5-Day Omo Valley Tribal Tours from Addis Ababa: Hamar & Mursi

Five days among over 20 ethnic groups, each with their own ceremonies and traditions

This 5-day tour travels from Addis Ababa into Ethiopia's Omo Valley to encounter the Hamar people and their bull-jumping ceremonies, the Mursi women known for their lip plates, the Karo with their body painting, and the Konso with their generation poles. A guide leads the group through villages, markets and Mago National Park, with overnight stays in traditional huts and lodges. The route includes a boat trip at Dessenach tribe and visits timed to seasonal events when they occur.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Addis Ababa to Dorze village visit

• Fly Addis Ababa to Arba Minch
• Transfer to hotel
• Drive to Dorze village
• Visit Dorze village and market
• Overnight in Dorze or Arba Minch

Day 2: Konso village and Turmi arrival

• Drive to Konso after breakfast
• Lunch and short break in Konso
• Visit Konso UNESCO village
• Drive to Turmi
• Overnight at Turmi Lodge

Day 3: Karo and Hamer tribal visits

• Drive to Karo village after breakfast
• Visit Karo village and body painting
• Return to Turmi for lunch
• Visit Hamer people and bull jumping
• Attend Evan Gady night dance
• Overnight at Turmi Lodge

Day 4: Dessanech tribe and market visit

• Drive to Dessanech tribe after breakfast
• Observe body and face painting rituals
• Return to Turmi for lunch
• Visit local market if open
• Overnight at Jinka NASA Hotel

Day 5: Mursi tribe and return to Addis Ababa

• Drive from Turmi to Jinka via Mago National Park
• Visit Mursi village and lip plates
• Return to Jinka for lunch
• Fly back to Addis Ababa

What’s included

• A live English-speaking guide for all five days.
• car transport and fuel throughout the valley.
• entry to Mago National Park and all village visits.
• a boat trip at Dessenach tribe.
• overnight accommodation in traditional huts, lodges and hotels.
• all park fees and taxes.

Times

• Every day No fixed time

Before you book

Group Up to 4 5 private ›

Live guide English Another language? ›

Meeting point and pickup Hotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point. You can choose from 5 pickup points.

Ages Adult (9 to 10 years) · Senior (11 to 95 years) · Youth (7 to 8 years) · Child (5 to 6 years) · Infant (3 to 4 years) · Under 3: can't be booked

Cancellation and refunds Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund. It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Good to know

Low physical effort Not recommended during pregnancy

Operated by Enat Ethiopia Tours

Prices and times updated yesterday

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Traveler reviews

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The experience

How do you actually spend five days in a place where 20 ethnic groups have kept their own ways of life for centuries? You start with a flight from Addis Ababa to Arba Minch, then drive to Dorze village to see the tall beehive-like houses and watch the cotton weavers at work. If it's market day, you walk through the local market. The first night is in a traditional hut or a hotel, depending on what you choose.

The next three days move through the valley's main groups. Day two takes you to Konso, where you visit one of the nine UNESCO-registered villages and see the generation poles: stone and wooden markers that stand for 18 years each, so the age of the village is written in how many poles are still standing. Then you drive to Turmi. On day three, you're up early to visit the Karo people along the Omo River, known for their face and body painting with ochre and chalk. After lunch back in Turmi, you see the Hamar people. If the timing is right, you witness the bull-jumping ceremony where a boy proves his manhood by jumping across a row of cattle. The night ends with the Evan Gady dance. Day four takes you to Dessenach tribe in the morning (you'll see their body painting and scarification), and includes a boat trip. The local market visit happens if it falls on market day.

On day five, you drive from Turmi through Mago National Park to a Mursi village. The Mursi are known for the lower lip and earlobe plates worn as marks of beauty and identity. After visiting the village, you drive back to Jinka for lunch, then fly back to Addis Ababa. A guide in English travels with you the whole way, and all transport, fuel and park fees are covered. Lunch and dinner are not included, so you'll eat at lodges and hotels along the route.

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (7 to 8 years); Child (5 to 6 years); Infant (3 to 4 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What is the bull-jumping ceremony and will I see it on this tour?

Bull jumping is a Hamar rite of passage where a young man jumps across five to thirteen cattle in a row to be recognized as an adult. The tour visits the Hamar people on day three, and if the ceremony is happening during your dates, you may witness it. It is seasonal and not guaranteed, so the operator cannot promise it will occur.

What are the Mursi lip plates I keep hearing about?

Mursi women wear lower lip and earlobe plates as symbols of beauty and identity. The plates are made from clay or wood and are inserted into the lip after a slit is made. You visit a Mursi village on the final day to see this tradition firsthand.

Do I stay in hotels or traditional huts the whole time?

You stay in a mix of both. Night one is in a traditional hut in Dorze or a hotel in Arba Minch, your choice. Nights two through four are in lodges in Turmi and Jinka. The lodges offer basic comfort while keeping you close to the villages you visit.

What's included in the price and what do I need to pay for separately?

The tour includes your guide, all transport by car, fuel, park fees and taxes, and a boat trip at Dessenach tribe. Lunch and dinner are not included, so you'll pay for meals at the lodges and hotels. The domestic flights to and from Arba Minch are also not included.

How physically demanding is this tour?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels. You spend time driving between villages and walking through them to meet the people and see their daily lives and ceremonies. There are no long hikes or strenuous climbs, though the roads are rough and the days are full.

Is this tour private or shared with other travelers?

The tour operates as a shared group experience led by an English-speaking guide. You travel together with other travelers, which spreads the cost and creates a group dynamic as you move through the villages.