Ethiopia Frontier Safari

Day 1: Addis Ababa

Fly into Bole International Airport. After landing, clearing Immigration and collecting your luggage, leave the airport to meet your driver waiting outside for the private transfer to your hotel where you can relax and spend the night. Depending on your time of arrival, a city tour can be included if you wish.

Overnight: Hyatt Regency Hotel

Meals: Lunch & Dinner

Day 2: Omo Valley

After a good night's sleep and breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for the scheduled flight to Jinka in the heart of the Omo Valley.  Met upon landing by your driver, you will be driven 2 hours to Lale's Camp. Afternoon spent visiting a body painting ceremony done by the Kara around the village of Dus. 

Overnight: Lale's Camp

Day 3: Omo Valley

After breakfast visit the remote region of the Mursi people. The Mursi are noted for their body scarification, body painting and most striking is the clay plate that is inserted into the lower lips of the women. They can be reached after boating upstream and then a short hike to their village. After lunch boat ride to Muguj / Kwegu.  The Kwegu people (or Muguji people) are hunter-gathering and agro-fishery people of Surmic ethnic extraction inhabiting the shores of the Omo River in southwestern Ethiopia. The ethnic Kwegu who are one of the smallest ethnic groups in Ethiopia with the population of about 700 and facing extinction resides predominantly Southwest, Omo River west bank, Kuchur village, and a small group in the north.

Overnight: Lale's Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Omo Valley

Following breakfast, a road journey to Turmi, 75kms/ 3hrs drive. Turmi is the home for the Hammer tribes who are well known for their body decoration, moonlight dance (Evangedi Dance) and Bull jumping. Bull jumping is a ceremony, which marks the rite of passage from childhood to adulthood. The elite jump over a line of 10 to 30 bulls four times completely nude without falling and joins the next rank called Maze. Maza are other men that have successfully completed the bull jumping event. Note: as bulljumping and other ceremonies are part of cultural life (and not role-play), it is not guaranteed that you will witness this event; however, theere is much to see and experience that will make this visit well worthwhile! 

Overnight: Lale's Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 5: Omo Valley

After breakfast, transfer to Muruelle airstrip for the charter flight to the gloriously remote Gambella National Park. Transfer to the airport for a charter flight west to to Gambella National Park, arguably the most remote wilderness in Ethiopia. Met by the camp team upon landing, you will be transferred to the Tented Camp. Evening walk in the vicinity of the tented camp. The Tented Camp is situated in a grove of trees close to the pan handle of the park which joins the Baro river. It is an ideal location from which to explore the Northern boundary of the Park, which tends to get most of the Kob Migration.

Overnight: Gambella Tented Camp

Overnight: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6: Gambella National Park

Flight across the swamp lands of Gambella, looking for Shoebills, Nile lechwe as well as big herds of buffalo and lion. Depending on time of year, witness incredible numbers of Kob on the edge of the Park. Evening walk in the vicinity of the camp.

Overnight: Gambela Tented Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7: Gambella National Park

Drive down (2 hours) to the plains in the North West corner of the Park to see big herds of Kob and visit Nuer cattle camps. Overnight in fly camp on river or flooded oxbow with multitude of birds.

Overnight: Gambela Tented Camp

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7: Bale Mountains National Park

Charter flight to the Bale Mountains, via Addis Ababa. Flight across to the Bale Mountains. The mountains and plateau’s here extend over 4000 metres. This beautiful countryside is known for it’s endemic wildlife species. You will stay at the superb Bale Mountain Lodge, the only property in the heart of the park.

Overnight: Bale Mountain Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 8 Bale Mountains National Park

Spend the day exploring the Park in a vehicle and on foot. Venture up onto the Sanetti Plateau, the best place to see the indigenous Ethiopian Wolf in the country and the largest expanse of Afro-montane moorland on the continent.

Overnight: Bale Mountain Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 9: Bale Mountains National Park

Your second day exploring the Park. Perhaps today you will focus on the atmospheric Harenna Forest, where the shadows conceal a small but vital population of balck-maned lion.

Overnight: Bale Mountain Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 10: Addis Ababa

Enjoy a final morning in the lodge before being transferred 1.5 hours to the airport for the early afternoon scheduled flight to Addis. Upon landing, leave the airport to meet your driver for the private transfer to the Hyatt Regency Hotel where you will spend the night.

Overnight: Hyatt Regency Hotel

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 11: Simien Mountains National Park

Transfer to theairport for the morning scheduled flight to Gondar. The city was the capital of Ethiopia in the 17th and 18th centuries, so a private tour of the castles of the Royal Enclosure, Fasilide's Ceremonial Bath and the Debre Birhan Selassie Church is included before you are driven 2 hours up into the spectacular beauty of the Simien Mountains National Park for a three night stay at the beautifully located Limalimo Lodge.

Overnight: Limalimo Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 12: Simien Mountains National Park

Your first full day exploring the Park by vehicle and on foot. This is the best way to access the most spectacular viewpoints and the prime wildlife habitats. Join the troupes of Gelada monkeys foraging in the alpine grasslands and marvel at the raptors soaring - below - you on the thermals.

Overnight: Limalimo Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 13: Simien Mountains National Park

Day 2 in the Simiens. Head over to Chennek, on the other side of the Park, to look for the indigenous Walia ibex, often poised on the crags above you. The higher you get, the more chance you have of seeing Ethiopian wolves here, although the numbers are much lower than in Bale. Return to Limalimo for sundowners and a third night stay.

Overnight: Limalimo Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 14: Lalibela

Drive out of the mountains this morning to return to Gondar for the scheduled internal flight to Lalibela. Upon landing, drive 24km from the airport to town. Check into your hotel and freshen up before exploring the first cluster of the 13th century rock churches with your guide.

Overnight: Mezena Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 15: Lalibela

Up early this morning to observe a service in one of the churches, catching Lalibela at its most atmospheric. Afterwards, continue on to explore the older and arguably more mysterious second cluster of churches, plus the surrounding landscape, named to emulate the Holy Land. In the afternoon, perhaps make the hike upto Asheton Maryam Church for stunning views of the town, before returning in a vehicle to Lalibela. The length of the hike depends on your start point (1.5 to 5 hours).

Overnight: Mezena Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 16: Lalibela

Transfer to the airport for the scheduled internal flight to Addis. Upon landing, a driver will be waiting to take you to the Hyatt where you can either stay until returning for a night flight home or spend the night (the cost is the same). Return airport transfer included.

Overnight: Mezena Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner