Ethiopian Wildlife and Tribal Culture Safari 14 days/13 nights

Arrive at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, where you will meet your guide and be transferred to your hotel.
Overnight: Jupiter Hotel or similar 4-star hotel.

After breakfast, drive from Addis Ababa to Chebera Churchura National Park, passing through Jimma, the capital of the former Kaffa province, after which coffee is named. In the late afternoon, enjoy a game drive within the park.
Overnight: First-class camping with private cook and all necessary camping gear.

Today will be an unforgettable experience in Chebera Churchura National Park, one of the newest and most untouched parks in Ethiopia. The park offers a pristine wilderness, home to 37 larger mammals and 237 species of birds across its diverse habitats, including highland and riverine forests, savanna, and bushlands. Endemic birds like the White-winged Cliff Chat, Banded Barbet, Wattled Ibis, Black-headed Forest Oriole, and Thick-billed Raven can be found here. Common mammals include the African elephant, hippopotamus, Cape buffalo, lion, and leopard. The park is one of the least disturbed ecosystems in the country, making it a reliable sanctuary for African elephants and buffalo.
Overnight: First-class camping with private cook and all necessary camping gear.

After an early morning game drive, leave Chebera Churchura National Park and drive to Maze National Park. Maze is covered by vast savannah grasslands, interspersed with deciduous broadleaf trees and river basin vegetation along the main watercourses. The park is home to 39 larger and medium-sized mammals and 196 bird species. It is one of only three sites in the country where a healthy population of the endemic Swayne’s Hartebeest thrives. Other common mammals include the Oribi, Bohor Reedbuck, warthog, bushbuck, waterbuck, greater kudu, lesser kudu, bush pig, Anubis baboon, vervet monkey, leopard, and wild cats.
Overnight: First-class camping with private cook and all necessary camping gear.

After a morning game drive, we will drive to Mago National Park. Our campsite is set in an ideal location that offers excellent opportunities to view the park’s wildlife during the late afternoon and early morning hours.
Overnight: First-class camping with private cook and all necessary camping gear.

In the morning, enjoy a game drive in Mago National Park before driving to the village of the Mursi tribe. Here, you will have the chance to appreciate the authentic culture of the Mursi people, known for their distinctive custom where women, upon reaching maturity, have their lower lips slit and circular clay discs inserted. This unique tradition has made them internationally famous.
Overnight: First-class camping with private cook and all necessary camping gear.

Drive from Jinka to Turmi, the settlement of the Hamer people. The women of the Hamer are known for their striking appearance, with thick plaits of ochre-colored hair hanging down in heavy fringes, leather skirts adorned with cowries, and multiple copper bracelets tightly wrapped around their arms. The men are famous for the dramatic initiation ceremony known as Jumping over the Bulls. Although witnessing this ritual is entirely a matter of chance, it’s an experience not to be missed. Along the way, we will stop at Key Afer, the most colorful traditional market in the Omo Valley, where you’ll encounter the Hamer, Tsemay, Bena, and Ari ethnic groups showcasing their distinct cultural dress styles.
Overnight: Buska Lodge.

In the morning, visit the Karo village of Murulle, known for its striking body and face paintings, which are used during important ceremonies. The Karo people create detailed artwork using chalk, charcoal, ochre, and red earth, often mimicking guinea fowl plumage. Karo women scarify their chests for beauty, while men do so to signify bravery. You’ll also visit Dus, a typical Karo settlement where locals play a traditional board game called Ware.

In the afternoon, visit a Hamer village or, if available, witness the bull-jumping ceremony, where boys leap over bulls to prove their maturity and readiness for marriage. Hamer people are also known for their distinctive ochre-colored hairstyles, a sign of wealth and status.
Overnight: Buska Lodge.

Drive from Turmi to Arba Minch, visiting the Arbore people, known for their jewelry, and the Konso people, famous for their erosion protection terraces. Konso land was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2011.

In the afternoon, enjoy a boat ride on Lake Chamo, one of the southernmost Rift Valley lakes. The boat trip offers incredible views, with opportunities to spot hippos and the world’s largest concentration of giant crocodiles (locally known as the “Crocodile Market”). You’ll also see a variety of water birds like African Fish Eagles and Great White Pelicans.
Overnight: Paradise Lodge or similar.

After breakfast, drive to Chencha to visit the Dorze people, known for their weaving and unique bamboo huts. Then, continue to Awassa, stopping at the Alaba village to see their painted houses.
Overnight: Taddesse Enjori or similar Hotel.

In the morning, visit the fish market at Lake Awassa, then drive to the famous Bale Mountains National Park. At the park’s headquarters in Dinsho, search for colorful birds like the Chestnut-naped Francolin and Abyssinian Catbird, along with mammals such as Mountain Nyala and Menelik’s Bushbuck. Continue to Goba for the night.
Overnight: Goba Wabishebele or similar hotel.

After an early departure, drive up to the Sanetti Plateau (3,800m–4,377m), traversing Africa’s highest road. This “Afro-alpine moorland” is home to Giant Lobelias and numerous bird species, including the globally threatened Ethiopian Wolf, Steppe and Golden Eagles, and Pallid Harriers. The grasslands support a high biomass of rodents, attracting raptors. Enjoy the scenic beauty of the plateau and a descent into the Harenna Forest, Ethiopia’s largest intact Afro-alpine forest, home to lions and African Wild Dogs.
Overnight: Bale Mountains Lodge.

After breakfast, drive to Lake Langano to enjoy birdwatching and the beautiful sunset. The lake is bilharzia-free, making it suitable for swimming.
Overnight: Sabana Beach Resort.

After breakfast, drive back to Addis, visiting the Rift Valley Lakes of Langano, Abiyatta, Shalla, and Ziway along the way.

In the afternoon, enjoy a city tour of Addis Ababa, including:

• National Museum: Home to archaeological treasures, including the famous ‘Lucy’ fossil.
• Merkato: The largest open-air market in Africa, showcasing a vast range of goods from across the country.
• Trinity Cathedral: A stunning church with European baroque style, featuring imperial family artifacts and stained-glass windows depicting Biblical scenes.

In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner at a traditional restaurant with folkloric dances and a variety of Ethiopian dishes. Afterward, transfer to the airport for your departure.