We are picked up by a Kibo Slopes representative and transferred to the airport for a 7.40am flight to Jinka via Arba Minch. We arrive at 10.00am and are transferred to Eco Omo lodge. We have time to visit the local market before lunch and take a stroll through the town. For photos our guide will negotiate with the local people. In the afternoon we visit the museum, where we see the lifestyles, cultures, traditions, rituals and belief systems of each tribe. There is a fine collection of everyday objects: clothing, jewelry and crafts. Dinner and overnight will be at the Eco Omo Lodge.

Accommodation: Eco Omo Lodge

Driving: 10 km local

Activities: Muesum

Mealplan: B L D

This day is dedicated to visit the Mursi an ethnic group who count not more than 4000 members. We shall be accompanied by a local English Speaking Guide. The Mursi are basically herdsmen but farm after the rains along the river banks. The unusual jewelry for the women are huge clay plates in the split lower lips. With the help of the local guide we are able to negotiate for photographs. Olive baboon and Guenther’s dik-dik are common. Other wildlife you might spot includes defassa waterbuck, gerenuk, bushbuck, Jackson’s hartebeest, lesser kudu and patas monkey. For lunch we return to Jinka town and drive in the afternoon to Turmi, the Tourist Hub in the southern Omo Valley. 

Accommodation:  Buska Lodge  

Driving: 220 Km 

Activities: Mago National Park / Mursi cultural experience 

After breakfast we venture out to visit to the Hamer people and the Karo tribe. A local English speaking guide takes us on a walk through the villages and the market. With some luck we can watch their rituals like a traditional wedding or the passage from boyhood to adulthood where the young man has to run across the backs of 30 heads of cattle lined up next to one another. At the market we try to mix with the locals to get a few photographs from this colorful tribe. It is clear that we have to negotiate for permission and pay for the shots. Our guide will assist us in this. After lunch we drive to the banks of the Omo River to visit another ethnic group – the Karo people. They are a Nilotic group which is famous for their body painting. They are a very small tribe of about 1000 people and are closely related to their neighbors, the Hamer and Banna people.  

Accommodation:  Buska Lodge 

Driving: 50 Km 

Activities:  Hamer & Karo Cultural encounters and photo shoots 

Mealplan: B L D. 

Today we drive down south to the Omo delta. This area is home to the Dassanech people who were initially primarily pastoralist, but have adopted agricultural activities on the banks of the Omo river and the shores of lake Turkana to supplement their livelihood.  We have to cross the Omo river to get to one of their villages. The Dassanech are the largest Omo Valley tribe that the vast majority of its people still live in traditional villages and retain their culture.  There are a total of 14 of the Dassanech tribal villages in Southern Ethiopias Omo Valley. Our local guide from Omorate acts as an intermediator with the Village elders as we negotiate for photos. We return to Turmi and use the afternoon to visit any tribal ceremony which may be taking place in the area.  Our guide will advise on this. Dinner and overnight will be again at our lodge 

Accommodation:  Buska Lodge  

Driving: 150 Km 

Activities:  Dassanech photo shoots 

Mealplan: B L D. 

After breakfast we drive up to the Konso Highlands. On the way we pass by a Banna village. We arrive in Konso for lunch and pay the Konso King and the village a visit to get to learn about their rich culture and their agrarian lifestyle. There are plenty photo opportunities which we can arrange with our local guide guide.  The Konso Cultural Landscape which is a designated world heritage site since 2011, It is an arid area of stone walled terraces and fortified settlements which constitutes a spectacular example of a living cultural tradition stretching back centuries. We also have the unique opportunity to visit the Konso King, learning about the region’s long-standing traditions and leadership structures.  Dinner and overnight will be at the Kanta Lodge. 

Accommodation:  Kanta Lodge 

Driving: 190 Km 

Activities: Konso King & Village 

Mealplan: B L D 

After an early breakfast.  We drive down south to Yabello, the capital of the Borana community. They are pastoralist and are mainly engaged in livestock farming. In their lands, water is a very scarce commodity, and to obtain it, they dig wells in the earth to which they descend forming human chains with which they extract the water. When they carry out this task, they sing and form the so-called “singing wells”.  We visit a Borana Village on the way where we spend time interacting with the community and capturing photographs of daily life and traditional practices. We then proceeed to Yabelofor dinner and overnight stay. 

Accommodation:  Yabelo Motel 

Driving: 365 Km 

Activities: Borana Homestead, photo shoot 

Mealplan: B L D 

Today we explore the fascinating El Sod Crater Lake, located within the Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary. After breakfast we drive approximately 1–2 hours to reach the crater. With packed lunches, we spend the day exploring the area and enjoying game drives in the surrounding savannah, which is home to a variety of wildlife including antelope species and diverse birdlife. The dramatic volcanic crater and its deep blue lake create a striking landscape and a rewarding photography experience. In the late afternoon we return to Yabelo Motel for dinner and overnight. 

Accommodation: Yabelo Motel 

Activities: Crater excursion 

Meal Plan: Breakfast lunch dinner 

After breakfast we drive back north to Konso (approximately 4 hours) where we stop for lunch. We then continue for about 2–3 hours to the lakeside town of Arba Minch. In the afternoon we enjoy a scenic boat excursion on Lake Chamo, famous for its abundant wildlife. During the cruise we may encounter large Nile crocodile, Hippopotamus, and numerous water birds along the shoreline. The views across the lake and surrounding hills are spectacular, especially in the late afternoon light. Dinner and overnight at Paradise Lodge on a half-board basis. 

Accommodation: Paradise Lodge 

Activities: Lake Chamo boat 

Meal Plan: Breakfast lunch dinner 

After breakfast we drive about 1–1.5 hours into the cool highlands of Chencha. Here we visit the community of the Dorze people, known for their distinctive beehive-shaped houses and traditional weaving skills. After lunch we spend the afternoon learning about Dorze culture and watching local artisans create beautiful handwoven textiles. This immersive cultural experience provides insight into traditional craftsmanship and daily life in the highlands. Later we descend back to Arba Minch for dinner and overnight at Paradise Lodge. 

Accommodation: Paradise Lodge 

Activities: Dorze tribe 

Meal Plan: Breakfast lunch dinner 

In the afternoon we transfer to the airport for our flight back to Addis Ababa. Upon arrival we check in at a hotel for a short rest before connecting with our international departure flight, bringing our journey through Ethiopia’s cultural heartland and southern landscapes to an end.