9 Days Danakil Depression and South Omo Valley Tribes

Day 1: Semera – Hamedela

You will fly from Addis to Semera and you drive about 5-6 hrs to reach Hamed Ela on the way, you will stop at Lake Afdera for lunch and maybe even swim a bit. In the next camping village this evening, we will visit Lake Asale with salt flats and have wine or beer drink in the stunning place while you are swimming in the salt lake. o/n open air camping at hamedela.

Day 2: Dalol- Erta ale (volcano)

After breakfast, you will drive to the colorful attractions of Dalol which is located at -125 below sea level. Here you will visit the different landscapes formed by volcanic activity, Dallol + Lake Assal + camel caravans. Excursion to Dallol (116 meters below sea level, one of the lowest places in the world) colorful salt mining. After we visit all the attractions, continue driving to Erta Ale which ranks as one of the most alluring and physically challenging natural attractions anywhere in Ethiopia. It is a shield volcano with a base diameter of 30 km and a 1km square caldera at its summit. Erta Ale contains the world’s only permanent lava lake. It is 613 meters altitude, with a lava lake, The drive may take about 4 hrs passing through a changing landscape of solidified lava rock and sand After passing several small hamlets scattered here and there in this deserted land, you will arrive at Erta Ale camping site,. After a short break and early dinner, just before sunset, we will trek for about 20 minutes to Erta Ale, where we spend a few hrs watching the dramatic action of the boiling lava. And you will trek back to the basic camp basement to spend the night, and sleep under the stars).

Day 3: Erta Ale-Semera- Addis Ababa

Early morning, you visit boiling lava again, and after breakfast drive to Afdera about 2 hrs. From Afdera, drive all the way asphalt road to semera for about 3:30 hrs to semera airport. Overnight at Aya Addis Hotel in Addis.

Day 4: Fly from  Addis Abeba – Arbaminch 

You will drive for about 6 hrs to Arbaminch. From Arbaminch you will continue to drive directly for about 45 minutes where we will make a left turn to the Dorze tribe of Chencha and visit the village life of these people; famous for traditional cloth making by weaving cotton using locally made instruments. We will visit their daily activities in the afternoon around 16:00. Finally, around 17: 30, we drive back to Arbamimch and overnight in Haile Resort Arbaminch.

 Day 5: Arbaminch- Jinka

In the morning we drive to Jinka. After 2 hrs drive, on the way, we will make a stop for 1hour in Konso and visit the village life of these hard-working communities, well known for their terracing culture that dates back to some 500 years, to cultivate crops especially Maize and Sorghum in a challenging topography which has been recognised by UNESCO as a heritage. After visiting this village for 1hr head to Jinka  and arrive around 16:00 where we will visit the village life of the Ari tribe  ( for about 2 hrs) who  are living on the plateau lands surrounding Jinka town ( The administrative town of the 16 different Tribal communities of the Omo valley area Overnight at Jinka Resort or Eco omo lodge

 Day 6: Murci – Jinka

In the morning we drive for about 2 hrs to the unique tribe of Mursi (The women are famous for putting clay-made circular lip and ear plates which symbolize beauty in honor) crossing through Mago National Park to reach their village. We will visit the uninterrupted authentic daily life activities the entire afternoon ( visit for about 4 hrs) where which will give you an excellent time of interaction which makes it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Overnight at Jnka resort or eco omo lodge.

Day 7: Jinka – Turmi

In the morning after breakfast, we drive back to Jinka and then continue driving for 131 k.m which will take us about 3 hrs directly to Turmi where we will have several village stops on our way down to meet the tribes we come across as such: Banna visit for 30 minutes and Hammer tribes village life daily activity for about 2 hrs visit with no interruptions till late afternoon and overnight in Buska Lodge. Not forgetting to mention that we will attend any colorful tribal markets we come across which happen once in a week in each tribal destination. Overnight Paradise Lodge.

Day  8: Turmi – Omorate – Arbaminch

In the morning we drive further down to Omorate: 70 k.m and will take us about 1 hr drive which is a border town with Northwest Kenya to visit the Dasenech tribe deep in their remote villages leaving the commonly visited ones by going down as far as the Northern tip of Lake Turkana and experience a wonderful time you will never forget.  Here we will visit Dasenesh tribes for about 2 hrs. Later on the way drive back to Turmi about 1 one-hour drive and have lunch. After lunch, we will drive for about 4 hrs to Arbaminch overnight at Haile Resort.

Day 9:  Arbaminch- Addis Ababa

Depart south to Addis Ababa via Butajira.  On the way, you will visit the archeological sites of Tiya (an ancient stelae field and UNESCO World Heritage Site), Adadi Maryam (a rock-hewn church similar to those in Lalibela), and Melka Kunture (a pre-historic tool-making site).  The final destination for the day is Addis. And we will drop you at the airport to fly back home.

What to bring for the Danakil part

• Torches (walking in the night)
• Small backpack for the trek to the top of the volcano
• Closed, comfortable shoes (trekking shoes )
• Swimming clothes to swim in Lake Afdera.
• Sun protection like sun cream, a hat jacket for the night on the volcano