Immerse yourself in the diverse beauty of Ethiopia with our 10-Day Bale Mountains Trek and Omo Valley Culture combining Bale Mountains trekking and the Omo Valley cultural experience.
Start with a captivating trek through the Bale Mountains, home to unique wildlife and breathtaking landscapes.
Then, delve into the rich cultural tapestry of the Omo Valley, where you’ll encounter various Ethiopian tribes and their traditions.
This Ethiopia tour is perfect for those seeking a blend of adventure and cultural immersion in Ethiopia’s stunning and diverse settings.
10-Day Bale Mountains Trek and Omo Valley Cultural Tour Highlights
- Day 1: Arrival to Bale Mountains
- Day 2: Trek Dinsho to Sodota Campsite
- Day 3: Trek Sodota to wasema
- Day 4: Trek Wasema to Rafu
- Day 5: Trekking to sanneti Plateau
- Day 6: Bale Mountains – Drive to Arbaminch
- Day 7. Visit The Dorze Tribe
- Day 8. Drive to Turmi Visit Konso and Hammer Tribe
- Day 9. Drive To Omorate Visit Dassenech Tribe Then Continue To Jinka
- Day 10. Discover The Mursi Tribe Then Fly Back To Addis
Detailed 10-Day Bale Mountains Trek and Omo Valley Culture Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival to Bale Mountains
Meet your guide when you arrive at Bale Mountains, then proceed to the park headquarters by car.
After that, go on a hike in Park H.Q. where we can see endemic and endangered mammals like Mountain Nyala, Menilik’sBuchbuck, Reedbuck, Warthog, Gray Duikers, and Baboons.
Additionally, endemic birds of Ethiopia can be found in the juniper woodlands of Bale Mountains Headquarters, including the Black-headed Siskin, Wattled Ibis, and Abyssinian Catbird.
Spend the night at the 3100-masl Dinsho Campsite.
Day 2: Trek Dinsho to Sodota Campsite
We start our roughly 18-kilometer hike to Sodota in the morning after breakfast.
Hike from Adelay through the stunning Web Valley environment toward the FinchaHabera waterfall, which is the meeting point of the Wolla and Web rivers.
There is a good chance that we will see raptors, rock hyrax, endemic Ethiopian wolves, and endemic birds like Blue Winged Goose here.
You will undoubtedly be thrilled and in awe of the Bale Mountains’ true wilderness after reading this.
Upon reaching the campsite, you will enjoy a delightful coffee/tea break.
Sodota Campsite: Overnight, 3500 masl
Day 3: Trek Sodota to wasema
Hike to Wasama via the gorgeous region offering spectacular views. Cross the Mararo Valley, where Lammergeyer and Verraux Eagle nests are located.
There’s a good chance of seeing a variety of birds and an Ethiopian wolf after a 6-7 hour hike.
Spend the night at the 3900-masl Wasema Campsite.
Day 4: Trek Wasema to Rafu
It becomes very clear through this next stretch of wilderness how the mountain massif was formed long ago by a single super volcano.
The walk between Wasamaa and Rafu truly highlights the volcanic influence, but the ice age with its glaciers has also seriously sculpted the mountains.
The high country is dotted with amazing rock formations, including granite boulders and basalt pipes, which make for a breathtaking experience when hiking here. 5-6 hours hike.
Rafu Campsite (4000 masl) overnight.
Day 5: Trekking to sanneti Plateau
After breakfast in the morning, depart from the lovely Rafu and proceed to the Sanetti Plateau.
Raptors, falcons, and possibly the Ethiopian wolf will be present.
See the most magnificent untamed alpine landscape, plateau lakes, and Afro-alpine Moor region.
Head to Robe town to spend the night after meeting the car here on the Plateau.
The trek will take seven or eight hours.
Tokuma Hotel for the night.
Day 6: Bale Mountains – Drive to Arbaminch
Travel south of the country to the town of Arbaminch after breakfast.
The town is located in the Bale Mountains.
Once you reach Arbaminch, after a few stops along the way, settle into your overnight accommodations.
Tourist Hotel Overnight.
Day 7. Visit The Dorze Tribe
After breakfast, we’ll take a boat ride on Lake Chamo to witness some of the largest crocodiles in the world relaxing on the shores of the lake.
Hippos and birdlife abound as well.
Then, in the afternoon, make a short drive to Guge Mountain to visit the Dorze Tribe.
The Dorze are renowned for their cotton-weaving skills and their beehive-shaped dwellings constructed entirely of organic materials.
Here in their village, you can see their characteristic beehive huts, marvel at their incredible skill at weaving cotton, and learn more about their way of life.
Hotel Tourist Arbaminch, overnight.
Day 8. Drive to Turmi Visit Konso and Hammer Tribe
After breakfast, make your way to the small town of Turmi to visit the Omo Valley tribes.
While traveling, stop at Konso and take a look around their village.
The Konso tribe is well-known for their agricultural terracing method as well as for their wooden totems that serve as memorials to the deceased.
The Konso villages are recognized as a world heritage site due to their cultural significance.
The villages are surrounded by high stone walls and contained within separate compounds.
After lunch, head south through the acacia forest to Turmi.
Visit the well-known village of the Hammer tribe, which is close to Turmi.
They are well known for their beautiful ceramics as well as their incredible hairdo.
With their intricate necklaces, vibrantly beaded goatskins, and metal ankle and wrist bangles, the women look amazing.
The wealth and status of a woman’s husband are disclosed by these ornaments.
Turmi, Emerald Lodge, overnight.
Day 9. Drive To Omorate Visit Dassenech Tribe Then Continue To Jinka
Drive 75 km in the morning toward Omorate on a paved road to visit the Dassenech tribe.
On the bank of the Omo River, close to the Kenyan border, is Omorate.
You will cross the Omo River on a local boat and then walk to one of the Dassenech villages.
The Dassenech people are a semi-nomadic tribe that inhabits the banks of the Omo River.
Their clans are scattered across Sudan, Kenya, and southern Ethiopia.
Their signature style is their intricate and unique hair buns.
They grow crops and fish.
Proceed to Jinka after returning to Turmi.
Before you get to Jinka, see the village of the Ari People.
The Ari people live in the lush surroundings of the Jinka and grow coffee and fruits for trade and personal consumption.
Their villages are the most picturesque in the country; lush and surrounded by banana, avocado, and mango trees.
Overnight: Jinka, Nasa Hotel
Day 10. Discover The Mursi Tribe Then Fly Back To Addis
Early in the morning, you will travel through the Mago National Park to visit a village of the Mursi Tribe.
The Mursi tribe, possibly the most well-known in the area, is well-known for its women who use clay discs to extend their lower lips and its men who engage in stick fighting customs known as Donga.
The Mursi people are arguably the only tribe in Africa where women are still expected to wear those massive ceramic or wooden discs or plates.
Following that, return to Jinka and proceed to JinkaBako Airport in order to get ready for your flight back to Addis Ababa. Arrive in Addis by late afternoon.
