Meet 'Soli'
Join Solomon on any of his tours and you will discover the inside view of beautiful Ethiopia and its amazing people.
SOLOMON BEKELE
Your Ethiopia Wide and Local Guide!
Solomon has the perfect resume to guide you throughout Ethiopia.
- Born in Arba Minch, he is 32 yo. His family roots are in the Hamar Tribe.
- His first job was working as a fisherman on Lake Chamo!
- He speaks six languages, including English.
- A good driver who is careful and confident.
- His second job was driving Banana trucks to Somaliland!
- He continues his formal education at night school in Arba Minch.
- Works as a Guide for International Companies, touring all over Ethiopia.
Best of Ethiopia 18-day Tour
Arriving in Ethiopia
...the adventure begins!
You are welcomed and picked up at Addis Ababa International Airport, some refreshments in downtown Addis, and later, an afternoon flight to Jinka in the Omo Valley.
Days 1-2
Tribes of the Omo and Mago Valleys
On the way to our full-board (FB) accommodation, Nasa Guest House we visit the Ari Tribe (blacksmiths and potters) and pay a visit to the informative Jinka Research Centre Museum.
Next morning we drive through the Mago Valley to meet the amazing Mursi Tribe!
Later we drive to Turmi via market towns of Key 'afer, Alduba and Demeka. Overnight at Kizo Lodge (FB), Turmi.
Days 3-4
Tribes of the Omo Valley
In the morning we drive to the border town of Omorate and the Dassanech Tribe. We cross the Omo River in a dugout canoe to reach the nearest Dassanech village.
Later we drive back to Turmi via a Hamar village. Overnite at Kizo Lodge (FB).
Next morning we drive to Korcho to meet the Karo Tribe. Overnite at Kizo Lodge (FB).
Days 5-6
Tribes of the Omo Valley
Up early and on the road to visit the Abore Tribe and village life. Then to the Konso people and their World Heritage (UNESCO) stone walled village. We stay at Konso Korebta Lodge (FB).
In the morning we drive to Arba Minch visiting Lake Chamo ...big Nile Crocodiles, Hippos and abundant aquatic bird life.
After lunch we drive up into the mountains to see the Dorze village. Overnite Dorze Dorze Lodge (FB).
Day 7
Heading to Bahir Dar
Drive to Arba Minch Airport and fly to Bahir Dar (one stop). We will see the Blue Nile Waterfall on the way to our accommodation at Bahir Dar Naky Hotel (FB).
Days 8-9-10
Lake Tana and Simien Mountains
Drive to Lake Tana and visit the historical island Churches. Overnite back at the Naky Hotel (FB).
Next day we drive to Gondar and visit Fasiledas Palace and Fasiledas Swimming Pool. Overnite Goha Hotel (FB).
In the morning we drive to the Simien Mountains National Park to spend time up close with the endemic Gelada Baboons and Walia Ibex. Overnite back at Gondar Goha Hotel (FB).
Day 11-12
We Fly to Lalibela
Today we fly to Lalibela and the Rock-hewn Churches. This is a highlight of any trip to Ethiopia! A true wonder of the world and a major Holy place for Orthodox Christians. On Day 12 we will continue our tour of the Churches.
In Lalibela we will stay 2 nights at Sora Lodge (FB).
Day 13
We Fly to Aksum
Aksum (Axum) is in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia and is the reputed home of Sheba. It is known for its' tall, carved stelaes of stone, relics of the ancient Kingdom of Aksum. It is believed that the Biblical Ark of the Covenant is housed in the centuries old St. Mary of Zion Church and Chapel.
Yared Zema International Hotel (FB) is where we will stay overnight.
Day 14
We Drive to Mekelle
On our way we will stop at Mariam Korkor and Daniel Korkor Rock Churches. They are located on the top of a rock formation near Megab. To get to the Churches it takes around 40 mins of walking. Later we will continue on to Mekelle.
We will overnight at Planet International Hotel (FB), Mekelle.
Day 15
Mekelle to Erta Ale (Volcano) 270km
Up early and on the road by 7:30 am, ahead of us is the daunting road to Dodom, the 70km can take up to 5hrs through a landscape of solidified lava, rock and sand. At Erta Ale we will trek 1hr (4km) to the volcano rim from our open air campsite and see the world's only permanent lava lake.
Day 16
Erta Ale to Hama Ela (Dallol) 205km
Early start again, breakfast at Dodom then on to Hamad Ela, a picnic on the way (under a palm tree), arriving around 4:30pm.
A village of 500 or so, Hamad Ela is full of camel caravans and characters. We will camp overnight.
Day 17
Dallol to Mekelle 250km
A morning drive to Ragad (Asebo) and the Afar Depression. It is all about Salt! It's cut and loaded onto Camel Caravans for the rest of Ethiopia. We will continue on to Dallol and Lake Assale with its amazing volcanic activity.
Later we drive back to Hamad Ela for lunch and then back to Mekelle.
Another good nights' sleep at the Planet International Hotel (FB).
Day 18
We Fly to Addis Ababa
When we arrive back in Addis Ababa we will spend some more time sightseeing around this beautiful capital of Ethiopia.
And finally we must say goodbye after having had such an expansive and fulfilling adventure.
You can be dropped off at a hotel or the airport.
Omo Valley Tribes 6-day Tour
Discover the unique lifestyles of the Omo and Mago Valley Tribes.
DAY 1
Ari Tribe
Afternoon pickup from Jinka Airport, head to Ari village near Jinka.
The Ari inhabit the northern border of Mago National Park. Ari villages have neat compounds in fertile and scenic land with coffee plantations. The men tend to large livestock herds and the villages produce large quantities of honey. The women wear skirts from the banana like tree, called Enset.
They are well known for their pottery and blacksmith skills.
Along the way, we will stop and view monkeys and baboons -- some of which know that tourists bring bananas to feed them.
Accommodation is at Jinka Nasa Guest House.
DAY 2
Mursi, Banna & Hamar Tribes
Drive to visit the Mursi Tribe through Mago National Park. The Mursi are known for their extraordinary body decorations, including their trademark ‘saucer’ lip plate (dhebi a tugoin) which has become the chief visible distinguishing characteristic. A girl’s lower lip is cut, by her mother or by another woman of her settlement, when she reaches the age of 15 or 16. The cut is held open by a wooden plug until the wound heals. It appears to be up to the individual girl to decide how far to stretch the lip, by inserting progressively larger plugs over a period of several months. Some, but by no means all, girls persevere until their lips can take plates of 12 centimetres or more in diameter.
Afterwards drive to Turmi. If it's Thursday we would visit the Key'afer market, if it's Tuesday or Saturday we have chance to see Alduba or Demeka market, both are on the way.
Accommodation is at
Kizo Lodge.
DAY 3
Dassenech Tribe
Drive to Omorate on the Kenyan border to visit the Dassenech Tribe. We will cross the Omo river in a wooden log canoe, hike back to the road and travel to a remote village at the Kenyan border.
The Dassanech live in the Omo delta on the northern side of Lake Turkana. They are the most southerly tribe living in Ethiopia’s Omo valley. Their name means 'People of the Delta'. However, despite the lake and delta, it is an incredibly dry region, there is nothing but desert to the west and southwest.
Cattle are central to the lives of the Dassanech, just as they are for the other tribes of the Omo Valley. The Dassanech Tribe is not strictly defined by ethnicity. Over time the Tribe has absorbed a wide range of different peoples and it’s now divided in to eight main Clans. Each Clan has its own identity and customs, its own responsibilities towards the rest of the tribe and is linked to a particular territory.
Afterwards we head back to Turmi with the choice of sleeping the night in a Hamar Village (we'd erect a tent and sleep with the tribe) or, if you don't want to camp, accommodation is at Evangadi Lodge.
DAY 4
Nyangatom, Karo, Hamar Tribes
Drive to Nyangatom to visit one of their Omo R. villages. After, we will drive back to Korcho Village and the Karo (Kara) Tribe.
The Karo live on the east bank of the Omo River. Their main wealth is goats, they have fewer cows. In recent years, partly due to the arrival of civilization and partly due to the spread of tsetse fly, more and more Karo people are beginning to farm, growing maize and sorghum.
As there are a few Karos left, it is the smallest tribe of the Omo valley. They live in several villages and don’t have weekly markets. They go to the markets of the Hamar Tribe in Demeka and Turmi.
Tents for night camping in Korcho Village, overlooking the Omo River..
Beautiful Sunsets!
DAY 5
Banna, Tsemay, Konso Tribes
Drive to Arba Minch via Banna and Tsemay.
On your way, we will visit a Konso village which is a World Heritage site. . defined by UNESCO, "Konso Cultural Landscape is a property of stone walled terraces and fortified settlements in the Konso highlands of Ethiopia. It constitutes a spectacular example of a living cultural tradition stretching back 21 generations (more than 400 years) adapted to its dry hostile environment. The site also features anthropomorphic wooden statues - grouped to represent respected members of their communities and particularly heroic events - which are an exceptional living testimony to funerary traditions that are on the verge of disappearing. Stone steles in the towns express a complex system of marking the passing of generations of leaders."
Accommodation is at Arba Minch Haile Resort.
DAY 6
Dorze Tribe
The morning will begin with a boat tour of Lake Chamo. The lake is full of drama with fish eagles, heron and flamingo fishing its rich waters while crocodiles and hippos sun themselves and feed in the shallows.
After, we will visit the rainforest around the 40 springs that give Arba Minch its name.
We then drive to Dorze to visit the village.
The Dorze people live in the Guge mountains near Arba Minch in a cold and misty climate.
They are famous for their bee-hive houses which can measure around 12m.
They are also famous for their skills in cotton-weaving.
Many of the traditional cotton clothes of the Ethiopians come from Chencha, the biggest town in the area.
The markets of the Dorze are famous for their atmosphere with colourful goods.
If it's Thursday or Saturday we will visit the market and then drive to Arba Minch Airport and end our Tour.
Gallery
Photos from Solomons' Travels.
