Culture & Wildlife (Ethiopia – Kenya) 20 Days

Day 1: On arrival Addis Ababa GLT representative will meet you at Bole international Airport and transfer to the hotels after short break, you will visit the diplomatic capital of Africa, headquarters of the Africa union starting from Holy Trinity Cathedral(The church is constructed in 1955 for the 25 years anniversary of Emperor Haileselassie and painted richly with remarkable biblical and other saint’s story), National museum (home of Lucy hominid skeleton dating back to 3.2 million years) .In the afternoon after lunch you will visit Ethnological museum, which was the former palace of Haile Selassie then proceed to Mountain Entoto for panoramic view of Addis Ababa. Overnight hotel

Day 2: After breakfast at your hotel; you will directly drive to Jima passing through Gibae valley. Gibe valley is created by the Gibe River; which had 2 biggest power plants of Ethiopian Electric and power Authority. Visit Jimma Aba Jifar Palace. King Jiffar (1852-1933) was one of the most influential local lords of the Kafa kingdom who ruled at the end of the 19th Century. Overnight hotel

Day 3: Drive from Jimma crossing Bonga forests and Mizan Teferi to Bebeka coffee plantation farms, the largest and oldest Coffee Plantation in Ethiopia. Overnight Camping

Day 4: Drive from Bebeka via Tulgit and Tum if by chance you come on a Saturday, you will proceed to the highland town of Maji to visit the Saturday Market of the surrounding people which include the Dizi, Menit and some Surma people. Overnight camping

Day 5: Drive to Kibish. In Kibish (the Surma Center) Visit the Surma people and their villages. These people have more or less similar culture and physical appearance to the Mursi people. Overnight Camping

Day 6: Drive to Omo National Park and after noon game drive in the national park. Today you will have an opportunity to see unspoiled wilderness of the Omo National Park. Overnight Camping

Day 7: Depart from omo national park to the village of Nyangatom. Here you will cross the Omo River and take a short walk through the local fields to visit the village of Nyangatom tribe. After the visit, return across the river and proceed to the Karo village of Korcho, with stunning location looking over the Omo River.Overnight camp near the village

Day 8: Visit the Karo people who are the smallest tribe of the omo valley in number and known also to be the most decorated. After the visit proceed to turmi for overnight. Overnight Emerald lodgewww.emeraldresortandlodge.com

Day 9: In the morning, take a day trip to Omorate to visit the Dassenech tribe with a wooden boat crossing the Omo River and enter a Dassenech village.  Afterwards, return to Turmi (Monday is market day) for a visit to a local Hamer village.  If there is jumping of the Bulls traditional Hamer coming-of-age ceremony that will be visited. Overnight Emerald Lodge www.emeraldresortandlodge.com

Day 10: After breakfast depart from Turmi to Arba Minch via Key Afar and Konso.  Thursday is market day in Key Afar, where you will see the Benna and Tsemai tribes trading goods.  This is another very popular market in the region.  After the visit, proceed to Konso (market days are Mondays and Thursdays).  The Konso people are known for their wooden statues, known as wakas, which are erected in honor of dead heroes as well as their innovative agricultural terracing.  Today you will have a brief opportunity to visit a local village and the cultural museum displaying many waka statues.  After the visit, proceed driving to Arba Minch. Overnight Emerald resort

Day 11: Morning after breakfast ascend into the Gughe Mountains to visit the Dorze people, who are known for their tall beehive-like houses and their fine cotton weaving. Visit market in Dorze (Market days in Dorze village are Mondays and Thursdays and in Chencha on Tuesdays and Saturdays).In the afternoon take a boat trip on Lake Chamo to the “Crocodiles Market”, where large numbers of Crocodile (some up to 6 meters long) gathers to sunbath and the Hippos pool.Overnight Emerald resort www.emeraldresortandlodge.com

Day 12: For another adventure to discover the Borena people. We head to the town of Yabello, the capital of the Borena region; we cross the road passing through several herds of camels and enjoy beautiful mountain landscapes dotted with acacias and giant termite mounds. If time allows We head to the isolated village of El Sod, overlooking a beautiful deep crater 800M. The savannah and acacia filled area is the great zebra playground and various gazelles: Grant, Thomson, and Gazelle-Giraffe. Walk along on the crater rim, towards the lake that hosts a saline lake for the extraction of large quantities of salt. The salt diggers must delve into the dark waters of the lake saturated with iodine to resurface the precious commodity.  The salt is mostly feed to animals, but the refined one is intended for human consumption. By late afternoon, walking around this wooded crater with beautiful views from the ridges plunging. Overnight Yabello motel or similar

Day 13: Morning we head to the isolated village of El Sod, overlooking a beautiful deep crater 800M. The savannah and acacia filled area is the great zebra playground and various gazelles: Grant, Thomson, and Gazelle-Giraffe. Walk along on the crater rim, towards the lake that hosts a saline lake for the extraction of large quantities of salt. The salt diggers must delve into the dark waters of the lake saturated with iodine to resurface the precious commodity.  The salt is mostly feed to animals, but the refined one is intended for human consumption. By late afternoon, walking around this wooded crater with beautiful views from the ridges plunging. Finally proceed driving to Moyale. Overnight hotel

Day 14: Morning after breakfast drive to Marsabit park, Sometimes waking up to the sounds of splashing elephant in the river we head north again along the Trans-African highway to Marsabit. This is an astonishingly cool, green and hilly oasis rising high above the dry heat of the surrounding desert lands. Lunch en route before proceeding towards the amazing Lake Paradise and you may also visit the lodge.Overnight lodge in the park or camping

Day 15: After breakfast embark on crossing the great Chalbi desert. The journey leads you to a beautiful oasis at the edge of the Chalbi desert.The vast landscapes and sand dunes will amaze you. Precede driving Loyangalani   Overnight lodge or camping at Loyangalani

Day 16: Drive to Loyangalani, at Turkana Lake. Admire the Turkana and Elmolo people and very interesting villages    Overnight lodge or camping at Turkana

Day 17: Proceed to the Samburu National park. If time allows you will have game drive in at Samburu Park.   Overnight lodge in the park or camping

Day 18: These days you will explore Samburu National park, one of the richest of fauna and flora (including the big five) in Kenya. Physically dramatic, the 104 sq kilometer landscape features rocky battlements, dry riverbeds and thorn scrub. As for wildlife, Samburu offers sanctuary to the endangered Gravy’s zebra, the rare beisa Oryx and the blue-shanked Somali ostrich whilst large herds of elephant roam the gaunt hills during the day before returning to bath on the banks of the river in the evening. Lunch on the way; Overnight  lodge in the park or camping

Day 19: This day you will drive to Bogoria en route you will visit visit Lake Lake Boringa and Bogoria. Enjoy the lake atmosphere with birds, crocodile and hippos.Overnight lodge in the park or camping

Day 20: Drive to Nairobi, enjoying a scenic drive of the Great Rift Valley. Late in the afternoon reach then Nairobi. Then transfer to the airport for departure

Please note: The above program can be adjusted according to your time, Budget and interest.