Trekking Tour through the Villages of South Ethiopia's Omo Valley

Travel time: 1h; 20 km

Welcome to Ethiopia! We meet you early in the morning at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. Your guide takes you to a comfortable hotel in the city center—if the rooms are ready, you’ll have time to freshen up before beginning your urban adventure.

You kick things off with a relaxed orientation and travel briefing over coffee, followed by a currency exchange stop. Then you explore Ethiopia’s vibrant capital: visit the National Museum (home of the famed fossil “Lucy”), wander bustling local markets, and head up to Entoto Hill, where on a clear day you’ll enjoy sweeping views across the capital.

You can take an optional stroll near the hotel in the late afternoon before you gather for a welcome dinner featuring local flavors.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Vamos Addis Hotel (B) in Addis Ababa vamosaddis.com or similar, in Addis Ababa

Travel: 3-4 h; 80 km,

Hiking: 2-3 h (incl. breaks), 6.5 km (difficulty: moderate, altitude difference: ↑550m, ↓350m)

You take a domestic flight to Jinka, the gateway to the culturally rich Omo Valley. Our first encounter is with the Ari people, known for their sustainable farming practices. You drive north through lush highlands to Woset, where you begin a scenic hike through forested hills and pass a waterfall (note: steep sections involved for closer views).

Along the trail, you stop at Ari villages and learn about their customs, traditional homes, and daily life—an intimate and respectful cultural experience aligned with our community-based travel values.

Meals: B/L/D

Accommodation: Omo eco-lodge Eco-omo.com or similar

Travel: 4-5 h; 140 km,

Hiking: 2-3 h (incl. breaks), 6-7 km (difficulty: moderate, altitude difference: ↑500m, ↓200m)

Your journey deeper into the valley, stopping at the Alduba Market, where members of various ethnic groups, including the Hamar, come together to trade goods. It's a vibrant, authentic insight into local life—not staged for tourists, but a genuine hub of commerce and community.

After a lunch break in Dimeka, you continue toward Lale. Depending on conditions, you may hike to your first wild camp and settle in for a night under the stars. If riverbeds are swollen from unexpected rains, you may adapt our route—your local team’s flexibility ensures your safety and comfort.

Meals: B/L/D

Accommodation: Overnight: Buska Camp

Hiking: 5-6 h (incl. breaks), 12 km (difficulty: moderate, altitude difference: ↑400m, ↓550m)

Today you set off on your first full hiking day. After a gentle climb, you reach a scenic pass with panoramic views over the Omo lowlands. As you continue south, you pass through farmland and hamlets of the Hamar community, where women tend crops while men herd livestock.

This slow, mindful trekking pace lets us appreciate the cultural rhythms and natural landscapes. In the afternoon, you arrive in Kufri, where you camp for the night in a peaceful setting.

Meals: B/L/D

Accommodation :Overnight: Kufri Camp

Travel: 1:30 h; 25 km,

Hiking: 4-5 h (incl. breaks), 13 km (difficulty: moderate, altitude difference: ↑300m, ↓600m)

Your final trek leads you over rolling hills before descending into a fertile valley. You follow a riverbed until you meet your vehicles near Dega Keja. From there, a short drive takes you to Turmi, where a refreshing shower and a well-earned rest await at our ecolodge.

As always, you adapt your route based on local weather and road conditions, prioritizing both sustainability and guest experience.

Meals: B/L/D

Accommodation: Buska Lodge : buskalodge.com or similar, Turmi

Travel: 5 h; 280 km,

Hiking: 1 h (incl. breaks), 1 km (difficulty: moderate, altitude difference: ↑50m, ↓50m)

You continue north with a meaningful cultural stop in a UNESCO-recognized Konso village. The Konso are known for their intricate terracing techniques and wooden grave totems (Waga figures). Their villages, designed with social harmony in mind, reflect generations of ecological wisdom.

In the afternoon, you reach Arba Minch, nestled between Lake Abaya and Lake Chamo, where you’ll stay in an eco-lodge overlooking the Rift Valley lakes.

Meals:  B/L/D

Accommodation: paradise Lodge paradiselodgeethiopia  or similar, Arba Minch

Travel: 2:30 h; 60 km,

Hiking:  2 h app.  (incl. breaks), app. 5 km (difficulty: moderate, altitude difference: ↑200m, ↓200m)

Your morning begins with a boat safari on Lake Chamo, where you observe fishermen in papyrus boats, hippos, pelicans, and perhaps some sunbathing crocodiles on the so-called “Crocodile Market.”

In the afternoon, you drive into the highlands to visit the Dorze community in Chencha, famous for their striking bamboo huts and vivid textile weaving traditions. You meet a pottery-making family and walk through the village while enjoying dramatic lake views on the way.

Meals:  B/L/D

Accommodation: paradise Lodge: paradiselodgeethiopia.com or similar, Arba Minch

Travel: 1 h app.; app. 20 km,

You enjoy a relaxed morning before flying back to Addis Ababa, where there’s time for souvenir shopping or a final coffee ceremony. In the evening, you gather for a celebratory Ethiopian dinner—complete with live music, dancing, and delicious injera.

After dinner, you head to the airport for your international flights—your hearts full from days of connection, discovery, and nature.

Meals:  B/L/D

Accommodation:

• all (2) domestic flights in Ethiopia with Ethiopian Airlines in tourist class (extra of $80 if the international flight is not booked with Ethiopian Airlines);
• all accommodations in double rooms with private toilet/shower in hotels or lodges; exception during the trekking: nights in tents for 2 persons; supplement for single room/tent $ 150;
• all transfers and travels in Ethiopia with private car;
• full board (1 drink per meal included, alcoholic drinks excluded);
• all entrance fees and permissions at tourist attractions, churches, museums and national parks;
• for the trekking: entrance and camping fees, guide, scouts/rangers, transport of the material, cook, cooking assistant, cooking and camping equipment (it's recommended to bring your own sleeping bag);
• all persons for safety and security (when prescribed);
• all tips for meals;
• all (mandatory) local guides in the single destinations;
• experienced SimienEcoTours tour guide (fluently English & Amharic speaking).

• international flights
• travel insurance
• visa in Ethiopia
• bull jumping
• sleeping bag
• alcoholic drinks
• tipping
• photo and video fees (if any)
• all extras and personal expenditures