Wildlife and cultural tour to Ethiopia
Abandoning the well-trodden trails of the north, this tour heads east and south to explore Ethiopia's rare wildlife, remote tribes and beautiful Rift Valley lakes.
Addis Ababa Dorze Netch-Sar National Park Lakes Abaya and Tchamo Konso Local tribal markets Game drives in Mago National Park Visits to Hamar, Mursi and Murle tribes Yabelo Wildlife Sancutary Bird watching Wondo Genet hot springs Lake Langano Harar and hyena feeding Great Rift Valley Rimbaud's house Awash
£2455 excluding flights
Description of Wildlife and cultural tour to Ethiopia
Departure information
This trip can be tailormade at a time to suit you and can be adapted to suit your interests, budget and requirements as necessary. Minimum 2 people
Travel guides
Many destinations are described as being "a step back in time" for travelers – but in Ethiopia you can take this literally. The Ethiopian calendar is...
I am a grown man, and have travelled all over Africa. But the first time I saw a tiger in the wilds of India, I cried.
Vacation information
Our top tip:
Consider traveling during one of the vibrant festivals such as Timkat. The company can recommend when and where to see local celebrations.
Trip type:
Tailor made. Min age 7.
Activity level:
Leisurely/moderate, depending on choice of activities.
Accomm:
3-4*, locally owned accommodation. Option of camping in national parks.
Included:
Accomm., driver, tour leader, local guides, entrance fees, listed activities.
Meals:
Meals not included.
Dietary Requirements:
A wide array of vegan options are available in Ethiopia. If you are a
vegan or vegetarian, this trip is for you. Based on your meal requirements, veg/vegan dishes will be provided on both breakfast and dinner times.
Reviews
7 Reviews of Wildlife and cultural tour to Ethiopia
4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed on 27 Sep 2023 by Jenny Harding
Ethiopia is like nowhere else on earth that I have encountered. I've travelled to all 7 continents, volunteered in many and lost count of the number of times I've been to Africa. Be prepared to be very surprised and whatever floats your boat (mine is usually natural sciences, flora and fauna) these people, their history (not usually my thing at all) and culture will not cease to amaze you. Read full reviewReviewed on 23 Apr 2017 by Ann Wintersgill
The highlight was visiting the tribal markets at Turmi and Alduba, including walking to the Turmi market from Buska Lodge; and sitting in a Hamer mud hut drinking coffee. Read full reviewReviewed on 29 Jan 2016 by Lloyd Martin
A great vacation ... incredible sights and the chance to see several of the tribal groups in the Omo Valley. Read full reviewReviewed on 25 Sep 2015 by Carolyn Scharf
This vacation was everything we hoped it would be, and much more. We saw everything we wanted to see, but what really made the difference was the wonderful guide and driver. Read full reviewReviewed on 13 Sep 2015 by Francoise Wemelsfelder
A highlight was our 4 hour walk on the Sanetti plateau, seeing wolves walk by us not too far away in complete peace. Visiting the Harenna forest, a beautiful largely unexplored rainforest on the southside of Bale Mountains, was also unforgettable. Read full reviewReviewed on 23 Nov 2014 by Hefin Salisbury
It was a wonderful experience and adventure, being able to see and be present at places and situations that we had only read about. Read full reviewReviewed on 04 May 2014 by Judith Lumb
We had a wonderful time in Ethiopia and would recommend this vacation to anyone planning on touring in this remarkable country. Read full reviewResponsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) vacation so that you can travel knowing it will help support the places and people that you visit, and the planet. Read how below.
Planet and people
This trip creates an opportunity for an exchange of cultures between you and the local communities as there are various moments to discuss and interact. As you buy authentic souvenirs, arts and crafts you will support households and families to improve the quality of their life. The income they will earn as a result of your booking and further shopping will enable them to provide their children with their needs and learning materials.As you visit the park you will stay in camping sites run by the park. All the guides except one throughout the trip are locals and the scouts are hired by the park. Also outside the park you will be staying in locally owned accommodations and will be served by staffs who are members of the community.
Accommodations have put in place policies of environmental conservation, water and energy usage and waste minimizations. They also have economic policies to employ their staff from the local communities and to use the local resources and markets for the services they provide. As part of an environmental responsibility, they participate in different initiatives like in '2 trees for 2000', a millennium initiative against the deforestation and land degradation in Ethiopia. Also to protect the environment, they give away some materials like plastic bags to recycling agencies.
For you to have better knowledge of the trip, we will provide you an accurate pre-trip information before the start of the tour. Also in order for you to have a good understanding of the places, the environment, and the local community; we will supply you with our Travelers' Code of Conduct which is also supplied to our staff and local suppliers.
As you tour the south we will also recommend a visit to a local based initiative in the Konso area which aims to protect Konso's biodiversity and preservation of its natural and cultural sites. In Ethiopia where technology has not kept pace with the demands for productivity, harmful environmental practices are common and people usually resort to exploiting land and other natural resources to meet their needs. As a consequence of this, climatic conditions are becoming erratic and soil quality is declining. We encourage initiatives like the 'Konso Parkas' through promoting their ideas and doing all we can. Perhaps you also might wish to share their concern for the environment and exchange ideas on how to protect and conserve the same. Such kind acts will motivate them to do more.
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