Day 1

Depart south from Addis Ababa for the Rift Valley Lakes. Visit the 36 mysterious stone stelae at Tiya and Lake Abiata-Shala National Park, which has a large population of flamingos. Stay overnight at Hotel Bekele Mola on banks of Lake Langano.

Day 2

A second day to explore Lake Langano, which offers swimming, water sports and good birding, and the other Rift Valley Lakes.

Day 3

Drive to Arba Minch. In the afternoon take a boat trip on nearby Lake Chamo. The so-called crocodile market on the shores of the lake, where hundreds of the reptiles can be seen basking, is a particularly good viewing spot.  Overnight at Tourist Hotel, Arba Minch.

Day 4

Drive to Turmi, the base for visiting nearby Hamer villages. The approximately 50,000 strong Hamer are famous for the women’s hairstyle, which is done using ochre and resin, and also for the jumping of the bulls ceremony – a rite of passage for young men. The ceremony starts with lots of face painting and then a walk to an open space to wish the bull jumper luck in his life. Then the potential suitor gets naked and starts running across the bulls.  If he manages to do so without falling off he is ready to become a man and his father can then choose him a bride.  Until he proposes, which can take months, he has to keep on the skin worn during the ceremony and can only drink milk and eat honey and meat. Overnight in Tourist Hotel, Turmi.

Day 5

Drive to Omorate to visit the Dasenech and Galeb tribe, crossing the Omo river by boat. Overnight at the Tourist in Turmi.

Day 6

In the morning you can visit the Karo people, before returning to Turmi for the Monday market. Overnight at Tourist.

Day 7

Drive to Jinka. This will take most of the day, but there should be time to visit the museum. This is a very well kept museum with lots of info on all the different tribes of the South – the Arbore, Hamer, Bana, Ari, Dasenech, Nyangatom, Mursi and Maale.  There is also a library. Overnight in Jinka at the Orit Hotel.

Day 8

Drive to Mago National Park to visit the Mursi people. The most famous of the Lower Omo Valley tribes, the pastoralist Mursi are notorious for the lip plates worn by the female population. At the age of around 20, the clay plates are inserted in a slit between the lower lip and the jaw and can be up to 15cm in diameter. The larger the lip plate, the greater the value of the woman when she is married. The stick fighting, Donga, between men competing for the right to marry is also a sight worth seeing. Overnight camping in the Mago National Park.

Day 9

A second day exploring Mago National Park. You can make another visit to the Mursi, or spend the day viewing the park’s wildlife including buffalo, Grant's gazelle, topi and Burchell's zebra.  Overnight at the Orit Hotel.

Day 10

Drive from Jinka to Arba Minch via Konso and its statues. Konso the main town of the Konso people and their fascinating culture. Easily reachable villages, such as Machekie, display the famous Wagas – wood statues erected in honour of Konso warriors after their death. You will also see the uniquely constructed hillside houses, which include a tunnel as an entrance to protect against intruders. Overnight in Arba Minch at the Tourist Hotel.

Day 11

Visit Nech Sar National Park. Walking distance from Arba Minch, 'nech sar' means white grass in Amharic and is named after the pale plains in the park's west. However, Nech Sar contains a wide variety of other terrains, including acacia scrub, moist forests and open stretches of water. The park is surrounded by Lakes Chamo and Abaya, and the large populations of hippos and crocodiles are one of the areas main attractions. Other mammals present include gazelle, Swayne’s hartebeest, lots of Burchell’s zebra, dik-diks, greater kudu, warthogs, crocodiles, and bush pigs, along with an amazing variety of birds, including storks, pelicans, vultures and buzzards. Overnight at the Tourist Hotel.

Day 12

From Arba Minch we will visit the hot springs and ancient forest at Wondo Genet. The forests are excellent for hiking and birds, including the exotic white cheeked turacou, hornbills and barbets. Overnight in the Pina Hotel in the pleasant, lake-fringed city of Awassa.

Day 13

In the morning visit Awassa’s fish market and, if you wish, try the local delicacy of raw fish, before making the return journey to Addis. Overnight in the Holiday Hotel.

Day 14

You can spend your last day visiting some of the many interesting sites in the capital, including the spectacularly sprawling market, Mercato, and the excellent Ethnological Museum.