Day 1, Arba Minch – Dorze village

Arbaminch- meaning ‘Forty Springs’ in Amharic-the official language. Arbaminch takes its name from the bubbling streams that cover the groundwater forest occupying the flats of the town.
On arrival take you from the airport and an hour drive uphill to Chencha to visit the Dorze, one of the many small segments of the great Omotic language group of southern Ethiopia. Once warriors, they have now turned to farming and weaving to earn a living. Their success in the field of weaving has been phenomenal and the Dorze name is synonymous with the best in woven cotton cloth. Each amazing Dorze bamboo house has its own small garden surrounded by enset (false banana plantation), beds of spices and cabbage, and tobacco (the Dorze are passionate smokers). The main house is a tall up to twelve meters bee-hived shaped building with an aristocratic ‘nose’, which forms a reception room for guests and is usually furnished with two benches. The vaulted ceiling and walls of the spacious and airy houses are covered with an elegant thatch of enset to form a smooth and steep unbroken dome.overnight Arbaminch

Day 2, Arba Minch – Forty Springs forest hiking and boat trip on lake Chamo

After breakfast, drive to the Forty Springs and spend time in the rainforest, visit the springs, take a gentle hike to see bamboos, Columbus monkeys and waterhogs. Conclude your tour with a dip in the cool natural swimming pool. After lunch, visit Arba Minch crocodile market Boat ride over Lake Chamo (514sq. and 10m deep- 3rd biggest Lake in Ethiopia, Located at 1,225 meters above sea level) to see Africa’s gigantic Nile Crocodile, Hippos and Aquatic birds.
Overnight Arbaminch

Day 3, Arba Minch – Konso -Arba Minch
Karat – Konso

The cultural landscape of Konso is the youngest world Heritage site of Ethiopia, listed in June 2011. It brings the total on 9 listed sites in the country. Konso has a long history with tourism and knowledgeable local guides are available to introduce you to their culture. Karat is a small town in the Konso area, often called Konso. The market days are on Monday and Thursday
The recently opened Kanta Lodge is by far the best place to stay.

The Konso village
The Konso people are living in concentrated walled villages on the top of a hill. These maze like settlements are unique for the region. The villages are well organized with individual compounds, communal houses and village squares. On these squares you find the so called ‘generation pole’ which is erected every 18 year to mark a new generation. Well known Konso villages are Gesergiyo, Mecheke, Kamule and Dekatu. Around the village there are extensive terraces where the crops are grown. Their agricultural skills are among the best found in Ethiopia.
The Konso are famous for their waga stelae or carved wooden grave markers. A row of these stelae are erected on the grave of an important Konso man. One symbolizing the hero, the others his wives and his defeated enemies or killed dangerous animals.
After visiting the village Drive back to Arbaminch
Overnight Arbaminch

Day 4, Crocodile Farm – Airport

In morning after breakfast we we drive to crocodile Ranch.
Walking between the masses of crocs in their concrete tanks .
The crocodiles are either hatched from eggs collected in the lakes or pulled out as youngsters and reared on the farm. Most of the hapless crocs are killed when they’re about 2m length (five years old), when their skin is the best quality, and will end up as handbags or belts in European stores – Italy and Greece, mostly.
After we visit the crocodile farm back to Airport.

End of tour.

*** This itinerary is flexible, and will likely change in order to your interest.

Day , 1 Arba Minch – Dorze village

Arbaminch- meaning ‘Forty Springs’ in Amharic-the official language. Arbaminch takes its name from the bubbling streams that cover the groundwater forest occupying the flats of the town.
After lunch an hour drive uphill to Chencha to visit the Dorze, one of the many small segments of the great Omotic language group of southern Ethiopia. Once warriors, they have now turned to farming and weaving to earn a living. Their success in the field of weaving has been phenomenal and the Dorze name is synonymous with the best in woven cotton cloth. Each amazing Dorze bamboo house has its own small garden surrounded by enset (false banana plantation), beds of spices and cabbage, and tobacco (the Dorze are passionate smokers). The main house is a tall up to twelve meters bee-hived shaped building with an aristocratic ‘nose’, which forms a reception room for guests and is usually furnished with two benches. The vaulted ceiling and walls of the spacious and airy houses are covered with an elegant thatch of enset to form a smooth and steep unbroken dome.
overnight Arbaminch

Day 2, Arba Minch – Konso Karat

The cultural landscape of Konso is the youngest world Heritage site of Ethiopia, listed in June 2011. It brings the total on 9 listed sites in the country. Konso has a long history with tourism and knowledgeable local guides are available to introduce you to their culture. Karat is a small town in the Konso area, often called Konso. The market days are on Monday and Thursday
The recently opened Kanta Lodge is by far the best place to stay.

The Konso village
The Konso people are living in concentrated walled villages on the top of a hill. These maze like settlements are unique for the region. The villages are well organized with individual compounds, communal houses and village squares. On these squares you find the so called ‘generation pole’ which is erected every 18 year to mark a new generation. Well known Konso villages are Gesergiyo, Mecheke, Kamule and Dekatu. Around the village there are extensive terraces where the crops are grown. Their agricultural skills are among the best found in Ethiopia.
The Konso are famous for their waga stelae or carved wooden grave markers. A row of these stelae are erected on the grave of an important Konso man. One symbolizing the hero, the others his wives and his defeated enemies or killed dangerous animals.
After visiting the village Drive back to Arbaminch.
Overnight Arbaminch

Day 3,Arba Minch – Forty Springs Hiking, boat trip and Airport

Arba Minch, which is Amharic for ‘Forty Springs’, is named after the innumerable little springs that bubble up right at the base of the ridge below the town. All the development (the city pumps its water from here) and the fact that it’s not especially scenic to begin with make it only worth visiting if you’ve already paid park fees. The 3km road there from the headquarters, however, is beautiful and is a good, easy walk.
We will walk Forty Springs and spend time in the rainforest, visit the springs, take a gentle hike to see bamboos, Columbus monkeys and waterhogs. Conclude your tour with a dip in the cool natural swimming pool. After lunch, visit Arba Minch crocodile market Boat ride over Lake Chamo (514sq. and 10m deep- 3rd biggest Lake in Ethiopia, Located at 1,225 meters above sea level) to see Africa’s gigantic Nile Crocodile, Hippos and Aquatic birds.

End of tour.

*** This itinerary is flexible, and will likely change in order to your interest.

Day 1 ,Arba Minch – Dorze village

Arbaminch- meaning ‘Forty Springs’ in Amharic-the official language. Arbaminch takes its name from the bubbling streams that cover the groundwater forest occupying the flats of the town.
On arrival take you from the airport and an hour drive uphill to Chencha to visit the Dorze, one of the many small segments of the great Omotic language group of southern Ethiopia. Once warriors, they have now turned to farming and weaving to earn a living. Their success in the field of weaving has been phenomenal and the Dorze name is synonymous with the best in woven cotton cloth. Each amazing Dorze bamboo house has its own small garden surrounded by enset (false banana plantation), beds of spices and cabbage, and tobacco (the Dorze are passionate smokers). The main house is a tall up to twelve meters bee-hived shaped building with an aristocratic ‘nose’, which forms a reception room for guests and is usually furnished with two benches. The vaulted ceiling and walls of the spacious and airy houses are covered with an elegant thatch of enset to form a smooth and steep unbroken dome.overnight Arbaminch

Day 2,Arba Minch – Forty Springs forest hiking and boat trip on lake Chamo

After breakfast, drive to the Forty Springs and spend time in the rainforest, visit the springs, take a gentle hike to see bamboos, Columbus monkeys and waterhogs. Conclude your tour with a dip in the cool natural swimming pool. After lunch, visit Arba Minch crocodile market Boat ride over Lake Chamo (514sq. and 10m deep- 3rd biggest Lake in Ethiopia, Located at 1,225 meters above sea level) to see Africa’s gigantic Nile Crocodile, Hippos and Aquatic birds.

Overnight Arbaminch