1: Addis Ababa
Arrival Addis Ababa. Meet the guide at the airport. Transfer hotel. Rest. Afternoon tour of Addis. ON htl
2: BAHIRDAR
Drive to the Debre Libanos monastery, the old Portuguese bridge and Jamma river valley. Proceed then crossing the Blue Nile valley to Bahirdar. ON htl
3: BAHIRDAR: THE BLUE NILE FALLS & MONASTERIES OVER LAKE TANA
Morning drive to admire the Blue Nile falls. Afternoon boat on lake Tana, to admire 2-3 churches over its islands, as Ura Kidane Mehret, Mahal Zeghie and Asua Mariam. ON htl
4: AGEW & GUMZE PEOPLE + MARKET
We propose this day to be SAT. Drive to Kossober (150 kms, 2 hrs) to visit the Gojam and Agew people market. Then proceed to Chagni (60 km, 1 hrs) and Mandura (67 km, 1 hr) to admire another colorful market, this time of the Gumze and Agew people. Then drive back to Zengena lake for ON camping
5: AGEW & GUMZE VILLAGES + MARKET
SUN. Drive to Dahans Baguna to admire a Gumze & Agew people market. Then proceed to very nice and traditional Agew people villages. Reach then the Blue Nile. And ON camping at Shinashia, at a Agew people village.
6: BLUE NILE & BERTA PEOPLE
Proceed to Guba (or also called Mankush) village, where you find also a previous palace of Dej Asmach Jemal, built during Emperor Menelik reign. Reach so Janga where you can admire the Blue Nile, before entering in Sudan, called here “Sirba Abay” (189 kms, 4 hrs). Proceed so to Sherkole where you can admire the Berta people, traditional gold miners, at work. (2 hrs drive). Then continue for the overnight at Asosa, at Mango campsite, among lot of Mango trees
7: GOLD MINERS + MAO, KOMO, GANZO PEOPLE
TUE. Morning drive to the Sudan border town of Kumruk (3 hrs), get the permits, and drive to Fametsere, where under a volcanic mountain (which they call the gold mountain and have many traditional believes) the Berta people extract salt. Proceed then to a traditional gold market, where you can admire the way they do their market. Drive back then to Asosa for lunch.
Afternoon proceed to admire the Bambasi village very colorful market of the Oromo, Mao & Komo. The Mao & Komo are very traditional tribes, with many scarification all over their body. The Mao men have scarification in the face & chest, while female on the belly. While the Komo on the front & face, while female on the belly.
Proceed then to Ye’amsera village (Tongo region) & camp next to the mosque, built in 1952 by an Algerian coming from Saudi Arabia. Here in July (Arabian calendar on Mirage 27) there is a famous pilgrimage
Organize the permits & police escort and this evening have one of the most spectacular visit of the trip, till now: drive to the Ganzo people village. The Ganzo are the 81th tribe, just discovered few years ago. Are totally 150 members. Have scarification over their body, mainly the men in the face & chest; while female in the belly, arms & back. They hunt (warthog, alligators, monkeys, etc) and in the evening you’ll participate to dinner and dancing. Is a very particular experience.
Back for overnight Ye’amsera camp.
8: MAO, KOMO, GANZO PEOPLE
Morning dedicated to the visit of the Ganzo people. Then proceed to Asosa. On the way make a 1 hrs trek at Inzi, for very nice views over the region). ON Mango campsite
9: NEKEMTE
Drive to Nekemte (341 kms, 8 hrs). On the way visit very nice views and Wollo people resettlements.
10: ADDIS ABABA
Drive back to Addis Ababa. Ones in Addis, short visit of the Mercato, biggest open air market in Africa. Dinner in traditional restaurant with folkloristic dances. Then transfer airport for departure
