Tour Code: FET-S01 (Tailor-made with Total Eclipse) Southern Ethiopia and Tribes of Omo Valley
Attractions: Scenery, Wildlife/Wilderness, Birds, Tribal Culture Duration: 12Days & 11Nights
Transportation: Surface drive & Boat ride
Day 1 (Thursday 31, October 2013): Arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Air port & Addis Ababa City Tour Meet and greet you FANOS Ethiopia Tours representative at exit of luggage claim and transfer you to the hotel. You will have an early breakfast and your first visit in Addis Ababa will be the National Museum. It houses numerous antiquarian relics and archaeological artifacts (most famous exhibit is the 3.5 million year old skeleton of Lucy). Then you will continue to visit Mount Entoto (3,200 above sea level. The Church of St Mary (1885) and Emperor Menelik II Palace. The Entoto Museum, with its historical exhibits is well worth a visit.
After lunch you will visit Trinity Cathedral. It was constructed by Emperor Haile Selassie in 1947 (ornamented with carvings and mosaic and other artistic works such as paintings of saints and the apostles on the stained glass) and visit Merkato, the largest open market in Africa. In the evening, you will have dinner at the hotel and you will rest. Overnight stay in Reliance Hotel Apartment, Addis Ababa.
Day 2 (Friday 1, November 2013): Drive to Awassa /Hawassa/ In the morning after breakfast, you will drive to Awassa (275 Km from Addis). En route, you will make a stop on Awash River and Lake Ziway to visit aquatic birds.
You will be arriving in Awassa in the afternoon and check into a hotel. Later, you can walk along the lake shore for nice evening sunset and aquatic birds such as; Saddle-billed stork, greater jacana, African fish eagle, darter, herons, darters and Wood hoope. You will have dinner and spend the night at the hotel. Overnight stay in Lewi Hotel, Awassa.
Day 3 (Saturday 2, November 2013): Drive to Yabelo In the morning after breakfast, you will visit the scenic morning Fish Market in Awassa. Then you will drive to Yabelo (300 Km from Awassa). On the way visit the Sidama and Gedeo tribes villages (know for the best & fine production of Ethiopian Coffee) and you will stop for lunch at Hagre Mariam (200 Km from Awassa). Upon arrival in Yabelo, you will check into a motel, have dinner and spend the night at there. Overnight stay in Yabelo Motel.
Day 4 (Sunday 3, November 2013): Ethiopian Total Solar Eclipse In the morning after breakfast, you will visit the nearby Borena Oromo villages to learn more about the local nomad & pastoralist’s way of life. Lunch in Yabelo Motel.
After having lunch and a short break you will drive to the village of Madaccho (80 Kilo meter south of Yabelo), that is 2 kilo meter from the eclipse centre line.
Following are contact times for the proposed eclipse-viewing site, 80 km (50 mi) south of Yabelo at 4.196° North Latitude and 38.281° East Longitude. This site is 1.2 km (.75 mi) north of the centerline, to take advantage of the longest viewing time possible in this area. The times are Eastern African Time (Universal Time +3 hours).
Start Partial Eclipse
16:15:25 EAT
Start of Total Eclipse
17:26:02 EAT
Sun Altitude
9.6°
End of Total Eclipse
17:26:13 EAT
Approximate Sunset
18:07 EAT
End of Partial Eclipse
18:27:31 EAT
Duration of Totality
11 seconds
Early in the evening drive back to Yableo for overnight stay. you will have dinner and spend the night at the hotel. Overnight stay in Yabelo Motel.
Day 5 (Monday 4, November 2013): Drive to Konso In the morning, after breakfast, you will drive to Konso (130 Km from Yabelo). On the way you will visit the village of the Borena people. In the afternoon after having lunch, you will visit to Konso village (famous for their colourfully costumed dresses, impressive terracing of land – recently registered as World heritage by UNESCO, and engraved wooden statues grave markers). After checking into a hotel, you will have dinner and stay the night at the hotel. Overnight stay in Kanta Lodge, Konso.
Day 6 (Tuesday 5, November 2013): Drive to Turmi via Arebore and Tsmaye In the morning, you will have breakfast and your will be driven to Turmi. On the way you will visit Arebore village and check into a hotel. You will have dinner and spend the night at the hotel. Overnight stay in Buska/Turmi Lodge, Turmi.
Day 7 (Wednesday 6, November 2013): Excursion to Omorate to visit Dassench/Geleb tribe An early morning drive will take you to Omorate to visit the Dassench/Geleb tribe (75 Km from Turmi). From there, you will take a boat trip on the Omo River and visit the Dassench/Geleb village. Then you will get back to Turmi for lunch.
You will then walk to the Hamer Village to explore the Hamer tribes (best known for elaborate hairstyles, body painting using clays and vegetable pigments to make fantastic patterns on their faces, chests, arms and legs), attend the bull jumping – if possible and available with luck. In the evening, you will be driven back to the lodge for dinner and spend the night at the lodge. Overnight stay in Buska/Turmi Lodge, Turmi.
Day 8 (Thursday 7, November 2013): Drive to Jinka while detour to Murille to visit Karo Village An early morning drive will take you to Murille to visit the Karo tribe (62 Km from Turmi). Then you will drive to Jinka (204 km from Turmi). You will arrive in Jinka late in the afternoon. Check in to the hotel. In the evening you will have dinner and spend the night at the lodge. Overnight stay in Jinka Resort, or Orit Hotel, Jinka.
Day 9 (Friday 8, November 2013): Excursion to Mursi village and Drive to Konso In the morning after breakfast, you will be driven to Mursi (55 Km from Jinka) and visit to the of Mursi tribe village (popularly known for their attractive culture, women wearing large clay plates into their lower lips). In the afternoon after having lunch, you will drive to Konso. After checking into a hotel, you will have dinner and stay the night at the hotel. Overnight stay in Kanta Lodge, Konso.
Day 10 (Saturday 9, November 2013): Drive to Arba Minch and visit to Dorze Village In the morning, you will have breakfast and drive to Arba Minch (90 Km from Konso). Check into a hotel. You will have lunch at Arba Minch. In the afternoon drive to Dorze (40km before Arba Minch) and visit to the Dorze village (famous for their bee hive shaped houses, weaving styles and their lifestyle). You will have dinner and spend the night at the hotel. Overnight stay in Paradise or Swaynes Lodge, Arba Minch.
Day 11 (Sunday 10, November 2013): Drive to Lake Langano via Wolayta Sodo After breakfast, you will be driven to Lake Langano (295 Km, one of the Rift Valley Lakes and the only lake that you can swim in). Upon arrival, you will check into a lodge by the lake side. In the evening you will have dinner at the lodge and stay the night there. Overnight stay in Borati Lodge or Sabana Beach Resort.
Day 12 (Monday 11, November 2013): Drive back to Addis Ababa After breakfast, you will be driving to Addis Ababa. On the way, you will also visit Abijatta-Shalla National Park, Lake Shalla (a very deep crater lake – over 260 meters deep) and Lake Abijatta ( a soda lake with thousands of flamingos). You will arrive in Addis Ababa late afternoon and you will do some shopping for souvenirs. Finally you will be taken to a farewell dinner depending on your scheduled flight; you will be transferred out to Bole International Airport for return flight back home.
FANOS Ethiopia Tours will take you through the wilderness, where you will discover the really Ethiopia. http://www.fanosethiopiatours.com/
