10 Days Itinerary for Danakil Depression & Omo Valley
Day 1: Addis – Mekelle – Dallol/ Hamedela/
Morning flight from Addis to Mekelle. Drive from Mekelle to the Dallol Depression/ Hamedela/ via Berhale. The Danakil Depression can be said to ‘begin’ here. The desert has several points lying more than 100 meters (328 ft) below sea level. You pass through a small town of Berhale where the camel caravans stop before they proceed to the northern highlands. En route you see many long caravans going to the salt mines and others coming out of the Danakil with their salt loaded camels.
Overnight: at Hamedela.
Day 2 : Hamedela – Abaala
Morning driving tour to Ragad (Asebo), the place where the salts are mined. Observe the breaking of the salt from the ground, cutting into rectangular pieces and loading on camels. You drive ahead to Dallol and visit the difference landscape formed by volcanic activity, Dallol + Lake Assal. Excursion to Dallol (116 meter below sea level, one of the lowest places in the world) colorful salts mining, visit Lake Assal, Drive back to Abaala.
Overnight: at Abaala.
Day 3: Abaala – Dodom
In the morning start drive to Dodom at the base of Erta Ale. This may be one of the worst road in the world. The 80 km distance may take about 6 hrs passing through changing landscape of solidified lava, rock, sand and the occasional palm lined oasis. You pass several small hamlets scattered here and there in this desert land, After reaching Dodom. You will trek from Dodom to Erta Ale which takes about 2 hrs. Early dinner around 17:00 and trek up to Ertale.Camels transport all the camping materials and some food, sleeping materials, mattresses and water, to the rim of the volcano, where we spend the night watching the dramatic action of the boiling lava(Volcano). Erta Ale ranks one of the most alluring and physically challenging natural attractions anywhere in Ethiopia.Erta Ale contains the world’s only permanent lava lake and you will spend an unforgettable night on the top of the mountain. As arriving you will walk around pits and craters.
Day 4: Eartale – Dodome – Mekelle
Early morning you will rise with the sun with time to walk around pits and craters again if you want see it again. You will leave around 7:00 to head back to Dodom for Breakfast and after some time to relax you will drive to mekelle.
Overnight: Mekelle.
Day 5: Mekelle – Addis – Arbaminch
In this day you will visit the Nech Sar National park and boat trip over Chamo lake to see Hippos, crocodile Morning.
Overnight: at Arba Minch.
Day 6: Arbaminch – Jinka
Drive to Jinka (256km) enjoying the Omo Valley tribal people of Gatto, Darashe, and Konso whose known for Terracing and hard working , and also visit Tsamay, Banna that preserve their traditional ways of life hardly changed from what they were centuries ago.
Overnight at Jinka.
Day 7: Jinka – Mursi – Turmi
Morning drive to Mago National Park through natural forest and undulating terrain to visit the Mursi tribe whose women wear circular clay plate on their lower lip as well ear lobes the men are known for the fierce stick fighting. Afternoon visit drive to Turmi – the village of the Hamer people whose women are noted for their typical hairdressing, and leather skirts.You will have a stop at the colorful weekly market of the Hamer and the Benna people at Dimeka.)
Overnight: Turmi
Day 8: Omorate – Turmi – Karo – Turmi
Morning after breakfast drive to Omorate the village of Dassanech tribe living on both side Omo River here we take Canoe to cross the Omo river and visit the Village of Dassanech drive back to Turmi. Afternoon drive to Koricho (the beautifully settled village on the side of Omo River) village of Karo people who are considered the masters of body painting and decorate their bodies with chalk paint often imitating the spotted plumage of a guinea fowl and drive back to Turmi.
Overnight: at Turmi
Day 9: Turmi – Arba Minch
After breakfast we drive Arba Minch on the way, you will have a stop at Arbore.
Day 10: Arbaminch – Addis
After breakfast drive to Chencha, to visit the Dorze village, the Dorze people are well known for the weaving tradition and their attractive elephant shaped traditional hut made from bamboo and false banana tree leafs , here you will also see the daily activity of the Doreze people, drive back to Arba Minch to catch the flight to Addis.