We are picked up from our hotel by our driver/guide and drive through the fertile Central Highlands from where we get a glimpse of the snow- capped Mount Kenya Peaks, the second highest mountain in Africa before we descend to the semi-arid area of the Samburu district. We arrive for lunch a late lunch at the Samburu Simba Lodge and embark on a game later in the afternoon.  Dinner and Overnight will be at the lodge.

Accommodation:  Samburu Simba Lodge

Meal plan:  L D

Driving: 300 km, 5 hours

Activities: game drives

Today we start the day early with breakfast at 6.00am to avoid the heat of the day. Samburu Game Reserve offers unique game only found in this particular area as since they have adapted to the rough scrub desert condition in the area. Some of these animals include, the Grevy’s zebra, the Reticulated Giraffe and the Beisa Oryx. Besides buffaloes and herds of Elephants, the morning game drive offers a possibility of seeing Lions, and Leopards along the Ewaso Nyiro River in Buffalo Springs. We return to the lodge for lunch and at rest at the pool. As the sun begins to set in the late afternoon and the game wakes up for their evening strolls and hunts, we head for another game drive. Dinner and overnight stay will once again be at the lodge.

Accommodation:  Samburu Simba Lodge

Meal plan: B  L D

Driving:

Activities: morning and evening game drives

Today after breakfast we hit the Trans African Highway on our journey further North to Marsabit, the County Capital on the slopes of Mt. Marsabit, a 1700m high basaltic shield volcano.  In the afternoon we explore the mountain which is also a National Park and home to buffaloes, elephants, zebras, waterbucks amongst others. At the picturesque crater lake, rightly called “Lake Paradise” we stop to enjoy the scenery and stroll along the lake shores.  Finally, we descend through the Karare gate and return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation:  Sand and Rocks Hotel

Meal plan: B  L D

Driving: 250 km  5 hours

Activities: game drives

Between Mount Marsabit and Lake Turkana lies the Chalbi desert, an ancient lake 10000 years ago. The area is 110 km long and 10 to 20 km wide and it extends over 1,000 km. Chalbi desert has been recognized as an important geo site of Kenya. In the middle there is Kalacha, a Gabbra Settlement in a palm fringed Oasis. This is our destination for today. We arrive for lunch at the Takumo Resort, and spend the afternoon at the oasis watching herds of camels coming home in the late afternoon, later we are entertained by a Gabbra dance.  Dinner and Overnight will be the Resort.

Accommodation:  Takumo Resort

Meal plan: B  L D

Driving: 140 km  4 hours

Activities: Cultural encounters

Today, we have an early breakfast at sun rise and drive for another 70 Km to North, the last bigger outpost in Northern Kenya. A few km from the town we visit the picturesque sand dunes before returning to the town for cup of delicious tea. Another 90 km drive down south takes us to Loyangalani.  The temperatures are now well above 30 degrees Celsius as we get the first glance of the southern shores of the Jade Sea, another name for Lake Turkana because of its green waters.  We arrive in the afternoon and check in at for a rest, dinner and overnight under the Doum Palms at Palm Shade Hotel. As the sun sets over the lake and the temperature become bearable we can opt for the stroll at the lake shores.

Accommodation:  Palmshade Guesthouse

Meal plan: B L D

Driving:  160  km,  5 hours

Activities: Sand tune and Village walk in North Horr

Today, we explore the southern parts of the Lake Turkana shores. In the morning, we visit the Elmolo people and take a short boat ride to their shrine. The Elmolo are the smallest tribe in Kenya of not more than 500 people. They are fishermen who hunt the crocodiles. According to myth in the community, the crocodile recognizes the hunters from far and would rather hide than attack. After lunch we take an excursion to look at the rock paintings in the area and visit a Turkana Village before sunset while enjoying their traditional dances. Dinner and overnight stay will once again be at the guesthouse

Accommodation:  Palmshade Guesthouse

Meal plan: B L D

Driving:

Activities: Elmolo Village, Boatride, 1 hour hike to rock paintings

Today we drive along the lake shore via the settlement of Moite further north to Sibiloi National Park. On our way to Kenya’s most remote park, the landscape finally gives way to sand dunes. This park was gazetted in 1973 and is recognized as a world heritage site because of its rare flora and fauna and the numerous fossil sites. The wildlife includes rare, dry, country large mammals such as grevy zebra, gerenuk and oryx. The shores are an important refugee for crocodiles and soft shelled turtles. We arrive at the KWS Guesthouse in Alia Bay in the afternoon, take a rest and enjoy a magnificent Sun Set over the Lake Turkana.

Accommodation:  KWS Bandas

Meal plan: B L D

Driving: 250 km,  6 to 7 hours

Activities:

Today we explore the park and its fossil sites. Today’s full day excursion takes us, past the petrified forest to the museum and after lunch stop, the skeletons of an ancient elephant, a giant tortoise and an ancient fish eating crocodile. Besides our packed lunch, we must ensure we carry enough drinking water along. Temperatures here rise well above 30 degrees Celsius. The Leaky Family christened the area “Cradle of Mankind”. Here some of the oldest human fossils dated back to 1.5 to 1.8 million years were found. In the late afternoon, we return to Alia Bay and take a stroll along the lake shores in the evening.

Accommodation:  KWS Bandas

Meal plan: B L D

Driving: 100 km,  4 hours

Activities: visits to fossil sites, petrified forest and Sibloi Museum.

After breakfast we drive north back to Illeret, the last settlement on the Kenyan side. At the police station, we show our passports which already have an Ethiopian Visa and get a letter with which we will get an entry stamp in Omorate on the Ethiopian side. At about lunch time, our Ethiopian Crew and cars arrive and we bid the Kenyan crew good bye. The next 40 km to Omorate are the most difficult parts of this journey. Roads are practically nonexistent as we pass dry or wet sandy riverbeds which may be treacherous. After receiving the entry stamp we drive on better roads to Turmi for dinner & overnight at the Buska or Turmi Lodge.

Accommodation:  Buska or Turmi Lodge

Meal plan: B L D

Driving: 200 km,  7 to 8 hours with border formalities

Activities:

Today has been set aside to a visit to the Hamer people. 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 a rite of passage from boyhood to adulthood where the young men have to run across the backs of 30 heads of cattle lined up next to one another. At the market, we try to interact with the locals to get a few photographs from this colorful tribe. It is clear that we have to ask for permission and pay for the shots. Our guide will assist us in this. We will have lunch in a local hotel in town while dinner and overnight stay will once again be at the Buska Lodge.

Accommodation:  Buska or Turmi Lodge

Meal plan: B L D

Driving: 30 km,  1 hour

Activities:  Hamer market and Village visit

After breakfast, we visit the Karo people on the banks of the Omo River before driving via Key Afer to Jinka.  Jinka is a small town and shopping center that also hosts the South Omo Research Center. The German Professor, Ivo Strecker exhibits typical items used in the day to day lives of the different communities living in the Omo region.

Accommodation: Eco  Omo Resort

Meal plan: B L D

Driving: 150 km, 4 hours

Activities: Karo Village, Market and Research center visit

Today we have an early breakfast and drive to Mago National Park, the area where we find the Mursi; an ethnic group of not more than 4000. They are basically herdsmen but farm when it rains along the river banks. The women use unusual jewelry of clay plates in the split lower lip. The only other income of this ethnic group is a museum, but they also pose for photographs for a fee. Our guide assists us in the negotiations. We return for lunch to the Eco Resort and drive to Konso in the afternoon for dinner and overnight stay at the Kanta Lodge.

Accommodation: Kanta Lodge

Meal plan: B L D

Driving: 200 km,  6 hours

Activities: Mago National Park, Mursi Village

Today is reserved for visiting the Konso people. The Konso people are an ancient farming community specializing in terrace farming for centuries in the mountainous area and live in fortress-like villages. The area has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Konso people have nine clans, each ruled by a King. A local eloquent guide explains us a lot about the history, lifestyle and culture of this ethnic group. A 100km drive on a good road takes us for a late lunch to Arba Minch.  In the afternoon we climb the nearby mountains and visit a Dorze Village at 3000m. The Dorze community is famous for their cotton hand-woven clothes and beehive-shaped huts. They prepare bread from the stem of the false banana and brew a local drink called Araki. We are overwhelmed by their hospitality and enjoy their traditional dance. Finally, we cannot resist buying some of the hand-woven colorful cloth. In the late afternoon we return to Arba Minch for dinner and Overnight

Accommodation: Paradise Lodge

Meal plan: B L D

Driving: 150 km, 4 hours

Activities: Konso & Dorze Village visits

After and early breakfast we head for a 2-hour boat ride on Lake Chamo.  Beside a variety of bird life, we find crocodiles and hippos on our tour. Back at the shore we continue drive north towards Addis. After about 2 hours we stop at the town of Sodo for lunch. We admire the local mule carriages acting as local transport in the busy town.  Today’s destination is Yirga Alem and the picturesque Aregash Resort where we have dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Aregash Resort

Meal plan: B L D

Driving: 250 km, 5 hours

Activities: Boat on Lake Chamo

After a leisurely taken breakfast at sunrise, we drive further up north through a fertile region with small and large scale farmland.  We pass Shashamane, the Rastafarian metropole, the twin lakes of Langano and Abijada and have our lunch at the Lake Ziway at the vinery.  The area is the main producer of Ethiopian wine. After lunch we continue on highways up North to Addis Abeba where we reach in the late afternoon.  We can opt for dinner in one of the restaurant before spending the night at the Friendship Hotel

Accommodation: Friendship Hotel

Meal plan: B L

Driving: 320 km, 6 hours

Activities: Vinerary visit

Today we explore Addis Ababa. After breakfast we take a city tour to see get an impression of the 5 Million metropole the city tour ends with a drive to the Entoto Mountains ( 3200m) where first palace of Menelik II, the founder of Addis was built. From there we will have wonderful views over the city. For lunch we return to the city center and visit in the afternoon the National Museum with lots of archeological and historical artefacts including the famous fossil of “Lucy” dating back millions of years. We also visit the Ethnological museum, the Holy Trinity Church, where Emperor Haile Selassie is buried and finally MERCATO the largest open air market in Africa.   We return to the Hotel to refresh ourselves before attending a traditional Ethiopian Dinner with dance and music.

Accommodation: Friendship Hotel

Meal plan: B L D

Driving: 80 km, 3 hours

Activities: city tour & Entoto Mountains &Traditional Dinner

Depending on our flight schedule we will be transferred to the airport for our flight back home