10 Days Bale & South of Ethiopia

Your guide will meet you at the exit of Addis Abeba Bole International Airport and accompany you to your hotel.
Addis Ababa is 2400 to 3100 meters above sea level. This makes it the third highest capital in the world. The city was founded in the time of Emperor Menelik II in 1887. It has been the most important city in the country ever since. Addis Ababa is not only the capital of Ethiopia, but also the seat of the Organisation of African Unity founded in 1963 (OAU today African Union).
Visits today include the National Museum, the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity with the tomb of Emperor Haile Selassie, the Merkato, the Ethnological Museum and the Old Train Station.
Overnight stay Addis Ababa

The journey goes south via Adama/Nazret into the mountainous region, continuing through Robe to the final destination of today – the more than 4300 m high Bale mountains. Striking are the endemic koso trees and junipers.

For animals, plants and bird lovers, this day is an absolute high point of the trip. After an early breakfast we visit the Sanetti Plateau with the second highest mountain range in Ethiopia, the Tulu Dimtu, 4377m above sea level.
Here is the home of the endemic Ethiopian wolves in an unique landscape with afro- alpine vegetation, giant lobelias and the largest density of rodents in Africa.

In southwestern Ethiopia we find more than 42 different ethnic groups in a relatively small space. Here we will have the opportunity to get to know some of these very interesting ethnic groups.
Shortly before Arba Minch we make a detour to a village of the Dorze. The Dorze differ considerably from the other ethnic groups in terms of the leadership of the tribe. The tribe is not presided over by a chief or king, but by a leader elected by the Council of Elders for a short time. The Dorze have a great tradition in weaving cotton. Their fabrics are very colourful. Another characteristic of the Dorze is the beehive-like construction of its houses, which are up to 10 meters high.
Accommodation: Hotel or Lodge

We start the day with a boat trip on the Chamo-lake toobserve hippos, huge crocodiles and seabirds.

After breakfast we visit Desnach, the largest tribe of the Omo Valley with about 70 000 inhabitants. Besides

The culture of lip plates is famous worldwide. A visit to the Mursi, the tribe of the lip plates, will be a very interesting highlight of the trip for you. The women decorate their lips and ears with round clay discs, the men attach ornamental scars to themselves according to their hunting success. If our time permits, we will visit a village of Ari.
Accommodation: Hotel

Today we begin our journey to one of the region’s most remarkable ethnic groups: the Konso. The villages are mostly surrounded by stone walls. The tombs of war heroes and kings were marked with wooden steles. The fields in the area of the Konso are terraced to improve irrigation and protect the soil from erosion in this relatively dry and hilly region. The region has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011.

The coffee lovers will feel like they are in the seventh heaven today.
Ethiopia is the cradle of this globally popular beverage; it is also the most important export income of the country.
We visit a coffee plantation and will become familiar in detail with the cultivation and preparation of coffee from the tree to the cup. Of course, this includes a traditional coffee ceremony, which is of particular social importance.
Accommodation: Lodge

We are approaching the end of this impressive trip. On the way back to Addis Ababa we visit the city of Hawassa, since 1991 the capital city of the southern region. A diverse city with a very nice park and an interesting fish market.
Upon arrival in Addis Ababa, a day room is available for freshening up until 7 pm. In the evening we invite you to a farewell dinner with folklore.
We then accompany you to the airport.