Embark on a 12-day immersive journey into the heart of Ethiopia’s tribal heritage with our Surma and Omo Valley tribes tour.
This unique expedition offers intimate encounters with the Surma community and various Omo Valley tribes, showcasing their distinct traditions and lifestyles.
Ideal for cultural enthusiasts, this Ethiopia tour presents an unparalleled opportunity to experience the rich diversity of Ethiopia’s ethnic groups in their natural settings.
12-Day Surma and Omo Valley Tour Highlights
- Day 1. Addis Ababa – Jimma
- Hotel Awetu International for the night.
- Day 2. Jimma – Mizan Teferi
- Day 3. Mizan Teferi – Kibish
- Day 4. Full Day in Kibish Surma
- Day 5. Kibish – Nyangatom
- Day 6. Nyangatom – Turmi
- Day 7. Karo Tribes and Omorate Excursion
- Day 8. Drive to Jinka Visit The Mursi Tribe
- Day 9. Jinka – Arbaminch Via Konso
- Day 10. Visit Dorze Village and Boat Ride on Chamo Lake
- Day 11. Arbaminch – Lake Langano
- Day 12. Langano – Addis Ababa
Detailed 12-Day Surma and Omo Valley Tour Itinerary
Day 1. Addis Ababa – Jimma
We head west from Addis Ababa to Jimma, which is roughly 350 kilometers away.
Upon reaching JimmaRas Abba Jifar II, the former Kaffa King, has a palace overlooking the city and the coffee forests around it.
We are going to his palace.
The palace serves as a symbol of a glorious past in which the coffee trade brought the king both material and political wealth.
This prosperous region remained independent of the Ethiopian Empire until 1930.
Hotel Awetu International for the night.
Day 2. Jimma – Mizan Teferi
We head west to Bonga after breakfast.
Bonga is in the middle of the Kaffa region and is surrounded by beautiful mountain rain-forest.
To MizanTeferi we go next.
We make a stop at a nearby coffee farm en route to gain insight into the region’s coffee production.
This area of Ethiopia is among the richest and greenest.
Tonight: Salayish Hotel or Something Else
Day 3. Mizan Teferi – Kibish
We’re going to Kibish again today.
We approach the homeland of the Surma through grasslands, alluvial forests, and bush Savannah.
The Surma are pastoralists who rely heavily on their cattle for many aspects of daily life.
The white ritual body painting, the scarification of the body, and the plates carried in the lower lips by the women are other well-known practices of the tribe.
Camping in Kibish for the night
Day 4. Full Day in Kibish Surma
Today we will take a tour of several Surma villages to gain more insight into their traditions and way of life.
Due to the high temperatures during the day, we aim to visit either early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
Being only five minutes from the camp, we can spend some time at the river in between.
A domba, or ceremonial stick fight, is something else we hope to see.
In September, there are often massive fights.
Overnight: Kibish camping
Day 5. Kibish – Nyangatom
Early in the morning, we set off, passing through the intriguing Omo National Park, which is home to a wide range of flora and fauna.
It was the first national park in Ethiopia, created in 1959, and it is home to the densest animal population in the nation.
We might be lucky enough to spot elephants, gazelles, and buffalo.
The village of Nyangatom, located at the southernmost point of the national park, should be reached by the afternoon.
We’ll camp here and take in the fascinating way of life of this ethnic minority.
Camp for the night at the Nyangatom tribe
Day 6. Nyangatom – Turmi
We proceed to Turmi after breakfast.
Known for its customs, Turmi is the hub of the southern Omo Valley.
If we’re lucky, we might even get to witness a Hamer wedding celebration, complete with the well-known bull-jumping ceremony and other festivities!
We visit a Hamer village in the late afternoon to witness the hospitable Hamer people going about their everyday activities.
In addition, young Hamer men and women may perform the Evangadi, also known as the moonlight dance, which is a traditional dance.
Overnight: Turmi’s Emerald Lodge
Day 7. Karo Tribes and Omorate Excursion
You will embark on an excursion trip to Murrulle, a village of Karo people, who are the fewest in number and are famous for their body painting, which they do before significant ceremonies.
Afterward, we will head to Omorate, where you will have the opportunity to converse with the Geleb (Dassenech), pastoralists who celebrate a woman’s upcoming marriage with a lengthy ceremony.
The tribe is invited to come, to dance, to wear their best clothes, and to eat a feast of butchered cattle.
Return to the well-lit and elegantly furnished Emerald Lodge for the evening.
Entire night at Emerald Lodge.
Day 8. Drive to Jinka Visit The Mursi Tribe
After breakfast in the morning, travel to Jinka before going to a Mursi village.
The Mursi are without a doubt one of Africa’s most unique tribes.
The Mursi women wear large circular lip plates, just like the Surma.
See the South Omotic tribes’ languages on display at an ethnographic museum in Jinka.
A thriving trading hub and something of a capital, Jinka is the capital of the various ethnic groups that inhabit this region.
Spend the night at the Nasa Hotel.
Day 9. Jinka – Arbaminch Via Konso
After breakfast, drive through the Konso tribal village, a World Heritage site of cultural significance, on your way to Arbaminch. erected atop hillsides to offer defense against tribes living in the lowlands.
The classic Konso villages are made up of discrete compounds surrounded by high stone walls, with agricultural terraces stretching outside their walls.
The village will enthrall you with its unique architectural features, cultural legacy that has remained mostly intact, social cohesiveness, and capacity to adapt to its harsh environment.
With their rich agricultural heritage, the Konso build elaborate walls and terraces to keep flooding and livestock damage out of their fields and villages.
Arbaminch Tourist Hotel overnight
Day 10. Visit Dorze Village and Boat Ride on Chamo Lake
With lush hills encircling the Rift Valley lakes, Arba Minch is situated in a breathtaking rural area between Lake Abaya and Lake Chamo.
The largest crocodiles in Africa, reaching lengths of up to six meters, are among the many birds we look for while taking a boat ride on Lake Chamo.
We next visit the fascinating Dorze people, who live high in the Guge mountains overlooking the lush valleys and hills, the lakes Abaya and Chamo, and more.
Reminiscent of beehives, the tall bamboo homes of the Dorze people are well known.
Should a termite infestation occur at the base, the entire house can be raised and moved.
Hotel Tourist Overnight.
Day 11. Arbaminch – Lake Langano
Make a few stops along the way as you drive to Lake Langano.
Once there, check into your accommodation at the top resort, Sabana Resort.
Savor swimming, observing avian life, and watching the sun set at the stunning Lake Langano in the late afternoon.
Overnight Sabana Resort or equivalent (not included)
Day 12. Langano – Addis Ababa
In the morning, our driver will drop you off here and head back to Addis.
The tour’s conclusion.
