DAY 1 (19-10-24). ARRIVAL IN ADDIS ABABA

Arrival at Addis Ababa airport (ADD). Addis Ababa (ADD).

The team of Namaste Photo Tours will be waiting for you upon arrival for the transfer to the hotel.

In the afternoon we will visit the city.

Lodging: Golden Tulip Hotel.

DAY 2 (10-20-24). ADDIS ABABA - ARBA MINCH

We started the first stage of the journey to the south of the South of the country.

To avoid the long trip to Arba Minchwe take an internal flight of only one hour (13.30h).

We will use high-end Land Cruiser V8 Executive all-terrain vehicles with air conditioning.

Upon arrival, we will make a first visit to the Dorze villages, which are Dorze villages and their so called "Elephant Houses".located in a mountain landscape of great beauty.

The exact population of this ethnic group is not known at present, according to a census carried out in 1994 by Ethnologue, this tribe possessed a number of 29,000 individuals, of which about 9,910 spoke only one language. These individuals live mainly in the south of the country, although there are also some groups living in Addis Ababa and other regions.

This people is well known for the quality of the fabrics they make and with these same fabrics they make the so-called Shamma, which is a kind of tunic used by men and women in a traditional way. Sewing became important for this tribe because it is a primary profession for a group of the Dorze population.

The Dorze do not have the traditional economic habits of the indigenous peoples that exist today, due to the magnitude and demographic growth in relation to the amount of land they own, they had to change their economic distribution, but they did not manage to change the manufacture of clothing due to the success of their weavings.

Because of the demand for the garments manufactured by this ethnic group, they have turned it into their main economic activity. The manufacture of the Shama, which is a colorful tunic made by this group, has been a great success throughout the country and the demand is enough to keep the Dorze in an economic market that they can take advantage of to generate sufficient income.

The houses made by the Dorze are characteristic in relation to those of the neighboring peoples, they have the habit of inhabiting them for about 40 years and then abandon them and build a new house to live in. Another very important characteristic of the Dorze society is their polyphonic music, this type of music has been considered by experts with similarities to the pygmy peoples of Central Africa, these songs are performed by the whole community, that is to say that there are no professionals among them who perform this activity. 

The indigenous people establish the method of construction of their houses in the same way and it has been this way for years, they collect a set of materials that they find in the areas where they live and surroundings, finally they choose the materials that are most favorable to develop a stable and optimal housing to live in.

The Dorze are known for their very particular dwellings, which are called "elephant houses" because their shape resembles the physical form of elephants. These houses are made with very high roofs that are covered with thatch to prevent the passage of water and the effects of the weather.

The structure of the houses is made of wood or bamboo, depending on the materials found nearby and the personal tastes of the individual who will build it and the one who will inhabit it. The roof form extends from the top to the floor, since the walls of the house also have this coating and is completely aligned with the roof.

Lodging: Hailer Resort.

DAY 3 (10-21-24). ARBA MINCH - OMO VALLEY - TURMI

We continue our route with a first stop at the villages of Konso.

Their members do not wear beads or distinctive features as peculiar as the tribes of the Omo Valley. The Konso communities are famous for their walls. They are estimated to be about 800 years old and the walled complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The village we are going to visit is a few kilometers from Konso. The first thing that surprises us is the degree of social and architectural sophistication they have acquired. Their complex constructions have nothing to do with the simplicity of the huts in the OMO valley. Even the social organization and their laws seem more evolved. For example, they are not allowed to marry between members of the same village and have strict rules regarding sexual abuse, punishable by death.

Inside the village the houses are organized by streets protected by the walled system. This protects them from possible enemies and escaping livestock. The houses are also more resistant, with wooden and stone structures. There are also some common areas, in a kind of shed, where they meet to solve the problems of the community. They also serve as a social center, where they chat, dance and play.

Another interesting point in the village is the generation tree. It is a long trunk erected and marked with sticks every 18 years. In this way, the age of the community can be easily calculated. Next to it they also have a series of stones for initiation rites. One of them is the one that marks the passage to adulthood. Once they are able to lift this stone, they are considered fit to have children.

Another of the peculiarities of the Konso is the creation of wooden ritual totems. These wooden figures called "waka" have been pillaged in recent years. They represent dead members of the community and are usually placed in a linear fashion and in order of importance. Unfortunately this practice is disappearing due to pressure from Christian missionaries.

From here, the immense Omo Valley opens up. Omo Valley, home to a mosaic of ancestral ancestral tribes tribes that still maintain their traditional way of life.

Lodging: Buska lodge.

DAYS 4,5,6 (22/24-10-24). TURMI - OMORATE

During these days we will visit the various tribes of the Omo Valley.

DASSANECH:

The Dassanech are considered one of the poorest tribes in the country. They survive by growing their crops when the rains come, care for their livestock the rest of the year and feed on the older cows in the dry season. Many of them are nomadic and live by moving the village and livestock where the weather is best. In fact, they are believed to have come from the Sudan and arrived in Ethiopia fleeing the droughts about 200 years ago.

In this dry land, survival is precarious. When the Dassanech lose their livestock due to disease, drought or incursion by a neighboring tribe, providing for the family is a very difficult task. The different members of the village help each other, it is the only way to get by. 

Interestingly, they have very similar habits to the Hamer: the men use a kind of wooden seat that they make themselves called "karaballe" to sit on or rest their heads when they stretch out on the ground. In many occasions you can see men walking around with this utensil that is very practical for them, they hardly separate from it, we have tried one of them and it really makes you keep your back in a very straight position!

Jobs are very defined by gender from a very young age. Women's daily life consists of fetching wood to light the fire, getting water to drink, grinding grain, cooking, taking care of the children and the house... They are much more active than the men, who usually spend the day sitting in the shade watching the grazing herd from a distance. It is not good business to be born a woman in these lands...

Dassanech women always wear their upper body naked, they wear a kind of foulard or brightly colored cloth wrapped around their waists and go barefoot. Their ornaments are very peculiar: most of them have small perforations under the lower lip that they decorate with some kind of colorful detail, such as feathers. But the most surprising are the accessories they wear on their heads: bullet caps, zippers, badges and other items that are normally difficult to find in those lands and that are therefore considered valuable and, we suppose, also beautiful.

HAMER:

The letter of introduction of this ethnic group could not be more suggestive: history and myth refer the Hamer to a glorious past in which their ancestors chose their residence at the top of the mountains. According to oral tradition, it was they who lit the first fire.

Aesthetically, the Hamer are characterized by their hairstyles, body paints and accessories. Their combination reflects the social status of each individual. The hairstyles of men of higher status include mud caps and feathers. Women wear their hair impregnated with ochre mud, leather skirts and necklaces. The latter gives away their marital status: brightly colored ornaments in the case of single women and metal necklaces for married women. And one last detail: if this necklace has a protuberance on the front, it means that it is the first woman... We haven't said it yet: the Hamer - and most of the tribes in the area - are polygamous!

Hamer youth, like their Karo, Banna and Bashada neighbors, must undergo the "Ukuli Bula" ceremony, a ritual of entry into adult society and the opportunity to marry. It is a ceremony that lasts several hours and begins in the early afternoon, when the men prepare themselves by painting their faces and bodies with bright colors. Wherever they go they carry their small wooden seat, which also serves as a pillow.

Once the men are ornamented, some very crude scenes begin to take place: the women invite the men, reluctant, to whip them with thin branches, producing wounds on their backs that will heal leaving considerable marks. After doing so, they show a masochistic satisfaction. Scenes that make us sick to our stomach and difficult to understand, no matter how much they explain to us that in their culture this fact is a sign of the appreciation that the woman feels towards the men of the family.

KARO:

According to their oral tradition, they come from the mountainous region, home of the Hamer-Banna, from where they left in times of great drought, in search of pasture for their cattle that were dying of hunger. Thus the Karo came to the banks of the Omo River where they settled. But later, the abundance of the tsetse fly in the region wiped out their herds, forcing them to turn to agriculture for subsistence.

The Karo have a subsistence agriculture, mainly based on sorghum, beans and corn. They supplement their diet with some fishing and honey gathering. Government controls on hunting have put an end to what had been another of the Karo people's economic resources. Their main exchanges are with the Hamer, to whom they usually cede the grazing of their cattle in exchange for land products, and with the Dassanech. The voracity of the abundant termites in the region, often forces the Karo to constantly rebuild their homes, up to several times a year.

Government authorities have been trying for some time to eradicate the custom of abandoning newborns before marriage or children with defects in their growth, abandoned because they are considered to bring misfortune to the community. The young men of the Karo tribe, before being able to marry, have to go through the ceremony called Pilla, which consists of jumping over a row of cows without falling, a ceremony they share with other neighboring peoples. They give great importance to body ornamentation.

MURSI:

The Mursi is one of the most attractive Ethiopian tribes. They are known for their warrior and aggressive spirit. Like the Surma, they maintain, among other ancestral traditions, the Dunga, a festive battle between young men in which the warriors who win the victory obtain the right to choose a wife and the respect of their opponents.

Mursi women wear clay or wooden plates embedded in their lips and ears, as well as incredible hairstyles with ornaments such as metal rings and various fabrics. Men wear spectacular drawings painted with white chalk all over their bodies. You will love to learn about the way of life of these tribes and culture of the Omo Valley.

Both men and women decorate their bodies with natural pigments extracted from minerals and vegetables, which also helps them as an insect repellent when mixed with ash and cattle urine. It is also very common for them to scarify themselves, especially on their arms, chest and back, as a sign of elegance, strength and courage.

NYANGATOM:

Very little is known about the history of the Nangyatom people. According to their traditions, they are descended from the Karimojong. It is believed that they arrived in their present territory about a hundred years ago and that they come from the north of Nigeria, from where they would have migrated with their herds of cows crossing the north of Uganda. When they arrived in their present country, they began to leave little by little the transhumance, they began to build houses to spend longer periods in them than those that until then they needed to spend the night in their transitory camps, the women began to cultivate sorghum fields near the Omo and Kibbish rivers, and they began to lead their present semi-nomadic life, in which only during the dry season they abandon their habitual residences to go with their herds to areas with better pastures, approximately, during the months of November to February. On the banks of the Omo River many Nyangatom families have become sedentary and, although they raise some livestock, their main activity has shifted to agriculture.

But in this search for pastures they ended up settling annually, during the dry season, in the controversial Ilemi triangle, one of the most disputed border regions of Africa, in this case by Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya. As a result of the undefined borders established by the British and Ethiopians in 1907, when they divided up this part of the continent, peoples of the three countries (Turkana, Didinga, Toposa Nyangatom and Dassanetch) are fighting over the use of their resources and, if before the introduction of automatic weapons in the region, the authorities of these peoples came to the region to fight for the use of their resources, the authorities of these peoples reached relative agreements that managed to maintain a coexistence without major clashes, in recent times, the presence of modern weapons has turned the region into an adventurous and dangerous place to spend the seasonal seasons in its fertile lands to graze the herds of cows.

This danger of the Ilemi triangle has led the Nyangatom to modify their nomadic routes in recent years to escape the political dispute in this border region where cattle thefts are frequent and where the number of lives lost does not cease.

Some Nangyatom men joined the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) troops, often just to acquire guns and ammunition, so that today most Nyangatom youths, like those from neighboring villages, carry modern automatic weapons. These weapons, in addition to being used to defend themselves from neighboring attacks to steal their cattle, or vice versa, are also being used for poaching in the region's National Parks. The situation is so delicate that giraffes and elephants, once very abundant, are almost disappearing.

They maintain part of their traditional culture, in many aspects close to that of other cattle-raising towns in the region. One of the most distinguishing characteristics of the culture are their songs and dances. They have a great prestige as dancers among the neighboring towns.

They accompany the rhythm of their songs and dances with nidjeroi, metal bells that are placed on the elbows and below the knees. They are not exclusive to the Nyangatom, but are used by most of the peoples of the Lower Omo (Hamer, Banna, Bashada, etc.) although they are called by different names. For example, the Hamer know them as worworra, the Arbore as worrai, the Maale call them yidjo, the Dassanech yoyora and the Aari call them yidche.

Any occasion that is to be celebrated men and women will use their nidjeroi to dance with them: when the groom gives the cows as dowry to the bride's family; when an enemy has been killed or an important capture has been made during the hunt.

Lodging: Buska lodge.

DAY 7 (10-25-24). TURMI - JINKA

Today, after breakfast, we will have a long drive to Jinka. Jinka.

We will make several stops along the way.

Accommodation: Nassa Pension

DAY 8 (10-26-24). JINKA - ADDIS ABABA

Today, in order to avoid another long return trip by road, we will take a flight from Jinka to Addis Ababa.

Free afternoon.

Lodging: Golden Tulip Hotel.

DAY 9 (10-27-24). ADDIS ABABA - BAHAR DAR - LAKE TANA

We begin our journey with the northern route, the so-called Historic Route.

At 9 a.m., flight ADDIS ABABA - BAHAR DAR. 

We will spend the day sailing on Lake Tana. Lake Tana.

The country's largest lake, 84 kilometers long and 66 kilometers wide, is dotted with more than three dozen islands that, according to Ethiopian oral tradition, have been the scene of legendary events.

The Ethiopians believe that King Solomon's Ark of the Covenant arrived in their lands in 400 B.C., being moved between some islands and other lakes of the country during the following 800 years. The reason for the origin of this myth is to be found in the biblical love of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, who, it is believed, was born in present-day Ethiopia. From their love affair was born the offspring that gave birth to the dynasty of Ethiopian emperors that reigned for centuries.

Whether because of this legend or religious fervor, the islands of Lake Tana show a balanced combination of natural beauty and colorful monasteries.

On a more earthly level, the Tana is the main source of one of Africa's most emblematic rivers: the Blue Nile. It was a Spanish Jesuit monk, Pedro Paez, who was the first European to reach the source of this African river artery.

Before starting the visit to the lake, a first stop at the Tis Abay Falls shows the power of nature. In the months when the blessed rain brings life to Ethiopia, between June and October, a powerful torrent of water rushes, with great roar, through a jump of about 45 meters high. The spectacle with which the Blue Nile begins its African journey is worthy of its Ethiopian name, which means "steaming water".

After admiring the wonder of Tis Abay, it is time to head for the main city on the southern shore of Lake Tana. Bahir Dar is a lively and holiday town. The inhabitants of Addis Ababa who can afford it, spend here a few days of relaxation, drinking beer on the terraces overlooking the lake and dancing to the music played in some night bars.

The moderately cosmopolitan air that one breathes in Bahir Dar is ostensibly diluted when taking one of the many trails that depart from the main paved roads of the city to enter into vast fields of crops patched here and there by small clusters of trees that give highly coveted shadows when the hot Ethiopian sun shines.

In these camps, the pace of life slows down and families gather to eat injera, a kind of large corn cake that forms the basis of the Ethiopian diet, seasoned with various sauces, meats and vegetables. 

Walking through them is an excellent opportunity to observe the traditional life of northwestern Ethiopia.

Although most of the peasants travel on foot or by ox-drawn carts, there are more than a few who row their tangkwa, ancestral small leaf-shaped boats made of papyrus. These boats are also preferred by fishermen who seek their livelihood in the waters of the lake, wading in the vicinity of its sacred islands. Of the 37 islands of the Tana, 19 are, or were, home to monasteries or churches, the oldest dating back to the 14th century.

Tana Cherkos is one of the most important islands, since the Ethiopian tradition tells that it was here that the Virgin Mary rested during her return journey from Egypt. On the island of Daga are the tombs of some Ethiopian emperors, such as Zara Yaqob, Za Dengel, Dawit I and Fasilides, one of the great Ethiopian conquerors.

It is also said that the body of Friar Frumentius, who introduced Christianity in Ethiopia, rests on the lands of the island of Tana Qirqos. There, however, is another main attraction, as the Ethiopians believe that it is the first to house the Ark of the Covenant. Indiana Jones could have started here.

The islands, in addition to the striking and colorful art that decorates the walls of churches and monasteries and makes up the clothing of the religious that inhabit them, also offer a paradise for ornithologists and botanists. 

Accommodation: Kuriftu Resort and Spa

DAY 10 (28-10-24). TIS ISAT WATERFALLS - BLUE NILE

In the morning, we will drive the 40 km that separate us from the Tis Isat waterfallsfalls, where the Blue Nile plunges on its way to Khartum.

The Blue Nile Falls are one of Ethiopia's great natural attractions and a must-see. Locally they are known as Tis Abay (Nile smoke) or Tis Isat (smoking water).

The trail that takes you to the Blue Nile Falls is beautiful. A green landscape through a narrow path leads you to a beautiful bridge built by the Portuguese around 1620 and happens to be the first stone bridge in Ethiopia.

Both this area and the source of the Blue Nile, located in a corner of Lake Tana, were first explored by the Spanish priest, Pedro PaezPedro Paez, an unknown, but who should be on the list of the great explorers of the African continent.

Return to Bahar Dar, and visit the city.

Accommodation: Kuriftu Resort and Spa

DAY 11 (10-29-24). BAHAR DAR - LALIBELA

Today we travel by road through spectacular rural scenery to Lalibela (300km).

Lalibela is a small town in central Ethiopia, founded in the 12th century. It is situated on a mountain range at 2,500 meters above sea level. Initially, it was called Roha, and was later renamed after the most important emperor of the Zague dynasty, King Lalibela.

This city is famous for its unusual churches. The fact is that they are completely carved into the volcanic rock and connected by tunnels. In total, there are 11 such churches in Lalibela.

The world knows this city as a "city of priests and rock-hewn churches.

The temples of Lalibela are considered unique monuments of rock architecture. Today, UNESCO recognizes the small city as the eighth wonder of the world and a symbol of the Christian religion. Almost all of its inhabitants are Christians of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Lalibela ranks as one of the country's holy places, being a center of national pilgrimage.

The construction of the Lalibela churches developed as follows: First, huge trenches were dug with a depth of approximately 12 meters. Inside, there were stone blocks that served as "blanks" for future temples. Subsequently, the cult structures were hollowed out. Gradually, columns, capitals, ornaments and sculptures were carved. As a result, a complete building could be seen, built without a single nail or brick.

The churches of Lalibela were built using a variety of architectural styles. Here you can see Greek columns, Arabic windows, the Star of David... as well as Egyptian style arches. According to historians, the temples were carved out of volcanic tuff in the late 12th century. According to archaeologists' estimates, the work of at least 40,000 people was necessary for the construction of all the churches of Lalibela. The creation of all the temples would have taken about 23 years.

St. George's Church is the most impressive church in Lalibela. This monolith looks like a cross with sides of 12 meters each and a depth of 12 meters.

According to legend, a fervent Christian, Lalibela, saw God in a dream. God told her, "Dig churches in the rocks and there will be a New Jerusalem." Lalibela obeyed God. Therefore, the location of many historical monuments in Lalibela coincides with the location of buildings in Jerusalem. Moreover, the names are the same as well. 

Thus, there is a Calvary and a Path of Sorrow, and even the local river is called Jordan.

On this day we will start the visit to the churches, like Abba Libanos, Bete Meskel, Bet Denagil, Bete Medhane Alem, Bete Mariam, or Bete Emmanuel.

Lodging: Mezena Lodge.

DAY 12 (30-10-24). LALIBELA

We continue with the visit to the group of churches, where the most photogenic of them all stands out, the Church of St. George, in the shape of a cross and symbolizing Noah's Ark, with beautiful paintings of Byzantine origin in its interior.

During these two days in Lalibela, we will attend some of the religious rites that are celebrated inside the different churches, where the monks pray to the monotonous rhythm of drums and medieval sistrums.

Lodging: Mezena Lodge.

DAY 13 (10/31/24). LALIBELA - ADDIS ABABA

The last morning in Lalibela we can also visit the city itself, its markets and the traditional buildings that still remain.

At 1:00 p.m. flight to Addis Ababa

We will bid farewell to the trip with a farewell dinner at the traditional Restaurant Yod Abyssiniawith local music show.

Transfer to the airport for your return flight.

End of the Photo Tour: