Duration
9-Day
Mago National Park, Ethiopia
Capture rich memories in Omo Valley. Ethiopia is renowned for its fascinating tribal peoples who continue to follow ancient and traditional lifestyles, each with their own rich culture, customs, religious beliefs and body decoration. This tour visits the Omo Valley in southern Ethiopia which is home to fascinating tribes like Mursi, whose women wear plates in their lower lips, the Hamer, famous for their "bull jumping" ceremonies, and the Konso, with their intricate funerary traditions.
Plan snapshot
Duration
9-Day
Route
Addis Ababa to Addis Ababa (City)
Via Arba Minch (City), Jinka (Lower Omo Valley), Mago NP
Country & park
Ethiopia / Mago National Park
Style
Mid-range shared safari
Group size
1-12 travelers
Starts
Any day if available
Minimum age
5 years
Activities
Getting around: boat, normal 4x4 vehicle & air transfer
Accommodation
Da'amat Hotel - Mid-range hotel in Addis Ababa (City) – Dinner Included
Meals
Dinner Included; All Meals Included
Pickup
Airport transfer included
Booking
Request quote
Currency
USD
Solo travelers
Can join this group tour
Rates
USD
Before booking
Quote flow
This mid-range tour uses lodges and resorts.
On this shared tour, you will join a group of other travelers. Max 4 people per vehicle.
If availability permits, this tour can start on any day.
The accommodations and destinations of this tour cannot be changed.
Single travelers can join this group tour, but it requires a minimum of 2 people to run.
The minimum age for this tour is 5 years.
Day 1
Mid-range hotel in Addis Ababa (City) – Dinner Included
Dinner Included
Day 2
Mid-range hotel in Arba Minch (City) – All Meals Included
All Meals Included
Day 3-4
Budget hotel in Jinka (Lower Omo Valley) – All Meals Included
All Meals Included
Day 5-6
Mid-range lodge in Turmi (Lower Omo Valley) – All Meals Included
All Meals Included
Day 7
Mid-range lodge in Konso (Cultural Village) – All Meals Included
All Meals Included
Day 8
Mid-range resort in Awasa (City) – All Meals Included
All Meals Included
Day 9
(No accommodation)
All Meals Included
Tour step
You'll be collected from the airport. Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.
Day 1
Clients will be greeted upon arrival to Bole International Airport, regardless of arrival time and transferred to your hotel Located in the center of the country. Addis Ababa is Ethiopia’s geographic, political and cultural hub. Addis is distinct from many other African capitals because it was not developed under colonial rule. One of its best-known sites is the National Museum of Ethiopia, which houses the remains of “Lucy,” a bipedal hominid who lived 3.2 million years ago and was discovered in 1974. If you arrive early perhaps take a tour of this bustling city, Established by the Emperor Menelik II in 1887. The optional city tour will include the National Museum, where you’ll find the famous remains of 'Lucy’, and the Ethnographic Museum set within the beautiful gardens of Haile Selassie’s former palace. We gather for a welcome dinner with our fellow travelers this evening. Mid-range hotel located in Addis Ababa (City) Dinner (Breakfast & lunch not included) Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 2
Flight to Arba Minch, one of the main towns in southern Ethiopia. On arrival we will drive to Dorze Village in the Guge Mountains. The Dorze are known for their tall, beehive-shaped bamboo houses. If the base becomes infested with termites, the entire house can be lifted and moved to another location. Mid-range hotel located in Arba Minch (City) All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 3
After breakfast, we will take a boat trip on 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. En route to Jinka we will be visiting various ethnic groups, such as the Gamo and Derashe. Stop at Key Afar's weekly market (if on a Thursday) and wander among the various tribes such as the Benna and Ari that have gathered to barter their goods. Budget hotel located in Jinka (Lower Omo Valley) All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 4
An early drive into the vast wilderness of Mago National Park. Founded in 1960, this national park houses nearly 100 mammal species and 300 bird species within its dense acacia forests and open savannah lands. Next set out to visit a Mursi village. The women are known for the clay plates they insert into their lower lips. Return to Jinka to visit an ethnographic museum dedicated to the tribes speaking South Omotic languages. Jinka is a lively trading hub and known as a capital of sorts for the range of ethnic groups that call this region home. Budget hotel located in Jinka (Lower Omo Valley) All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 5
Drive to Turmi to visit the Hamer people who are well known for the scarring of their bodies, using clay to shape their hairstyles, and the unique practice of "bull-jumping" which every young man must accomplish prior to marriage. En route to Turmi, visit the Benna and Ari people. Overnight at the cheerful, well-designed Buska Lodge or similar. Mid-range lodge located in Turmi (Lower Omo Valley) All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 6
In the morning, you will have an excursion trip to Murrulle the village of Karo people who are the least in number and known for their body painting they indulge before important ceremonies then after we headed to Omorate enjoy interactions with the Geleb (Dassenech), pastoralists who celebrate a woman's upcoming marriage with a long, drawn out ceremony where the entire tribe is invited to dress up in their finest clothing, dance and feast on slaughtered cattle. Return for Overnight at the cheerful, well-designed Buska Lodge. Mid-range lodge located in Turmi (Lower Omo Valley) All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 7
Drive to Konso, a recently designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. A highland people, for its terraced hillsides and intricately carved totems, which locals use to decorate graves. This destination is a spectacular example of living cultural tradition that stretches back over 400 years. Overnight Kanata Lodge. Mid-range lodge located in Konso (Cultural Village) All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 8
Drive to the lakeside town of Hawassa. Our resort is situated right at the lakeshore and the grounds and surroundings are a great place for Rest and relaxation. It's also a good place to watch different species of birds. Overnight Haile Resort Hawassa or similar. Mid-range resort located in Awasa (City) All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Day 9
Visit the Hawassa fish market in the morning. Drive to Addis Ababa making stops at the Rift Valley Lakes. In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner at a traditional Ethiopian restaurant featuring dancers and musicians representing some of the country's many ethnic groups. Transfer to airport for your international flight. All meals included Drinking water (Other drinks not included)
Tour step
Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost. You'll be dropped off at the airport.
Park fees (For non-residents)
All activities (Unless labeled as optional)
All accommodation (Unless listed as upgrade)
A professional driver/guide
All transportation (Unless labeled as optional)
All flights during the tour
All Taxes/VAT
Roundtrip airport transfer
Meals (As specified in the day-by-day section)
Drinking water (On all days)
International flights (From/to home)
Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
Tips (Tipping guideline US$10.00 pp per day)
Personal items (Souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
Offered by
Armaye Ethiopia Tours is an expert Ethiopian private tour operator based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is run by a highly professional team comprising experienced tour organizers and fully licensed tour guides.
Office In
Ethiopia
Size
5-10 employees (Founded in 2015)
Tour Types
Custom mid-range tours that can start every day
Destinations
Ethiopia
Traveler feedback
Overall
5.0/5Communication
5.0/5Accuracy
5.0/5Value
5.0/5Safety clarity
5.0/5Cultural value
5.0/5I am a naturalist with an appetite to photograph endemic and vulnerable species. Armaye worked with me, awesome communication skills btw, to provide me with the appropriate destinations for the time I had available. Even with the challenges of the changing political climate during the trip, Armaye had the flexibility to make changes to lodgings, flights, destinations, etc. that still offered me the photo opportunities for which I had hoped and remain in budget. My travel plans placed me in Ethiopia during off-season for tourism, but I was rewarded with a unique insight into the natural world of that region during the rainy season. I am delighted by the many babies, juveniles, and family units that nature revealed to me, glimpsing some of the more elusive animals. The trade-off was that the trip did not coincide with migrations of birds, but the abundant numbers and varieties of resident species filled camera memory cards with animals I had never encountered. This was my first trip to the Horn of Africa. I was immersed in rural Ethiopia, but my professional guide and driver took good care to keep me safe. Of note, I do not have a palate for spicy food (I feel that cayenne pepper and curry is too spicy) so that was a challenge for me personally, but I planned for that inevitability and brought nuts, raisins, and crackers to sustain me.
Marcia · United States
Perfect organization, the hotels were very good and clean, and the drivers very professional. Armaye organized the tour only for 2 people and we visited very interesting places in the North and in the south of the country. Ethiopia has been a very nice discovery.
Nadia · Italy
It was an amazing trip! Easy to talk with, the tour operator! Our guides & drivers are punctual, really friendly and very kind to us. They were not only guide us to the place, but also taught us many cultural things. Really appereciated!
Hana · Japan
Armaye was so responsive to our request for a very last minute request for a trip to Ethiopia. He answered quickly, responded to questions quickly and designed our tour to our preferences. I was a bit nervous about travelling to Ethiopia where we knew we would be "off grid" but it was very safe and the people we met were very friendly. Armaye was our guide too - very informative and answered all my husband's inquisitive questions about culture, traditions, food. Aman was our driver and also comes highly recommended. Aman is an expert driver both on major roads and offroad. WE saw many animals specific to Ethiopia that we hadn't seen before, including lots of Ethiopian golden wolves. The 3-day tour in Afar was excellent value.
Christina · Botswana
Practical answers
Rates are per person and exclude the international flight from/to your home country.
This tour is offered in US dollars (USD).
This tour accepts children who are 5 years and older.
If availability permits, this tour can start on any day.
The accommodations and destinations of this tour cannot be changed.
Da'amat Hotel - Mid-range hotel in Addis Ababa (City) – Dinner Included. Meals: Dinner Included
This tour starts and ends in Addis Ababa
A transfer from and back to the airport is included
Operator policy
This tour is offered by Armaye Ethiopia Tours, not SafariBookings.
This operator reserves the right to change rates advertised on SafariBookings.
Rates include a fixed budget for flights during this tour. If flights cost more, your quote will reflect this.
This group tour requires a minimum of 2 people to run.
The exact order, contents and rates of this tour are subject to availability.
If an accommodation is fully booked, the operator will suggest a comparable alternative.
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