12 Days Southern Ethiopia & Bale Mountains

Day 1: Arrival in Addis Ababa & City Tour

Arrive at Bole International Airport and transfer to your hotel. Depending on arrival time, explore Addis Ababa’s most iconic sites: Entoto Hills for panoramic views, the National Museum to see Lucy, the Ethnological Museum, Trinity Cathedral’s imperial tombs, and Mercato—the largest open-air market in Africa.

Accommodation: Hotel, Addis Ababa

Day 2: Addis Ababa – Tiya – Arba Minch (465 km)

Drive south to Arba Minch, stopping en route at the UNESCO-listed stelae field in Tiya with its mysterious carved monuments. Continue past the Rift Valley Lakes, enjoying scenic views of Lake Abaya and Lake Chamo before arriving at a comfortable lodge for sunset relaxation.

Tiya Stelae—etched monoliths that echo Ethiopia’s ancient whispers.

Accommodation: Lodge or Resort, Arba Minch

Day 3: Arba Minch – Lake Chamo – Dorze Village

Morning boat cruise on Lake Chamo to spot giant crocodiles, hippos, and birds. In the afternoon, travel to Dorze village in the Guge Highlands, famous for bamboo-weave huts and scenic views of the lakes below. Engage with the Dorze’s way of life, looms, and traditional false banana baking.

Accommodation: Lodge or Resort, Arba Minch

Day 4: Arba Minch – Konso – Key Afer Market – Jinka (240 km)

Visit Konso’s UNESCO-listed village, where cultural wagas (wooden statues) and stone-walled terraces honor generations of community life. Continue to Key Afer market (Thursdays only) to encounter Derase, Tsemay, Benna, and Ari tribes trading goods. Arrive in Jinka by evening.

Accommodation: Hotel or Lodge, Jinka

Day 5: Jinka – Mursi – Turmi (160 km)

Enter Mago National Park to visit the Mursi tribe, known for lip plates worn by women as symbols of status and beauty. Drive onward to Turmi, home of the Hamer, and settle in for exploration of UNESCO-listed Omo Valley cultures.

Mursi tradition—where ancestral pride takes the shape of iconic adornment.

Accommodation: Lodge, Turmi

Day 6: Turmi – Dimeka Market & Hamer Village

Visit Dimeka market (Saturdays only), a vibrant tribal gathering. Later, visit a Hamer village and, with luck, witness the bull-jumping ceremony—a passage into adulthood—and the evocative Evangadi dance beneath the moonlight.

Accommodation: Lodge, Turmi

Day 7: Turmi – Dassanech – Konso

Cross the Omo River to visit the Dassanech clan, famed for body scarification and recycling artistry. After lunch, drive to Konso, arriving late afternoon to unwind in your lodge.

Accommodation: Lodge, Konso

Day 8: Konso – Hawassa (350 km)

Drive north to Hawassa, stopping to admire Rift Valley vistas. Check in to Haile Resort, founded by Olympic legend Haile Gebrselassie, and enjoy wellness amenities plus sunset views over the lake.

Hawassa evenings—where sky meets water in tranquil embrace.

Accommodation: Hotel or Resort, Hawassa

Day 9: Hawassa – Dinsho – Goba (200 km)

Drive to Dinsho, headquarters of Bale Mountains National Park, and enjoy a nature walk spotting endemic Mountain Nyala. Continue on to Goba town for overnight.

Accommodation: Hotel, Goba

Day 10: Senetti Plateau & Harena Forest

Explore the Bale Mountains via Africa’s highest road. Seek Ethiopian wolves and Giant Mole Rats on the Senetti Plateau, then descend into the lush Harena Forest for birding and wildlife such as Abyssinian Woodpecker and Olive Pigeons. Return to Goba for the night.

Accommodation: Hotel, Goba

Day 11: Bale Mountains – Lake Langano

Descend from Bale to Lake Langano. Choose between relaxation at the lodge’s beach or an excursion to Abyata-Shalla National Park with sweeping valley views and wildlife sightings.

Langano’s warm waters—Ethiopia’s lakeside escape under the Rift Valley sun.

Accommodation: Lodge, Langano

Day 12: Lake Langano – Addis Ababa & Departure

Drive back to Addis Ababa with stops at Rift Valley lakes. In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner with cultural music and dance before your transfer to the airport for international departure.

End of Tour