch and proceed driving to ErtaAle.
– TREK (30-40 minutes – you can hire a Camel for ride, if interested) the top of the Erta Ale Mountain.
– Visit Erta Ale Volcano (Lava Lake) during the night.
– TREK (30 – 40 minutes) back to the camp.
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Overnight: Outside/inside local huts
Day 17. Danakil Depression (ErtaAle) – Afdera – Semera
– Early morning second visit of Erta Ale Volcano (Lava Lake) (if interested).
– After breakfast, drive to Afdera.
– After lunch in Afder, proceed driving to Semera and transfer to Semera Airport to catch your noon (5 pm) flight back to Addis.
Meal plan: Breakfast and Lunch