14 Days Pure Wildlife Safari

After breakfast, drive from Addis Ababa to Chebera Churchura national park via Jimma, the capital of the former Kaffa province after which coffee is named. Late in the afternoon, enjoy game drive in the Park.

Today will be an epic day in Chebera Churchura National Park. This park is one of the recent developments in Ethiopia, and it is the most untouched parks with great wilderness. So far, 37 larger mammals and 237 species of birds have been recorded in the different habitats (Highland & Rverine forest and savanna and bush lands) of the park. White- winged cliff chat, banded-barbet, wattled ibis, black-headed forest Oriole and thick billed Raven are endemic birds for the country. Common mammals include the African elephant, hippopotamus, Cape buffalo, lion, and leopard. The park appears to be the least disturbed and reliable ecosystem for the African elephant and Buffalo in the country.

After early morning game drive, leave Chebera Churchura National park and drive to Maze National Park. Maze national Park is covered by savannah grassland with scattered deciduous broad leave trees as well as river basin association along the main water courses. So far 39 larger and medium sized mammals and 196 birds’ species have been recorded. The park is one of the three sites in the country where good population of the endemic Swayne’s Hartebeest’s population still survives. In addition, other mammals like Orbi, Bohor red buck, warthog, bushbuck, waterbuck, greater kudu, lesser kudu, bush pig, Anibus baboon, vervet monkey, leopard, and wild cats are among others common species.

After morning game drive, drive to Mago National Park. Our camp site is set in ideal location offering great opportunity to see the wildlife in the park late in the afternoon and early in the morning.

In the morning, make game drive in the park, and then drive to the village of the Mursi tribe to visit and appreciate the very authentic culture of Mursi tribe. They are renowned for the strange custom followed by their women who, on reaching maturity, have their lower lips slit and circular clay discs inserted.

Drive from Jinka to Turmi, the settlement of the Hamer people. The women of the Hamer are known particularly for their striking, adorned with thick plaits of ochre-colored hair hanging down in a heavy fringe, leather skirts decorated with cowries, a dozen or more copper bracelets fixed tightly around their arms. And the men are noted for the initiation ceremony of Jumping over the Bulls. Catching this interesting ritual is entirely a matter of chance. On the way you will visit the most colorful traditional market in the Omo Valley called Key Afer, here you will see the Hammer, Tsemay, Bena and the Ari ethnic groups with their untouched cultural dressing style.

In the morning, you will make an excursion trip to Murulle - the village of Karo people, who are the tribe with the least in number of members, and known for their body paintings they indulge before important ceremonies. The most striking thing about Karo people's symbolic and ornamental expressions is the painted body and face decorations. This is an elaborate process, which ranges from fine and elaborate details to rough, but striking paintings traced with the palms or fingers. In the afternoon, visit the Hamer village or attend the bull jumping ceremony if there is one. The Hammer people are noted for their ‘Bull Jumping’ Ceremony where boys jump lines of bulls to show the community that they are old and matured enough to carry the responsibility of marriage. Hammers have remarkable hairstyles made from ochre, water, and binding resin. They rub the mixture into their hair then twist the strands repeatedly to create coppery-colored locks. This is a sign of wealth and welfare. Hammers are considered to be masters of body decoration.

Drive from Turmi to Arba Minch visiting the Arbore, noted for their jewelleries and the Konso people who are noted for their tradition of making traces for the protection of erosion. The Konso land is registered as one of the world heritage sites in the country in 2011. In the afternoon, have a remarkable boat ride on the southernmost Rift Valley Lake of Ethiopia – Lake Chamo. Boat trip on Lake Chamo is among the best anywhere in Ethiopia. One can spot many Hippos and the world's most spectacular concentrations of Giant Crocodiles (It is locally called as "Crocodile Market"). The water birds are great the scenery is truly unforgettable. Fishing for Nile Perch and many other species by locals on their traditional boat is by far the best in the country. You will also watch various low land water birds like the African Fish Eagle, Great White Pelicans, egrets, etc.

After breakfast, drive to Chencha to visit the Dorze people who are known for weaving tradition and for their beautiful huts made of bamboo. Then head to Awassa visiting the Alaba village for their painted houses.

In the morning, visit the fish market at Lake Awassa. Then drive to the world famous Bale Mountains National Park. At the park headquarters in Dinsho we search the trails for the colorful Chestnut-naped Francolin, Ground scraper Thrush (of the distinctive, endemic race simensis), the secretive Abyssinian Ground-Thrush, vocal Abyssinian Catbird, and the endemic White-backed Black-Tit. We also hope to see a variety of mammals, including Mountain Nyala- now entirely restricted to the Bale Mountain massif, Menelik’s Bushbuck and Warthog, unusual at this high altitude.

Today will be a day of great contrasts with amazing scenery and birding. We will depart early, and ascend the Bale massif onto the Sanetti Plateau, which is between 3800m and 4377m above sea level. Once we reach this unique plateau, we will be driving on Africa’s highest road, passing close to the summit of Ethiopia’s second highest mountain. This habitat is termed “Afro-alpine moorland”, and is characterized by Jibrra or Giant Lobelias, which tower like monolithic giants over the rich tussock grasslands and extensive cushions of yellow Everlasting flowers. Finally, we will reach the escarpment of this elevated plateau and stare down, through the clouds, at the vast Harenna Forest below. This remarkable forest is the largest intact forest block in Ethiopia and the largest protected Afro-alpine forest on the continent. It still supports populations of lion and the only surviving forest-dwelling African Wild Dogs.

After breakfast, we drive to Lake Langano. Here we can enjoy watching several water bird species in and around the lake, and the ever spectacular sunset. Lake Langano is bilharzias free and suitable for swimming.

After breakfast, drive back to Addis visiting the Rift Valley Lakes of Langano, Abiyatta, Shalla, and Ziway. In the evening before departure, have a fare well dinner party at one of the best traditional restaurants where you will see the folkloric dancers of the people of Ethiopia, and taste the variety of Ethiopian meals. Then, be transferred to the airport for your departure.