13 Nights – Tour to Western Ethiopia with Gambella

Attractions: Scenery, Wildlife/Wilderness, Birds, Tribal Culture
Duration: 13 Days & 12 Nights
Transportation: Surface drive & Boat ride

12 Nights – Tour to Western Ethiopia with Gambella Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport

Meet and greet you Haile Ethiopia Tours representative at the exit of luggage claim and transfer you to the hotel. Overnight stay in Radisson Blu Hotel, Addis Ababa.

Day 2 – Addis Ababa City Tour

You will have an early breakfast and your first visit to Addis Ababa will be to the National Museum. It houses numerous antiquarian relics and archaeological artifacts (the 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. Lunch at Lucy Restaurant.

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 visited Merkato, the largest open market in Africa. In the evening, you will have dinner at the hotel and you will rest.

In the evening, we will host you at one of the best traditional restaurants in Addis. You can see the folk dances of the Ethiopian people and taste the Ethiopian variety of meals. Overnight stay in Radisson Blu Hotel, Addis Ababa.

Day 3 – Drive to Jimma

In the morning after breakfast, you will drive to Jimma (345 Km from Addis) via Woliso. On the way, you will pass through beautiful landscapes as you drive through the Gibe River Valley. You will stop for lunch at Wolqite (160 Km from Addis). You will be arriving in Jimma afternoon and checking into a hotel. Later, you can visit Jimma Museum and King Abba Jaffar Place. You will have dinner and spend the night at the hotel. Overnight stay in Honey Land or Central Jimma Hotel.

Day 4 – Drive to Mizan Tafari

In the morning, you will have breakfast and drive to Mizan Tafari (213 Km from Jimma). Continue your drive to Mizan Tafari via Bonga (the birthplace of coffee). And upon arrival at Bonga (125km from Jimma), you will visit a traditional Kaffa house and learn about the culture of the Kaffa people. You will have lunch at Bonga. Then you will be driven to Mizan Teferi and check into a hotel. You will have dinner and spend the night at the hotel. Overnight stay in a local hotel.

Day 5 – Drive to Tuligt

After breakfast, you will be driven to Tulgit (??? Km from Mizan Teferi). On the way visit the Bebeka Coffee Plantation (the largest coffee farm in Ethiopia), where they cultivate organic coffee trees as well as rubber trees. You can also learn about coffee processing techniques. You will have lunch at Bebeka. Then you will be driven to Tulgit and arrive in Tulgit late afternoon and stretch your tent for camping. Later, you can walk around the Surma village at Tulgit, where you can visit the local Surma people. Also, if you’re lucky, see the Surma stick-fighting competition, known as Donga. Here, men from different local villages meet and compete against each other, winning the respect of the maiden ladies in the crowd. You will have dinner and spend the night camping. Overnight stay camping.

Day 6 – Drive to Kibish

An early morning drive will take you to Kibish to visit the Surma tribe (?? Km from Tulgit). The Surma women are known for their beautification rituals, in preparation for marriage: most women have their bottom teeth removed and their bottom lips pierced, then stretched, so as to allow insertion of a clay lip plate. Overnight stay camping.

Day 7 – Drive back to Mizan Teferi

After breakfast, you will be driven back to Mizan Teferi (??? Km from Kibish). You will be arriving in Mizan Teferi late afternoon and checking into a hotel. You will have dinner and spend the night at the hotel. Overnight stay in local Hotel.

Day 8 – Drive to Gambella

An early morning drive will take you to Gambella (?? Km from Gambella). Continue driving from Mizan Teferi to Gambela, through lush green landscape and wild coffee forest descend into the steamy lowlands, home to Gambella. Y You will stop for lunch at Masha. You will be arriving in Mizan Teferi late afternoon and checking into a hotel. You will have dinner and spend the night at the hotel. Overnight stay in local Hotel.

Day 9 – Visit the Anuak and Nuer people’s Villages

In the morning after breakfast, you will drive to the Anuak village. These Nilotic peoples whose villages are scattered along the banks and rivers of southeastern Sudan and western Ethiopia, in the Gambela Region. The Agnuak people are herdsmen and farmers. In the afternoon visit Nuer village. Nuer people, live mostly in Southern Sudan, in the Upper Nile Province around the junction of the Nile River. The Nuer are tall and dark. You will have dinner and spend the night at the hotel. Overnight stay in local Hotel.

Day 10 –  Excursion to Gambella National Park

An early morning drive will take you to Gambella National Park; home to wonderful birdlife, & wild animals such as elephants, baboons, buffalo, lions, antelope, monkeys, and other antelope. Late in the afternoon drive back to a hotel. You will have dinner and spend the night at the hotel.

Day 11 – Drive to Neqemt

In the morning, you will have breakfast and drive to Neqemt (105Km from Bedele). You will be arriving in Neqemt late afternoon and checking into a hotel. Later, you can visit the Wollega Cultural museum, which gives a very good insight into the Wollega Oromo culture. You will have dinner and spend the night at the hotel. Overnight stay in a local hotel.

Day 12 –  Drive to Ambo

An early morning drive will take you to Ambo (202 Km from Neqemt); on the way visit the Guder Falls. You will be arriving in Ambo late afternoon and checking into a hotel. You will have dinner and spend the night at the hotel. Overnight say in Abebech Metaferia Hotel.

Day 13 – Drive to Addis Ababa and departure

In the morning, you will have breakfast and drive to Addis Ababa (165Km from Ambo) via the Crater Lake of Wonchi. And upon arrival at Wonchi (37 Km from Ambo), you will visit the Crater Lake of Wonchi Village (The magnificent crater lake of Wonchi is situated south of Ambo at 3220 m. above sea level. You can go down to the Lake by car or on a horseback by arrangement with the local farmer’s association. A boat trip to the monastery on an island in the lake is possible). You will have lunch at Woliso. 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 a return flight back home.