Photography Expeditions to Omo Valley

After pick up from the airport you will have an option of visiting National Museum or open market Merkato. Then in the afternoon you will flight from Addis Ababa to Jinka, we will meet our driver at the airport then drive to Ari village to visit.

Early morning drive to Mago National Park, from here, visit the Mursi highlands where the most illustrious of Ethiopia’s unique tribes lives. The Mursi are known all over the world, for their decorative lip plates that adorn the lower lips of the Mursi women. The plates stretch the lower lip beyond imagination and the women’s beauty, pride and desirability is determined in direct proportion to the size of the plate. Photography their culture and tradition. In the afternoon Back to Jinka for your lunch.In the afternoon we will continue driving through the Omo Valley region to Turmi via Dimeka for visiting the Hamer tribes. Before Hamer on the way we will stop market at Alduba market if it is Thursday The Hamer tribe is one of the largest groups in the Valley. They are known for the fine pottery they produce as well as their remarkable hairstyling. Most dramatic of all are the clay hair buns with ostrich feathers that the men don when they have killed a fierce animal.

body painting, using clay and locally available vegetable pigments to paint fantastic patterns on each other’s faces, chests, arms and legs. These designs have no special symbolic significance, but are created purely for fun and aesthetic effect, each artist vying to out-do their fellow artists. Karo men also sculpt and shave their hair into extravagant shapes, with special ochre “caps” of hair usually containing several ostrich feathers. After we reach back to Turmi, we may have a chance to photograph bull jumping rehearsal or Ceremony.

We will cross the river by canoe to the village of the Dassanech tribe. The Dassanech tribes are a Semi-nomadic tribe numbering approximately 40,000. Their clans stretch across Sudan, Kenya and Southern Ethiopia. They are known for their very unique and ornate hair buns. After photographing the tribe we will drive back to Turmi relax the afternoon or out to photograph the town of Turmi.

This day in the morning we will drive to Arba minch, in the afternoon after 3 pm we will have a boat trip on clear blue waters of Lake Chamo to see the crocodiles, hippos & aquatic bird species. The northern shores of Lake Chamo are famous for its large crocodiles, which can be seen in great numbers lounging in the heat. We can also photograph birds like African fish eagle, flamingos, herons, storks, kingfishers and so on..

In the morning we will driving 40kms northwest of Arba Minch to Guge Mountains to visit the Dorze and Chencha villages. Once warriors, the Dorze have now turned to farming and weaving to earn a living. They speak an Omotic tongue and the Dorze name is synonymous with the best woven cotton cloth. Also, the Dorze beehive-shaped houses are constructed entirely of organic material and has its own small garden surrounded by beds of spices, cabbage and tobacco. After having lunch; we transfer to the Arba Minch Airport and fly back to Addis Ababa. We will arrive in Addis Ababa in late afternoon and transfer to the Hotel and have a room as a day use for wash/change and get ready for the evening flight. You might be interested for the last minute souvenir shopping at the markets. In the evening, we will go out to one of the best cultural restaurants for the Farewell Dinner at a traditional restaurant with live traditional dances program. Then, departure.