Arrival Day: Usually you’ll arrive in the evening, where you’ll be warmly welcomed at Addis Ababa Bole Airport and transferred to your hotel.

Evening: Enjoy a relaxed dinner at your accommodation. If you feel up to it, take a short evening stroll nearby to stretch your legs and get a first glimpse of the city’s atmosphere. Then, rest well to prepare for the exciting adventure ahead.

Travel Down South: After a relaxed breakfast, you’ll head to the airport for your 10am flight to Jinka, arriving in time for lunch.

Lunch & Journey to Turmi: Enjoy lunch in Jinka before driving approximately 3 hours to Turmi. The first half of the journey is on tarmac roads, followed by a scenic dirt road through the countryside.

Arrival & Dinner Briefing: Arrive in Turmi by evening and settle into your accommodation. Over a traditional dinner, you’ll receive an introduction to Ethiopia, the Hamar people, and our ethical travel approach in the South Omo Valley.

Evening – Honey Wine Welcome: Visit Geta’s mother’s home to taste Tej (Ethiopian honey wine) — said to be the best in town — as a warm welcome to the region.

Morning – Introduction to Hamar: Meet a local Hamar family you’ll get to know throughout the week. Enjoy your first Hamar buno (coffee) and learn about children’s roles and games in the community. Play traditional games and some fun icebreakers we bring along.

Lunch – Ethiopian Cooking Class: Join my mother at her home for a hands-on cooking class. Learn to make injera, the iconic Ethiopian sour pancake, and take home recipes and spice packets to recreate it yourself.

Afternoon – Hamar Elders: Meet with a Hamar elder fortune teller and learn about Hamar’s amazing ways to tell fortune, have yours told too. Learn about their beliefs such as how to protect their village from drought and how to curse someone who has wronged you!

Evening – Sunset & Dinner: Head to the best sunset viewpoint for magical views and enjoy dinner in town.

Optional – Digital Detox: Hand over your phone for 24 hours and fully immerse yourself in Hamar life, where time is told by the sun and social media doesn’t exist. We’ll take photos for you and provide our number to your key contacts..

Morning – Jewellery Making: Under the trees, learn how Hamar teens make and wear traditional jewellery. Make your own or have a local artisan create a design for you, while learning about its cultural meaning.

Afternoon – Cook & Share a Meal: Join a Hamar family to prepare and enjoy a local lunch. Help grind grain, pick moringa leaves, and make traditional coffee from husks. An alternative meal is available if needed.

Hamar Hairdressing: Spend time with Hamar teens as they show how they create their unique and symbolic hairstyles for different life stages.

Optional – Village Sleepover: Sleep in a tent with a foam mattress and basic facilities, or go fully traditional and sleep on a cowskin inside a Hamar house.

Morning – Hamar Coffee Time: Wake up to village sounds and share bhuno (Hamar coffee) with a local family – a key social ritual. Return to your lodge for a shower, breakfast, and your phone if you digital detoxed.

Market Day – Gaba Rorro: Visit the big weekly market and take on a fun Hamar language challenge before browsing local handicrafts.

Lunch – With Kuna in Turmi: Share a meal with Kuna, a Hamar woman living in town, and hear her inspiring life story.

Afternoon – Bull Jumping (if available): Witness a powerful coming-of-age ritual as a young boy leaps over bulls to become a man.

Evening – Dinner by the River: Enjoy dinner on the riverbed before returning to your accommodation to rest.

Evening – Evangadi Dancing (seasonal): Join the village for night dancing to celebrate the bull jumper’s transition.

Morning – Journey to Konso: We’ll set off early for a 4-hour drive to Konso, traveling on a mix of tarmac and dirt roads. Along the way, enjoy the changing landscapes as we approach this fascinating cultural region.

Konso Visit: Explore the Konso people’s remarkable stone terraces and fortified settlements, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Enjoy lunch while learning about their unique carved wooden statues and traditional games.

Afternoon – Travel to Arba Minch: After Konso, continue on a 2-hour tarmac drive to Arba Minch, known as the “City of 40 Springs.”

Evening – Dinner & Overnight in Arba Minch: Savor a delicious locally caught fresh fish dinner and enjoy the view over the lakes with a sundowner.

Morning - Dorze Tribe: Stop a highland village to see their unique beehive-shaped huts, learn about traditional weaving, and sample kocho, a local food made from enset (false banana). 

Morning – Scenic Drive North: We’ll set off early for a 4.5 hour journey to Hawassa, driving through the lush southern Rift Valley. Stop for lunch en-route. 

Afternoon – Arrival in Hawassa: Arrive in this lakeside city in the late afternoon. Settle into your hotel and relax by the shores of Lake Hawassa. 

Late Afternoon – Boat Tour: Enjoy a private boat ride on Lake Hawassa, where you might spot hippos, African fish eagles, and local fishermen working with ancient techniques.

Evening – Dinner & Overnight in Hawassa: Savor fresh grilled tilapia at a local lakeside restaurant surrounded by the bizarre Marabou Storks and option to  head into town for local nightlife.

Morning – Fish Market & Departure: Start the day with a stroll through the Hawassa Fish Market, where locals prepare the morning catch. Have the freshest fish breakfast you can get!

Midday – Journey to Lake Langano: Continue the 4.5 hour drive through the Rift Valley towards Langano, with a picnic or roadside lunch along the way.

Langano Lake: Arrive in the afternoon and settle into your lakeside lodge. Relax with a swim, a lakeside walk, or watching the sunset over the water. 

Evening – Lakeside Dinner: Enjoy a relaxed dinner overlooking the lake, with the sounds of nature around you and the stars bright above.

A note on Lake Langano: This is the only lake in Ethiopia that it is safe to swim in. The water is sometimes orangey like the photo due to the minerals in the water, it is safe to swim and said to be good for your skin. Another interesting part of the lake is the grey black sand beach. 

Morning – Easy Start: Wake slowly and enjoy a leisurely breakfast by the water. Take a swim, go birdwatching, or stroll along the shoreline.

Afternoon – Optional Exploration: Spend the afternoon as you wish - relax with a book or visit nearby waterfall to spot wildlife.

Evening – Sunset & Bonfire: Watch the sun set over the lake, then gather for dinner and drinks on the beach.

Morning – Depart for Addis Ababa: After breakfast, begin your return journey north. 3 hours into the journey, stop at the Tiya Stelae, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where ancient carved stone pillars mark mysterious burial grounds.

Afternoon – Scenic Drive & Arrival: Continue your drive for 3 more hours through the Rift Valley landscapes, stopping for lunch or coffee along the way. Arrive in Addis Ababa by late afternoon and check into your hotel.

Local crafts: Stop at a fantastic local women’s cooperative producing so many high quality souvenirs, you’ll be spoilt for choice at what to bring home.

Evening - Cultural Show: We’ll wrap up the trip with dinner at a cultural restaurant, famous for its lively dance performances. It’s the perfect finale to your Addis experience before we drop you to the airport or back to your hotel.