Ethnicities of Ethiopia

Day 1 (16/10) Thursday - ADDIS ABABA - JIMMA

Everyone will be met at the airport in Addis Ababa, the largest city in southwestern Ethiopia, formerly the capital of the ancient province of Kaffa, and it is this region that is renowned as the home of the Coffea Arabica, or coffee, plant.

After lunch, we will proceed to Mizan Teferi. The scenery for this tour is a mosaic of forest and cultivated land dominated by coffee, tea and various spices, and we will have ample opportunity to stop and take advantage of any photographic opportunities we may encounter.

Overnight at Mizan Salaysh Hotel

Day 2 (17/10) Friday: MIZAN TEFERI to KIBISH (Surma Tribe)

Kibish is peaceful and unspoilt; this area is a photographer’s delight and an adventurer’s dream!

The morning is an exciting time of travel as we delve deeper into the little-visited part of southwestern Ethiopia. On the way, we will pass the Bebeka coffee plantation (located about 30 km from Mizan), which is the largest and oldest coffee plantation in Ethiopia.

After passing through the town of Tulgit, we will finally reach Kibish, where we will camp for the next three nights. Much of our focus this day will be on photographing the fabulous Suri people who, due to their remoteness, are one of the least visited tribes in the Omo Valley.

The Surma people, also known as the Suri people, live in the plains of southwestern Ethiopia. They raise cattle and grow crops when the land is fertile. Cattle are important to the Suri, giving them status.

The more cattle a tribesman owns, the wealthier he is. In order for a man to marry a Suri woman, he must own at least 20 head of cattle. The cattle are given to the woman's family in exchange for marriage.

Like the other tribes, the Suri will use the milk and blood of the cow. During the dry season, people drink blood instead of milk. Blood can be drained from a cow once a month. This is done by making a small incision in the neck.

The Suri are very similar to the Mursi tribe and practice the same traditions. The women wear lip plates made of clay. The men of the tribe fight with sticks called Dongas. Both men and women leave scars on their bodies.

Lip plates are a strong part of Surma culture. At puberty, most women have their lower teeth removed to have their lower lip pierced. After the lip is pierced, it is stretched and a lip plate is placed in the piercing hole. Having a lip plate is a sign of beauty and the larger the plate, the more cattle the woman is worth. This is important when women are ready to marry.


Overnight camping in Kibish

Day 03 and 04 (18 and 19/10) Saturday - KIBISH AREA (Suri Tribe)

We will have two full days to explore and photograph the fascinating Suri, making the most of our time in this remote region of Ethiopia.



As a photographer, you will be inspired to capture their incredible connection with nature, which they express through their body art, using natural river clay. They grind it into a paste with different colors and apply the body paint in a very artistic way, combining flowers, plants, berries and seasonal and exotic pods, with patterns inspired by birds and other natural elements. They have been doing this for hundreds of years.

The bond between the members of the tribe is strong. It’s like stepping back in time, to a place where humanity and fashion probably began, where mothers paint their children to begin an important tradition and where people stand out with their ornate body paint and exotic head decorations made of flowers.


Overnight camping in Kibish

Day 05 (20/10) Sunday - KIBISH - NYANGATOM

Starting early in the morning we will head to Kara Village via Kakuta, but along the way we will visit and have a photo session at Nyangatom Tribal Village; the people are said to be descendants of the Toposa tribe in South Sudan.

Here we will have the opportunity to photograph the tribe who live in the climatically challenging Omo (very arid) area. The women wear numerous strings of beads, which they build throughout their lives. Tribal adornment is an integral part of their culture. The area is semi-arid and water must be collected from the rivers every day.

Box lunch will be provided to allow for longer stays in the villages for photography.


Overnight at Yeshi Hotel.


Day 06: (21/10) Monday - KARA

After an early breakfast, we start the day by visiting the Kara people by the light of the mooring. Dus is the second of three settlements of the Kara tribe. Situated on the banks of the Omo River, the Kara are known for their creative and decorative chalk body painting. Many of the Kara women have pierced their lips and inserted nails, flowers and pins. In addition, there will be plenty of photo opportunities in the village and on the banks of the Omo River. Here you will photograph the community dance performed by the people of Dus. This is dusty and very atmospheric – there are plenty of photo opportunities. The men of the Kara and Dus tribes pride themselves on being the best dancers in the Omo.

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Overnight camping in Dus Village

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Day 07: (22/10) Tuesday - DUS - TURMI

We break camp after a morning visit to Kara and head to Turmi, on the southern Omo. Visit the Turmi market. The Hamar women have high cheekbones, wear thick copper/metal necklaces, elaborate beads, goat skins and their hair is often coloured with red ochre and butter. The men often wear coloured clay in their hair and take real pride in their appearance and culture. Like all tribes, they are very photogenic.

Overnight at Buska Lodge

Day 08: (23/10) Wednesday - OMORATE - ARBORE

Early in the morning we drive to Omorate (a home of the Dassanech tribe), a tribe that settled on the last frontier near where the Omo River connects to the Kenyan Lake Turkana. After arriving in Omorate, you will take the local wooden boat to cross the majestic Omo River and meet the Dassanech people in one of their local villages. Afterwards, we will return to Turmi for lunch. After lunch in Turmi, we will head to Arbore located at the northern tip of Mount Buska.

The Arbore women are absolutely stunning, with extremely dark skin and strong features. Arbore women wear very colorful accessories such as beaded earrings, necklaces and bracelets which are a characteristic of this population who believe that ornaments are essential to being more attractive. Even their leather skirts are adorned with beads and metal ornaments. They also wear leather skirts with beads. (redundant?) Unique beads are one of the main distinguishing features of the Arbore and it is easy to differentiate them from other tribes.

Unmarried girls shave their hair completely, a symbol of virginity, and cover their heads with a piece of black cloth to protect themselves from the sun, while married women braid their hair in short braids; the men of the tribe wrap their heads with a piece of white cloth. Children are also shaved. On special occasions, the Arbore practice body painting using natural colors made from earth and crushed stones.

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Overnight camping

Day 09:  (24/10) Thursday - ARBORE - JINKA

After an early breakfast, we will begin photographing the morning life of the Arbore people, in the light of the sunrise.

Then proceed to Jinka for the night. Along the way we will stop to film the Bana boys walking in the light of the sunset.

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Overnight at Jinka Resorts



Day 10: (25/10) Friday  - JINKA - MURSI - ADDIS ABABA

Early in the morning after breakfast we will drive to the Mursi tribes, which are located 60 km from Jinka. Through the Mago National Park and the Mursi tribes are known as the most amazing tribes of all, best known for the lip plates worn by the women. The custom is that when a Mursi woman reaches the age of 20, a slit is made below her lower lip, creating a small hole between the lip and the tissue below. Over the next year, this gap is progressively stretched, forming a 'lip loop' large enough for a small circular clay plate, cut like a pulley, to be inserted between the lip and the mouth.

We will spend some time in their village and take a walk through the Mago National Park and may see some wildlife. After visiting this tribe, you will return to Jinka where you will catch your flight back to Addis Ababa.

Weather permitting, we will discover Addis Ababa.

Overnight at Best Western Hotel

​Day 11: (26/10) Saturday - ADDIS - LALIBELA

Fly to Lalibela and transfer to the city (40 minutes) and visit the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. Lalibela is most famous for its churches. Visit the 12th-13th century rock-hewn churches, called the Eighth Wonder of the World, which are still active places of worship and host many important religious ceremonies. The churches are carved into solid rock and each has unique architectural features. Take a walk through the tunnels and stairways that connect the churches.

We will continue to the site where we find a concentration of some of Ethiopia's most famous churches, Rock Hewn, mostly referred to by many as the living wonders of the world. These churches have been here for at least 900 years, an active Christian shrine, the spiritual center of the religious life of the Counts. The monolithic churches were carved into a 2,600 square meter natural rock terrace in the 12th century AD by King Lalibela.

Beth Medihanialem, the largest rock-cut monolithic church in the world, Magers stands 37.7 feet tall, covers an area of ​​nearly 2,625 square feet and has walls up to 6 feet thick. A simple building supported by 36 pillars on the interior and another 38 pillars on the exterior. Bjte Medihanialem was inspired by the original church of St. Merryzion built by King Ezana in the 4th century in Axum.

The rock-cut churches we will visit today will be the first group of churches included: Beth Medhanialem, Beth Mariam, Beth Meskel, Beth Denagl and Beth Gologota Michal. We will continue our journey into the long and wonderful past of the Ethiopians with a visit to other notable churches sent from Lalibela. There, the architecture and art must be seen to be believed. This is how we will end our visits for today.

Overnight in Lalibela

Day 12: (27/10) Sunday  LALIBELA

Take the early flight to Addis. Optional activities in Addis this afternoon: One of the largest open-air markets called Merkato, as well as the Addis Ababa national museum.

Afterwards, we will have a farewell dinner at one of the best restaurants called Yod Abyssinia. Then, transfer you back to Addis Ababa international airport, where you will catch your flight back home.

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End of the photo tour.