Length 06 days
Cultural
Omo Valley
Lower Omo by River (Mago)
Three nights in a tented camp on a bend of the Omo, with boat days to riverside communities few travellers reach by road.
Cultural journeys
Benishangul: Asosa and Bambasi
Bamboo hills, mango groves and Berta music on the Sudan border, then down to the Blue Nile and Africa’s largest dam.
This tour is paused for now
Paused while Benishangul-Gumuz is under official travel warnings.
You can travel now on
Length 07 days
Cultural
Harar
Addis, Harar and the Omo Valley
One week, two very different Ethiopias: Harar’s walled lanes and its dusk hyena feeding, then Ari and Mursi communities around Jinka.
Overview
The journey in brief
- Duration
- 4 days, 3 nights · 3-day version on request
- Where
- Western · Benishangul
- Travel style
- Private tour
- Best season
- October to April
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Price
- USD 1,295 per person
In Asosa the Berta play the waza, long trumpets of gourd and bamboo, each sounding a single note that joins the next in a moving chord. This corner of Ethiopia faces Sudan, not the highlands: Muslim sheikhdoms once ruled from Asosa and Bambasi, traders crossed with gold and salt, and the Blue Nile now fills the reservoir of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.
Few visitors come here, so expect warm curiosity, simple hotels and a lot of heat. The days move from markets and palaces to Gumuz villages in the lowlands. This route is paused for now; we will reopen it when it is safe.
Highlights
- The waza: Berta trumpets of gourd and bamboo, played in a long chord
- Sheikh Hojele’s palace and the cultural museum in Asosa
- Bambasi, once a sheikhdom on the trade road to the highlands
- A viewpoint over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, when open
- Gumuz villages in the hot lowlands near the river
What is included
- Round-trip flights Addis Ababa–Asosa at the Ethiopian Airlines discounted fare
- Airport transfers in Addis Ababa
- 3 nights’ accommodation, twin share
- Meals as listed in the itinerary
- 4x4 vehicle and driver
- Local Benishangul guide
- Entry fees and any permits needed for the dam viewpoint
- Bottled water
What is not included
- International flights
- Ethiopian visa
- Domestic fare difference if you do not fly Ethiopian Airlines internationally (about USD 150 per round trip)
- Photo fees, paid directly to the people you photograph
- Single room (optional extra)
- Meals not listed
- Drinks and personal expenses
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Travel insurance
Itinerary
Day by day
Day 1 Asosa, the Sheikh’s Palace and the MarketAsosa
Your guide meets you at Bole International Airport for the flight to Asosa, capital of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region. You visit the remains of Sheikh Hojele’s 19th-century palace and the Asosa Cultural Museum, then walk the market, where mangoes, bamboo baskets and Sudanese goods share the stalls.
Activities
- Morning flight to Asosa
- Sheikh Hojele’s palace and the cultural museum
- Afternoon at the Asosa market
Day 2 Bambasi and the Berta HillsAsosa
You drive east to Bambasi, seat of a 19th-century sheikhdom on the old road to the highlands. Along the way a local guide introduces you to a Berta village, and, if the musicians are willing, to the waza. Bamboo forest covers the hills between the two towns.
Activities
- Drive to Bambasi
- Berta village with a local guide
- Waza music if the players welcome visitors
Day 3 Down to the Blue Nile and the DamGuba
The road drops toward the Blue Nile lowlands, hot and wide, with gold panners at work along some streams. Late in the day you reach a viewpoint over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, inaugurated in September 2025, if visitor access is open.
Activities
- Drive into the Blue Nile lowlands
- Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam viewpoint, if open
- Evening near Guba
Day 4 Gumuz Villages, Then Fly HomeAsosa
In the early cool you visit a Gumuz village with a local guide, where families farm sorghum and fish the river. Then you drive back to Asosa for the afternoon flight to Addis Ababa and a transfer to your hotel or international flight.
Activities
- Gumuz village with a local guide
- Drive to Asosa
- Afternoon flight to Addis Ababa
Itineraries can change with weather, road and flight conditions. We will tell you promptly if they do.
Gallery
A look at the trip
Photo: Unsplash
Good to know
Before you book
- Guide languages
- English, Amharic
- Minimum age
- 10 years and over
- Group size
- 1 to 12 travellers
- Meeting point
- Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa. Your guide meets you in arrivals with a name sign.
- Accessibility
- Long, hot drives on mixed roads, short walks on uneven ground and simple hotels. Not suitable for wheelchairs.
What to bring
- Sun hat
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- A refillable water bottle
- Your passport for checkpoints
- Small notes for photo fees
Dress code: Light, loose clothing that covers shoulders and knees; Asosa is largely Muslim, so women may want a scarf for the palace and mosque.
Cancellation policy
This tour follows the Strict policy. Days are whole calendar days before departure.
| When you cancel | What you get back |
|---|---|
| 30 or more days before departure | 50% refund |
| Fewer than 30 days before departure | No refund |
A non-refundable USD 150 per traveller (domestic flights) is deducted before these percentages are applied.
Questions
About this tour
Can I visit the dam itself?
Access rules for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam are still being confirmed. We arrange whatever permit is required, or adjust the day if the viewpoint is closed.
Can I photograph the dam?
Only where the authorities allow it. Your guide will tell you on the day.
How hot is it?
Asosa is far warmer than Addis Ababa, and the lowlands near the Nile are hotter still. March is the hottest month.
Is it a malaria area?
Yes. Ask your doctor before you travel and bring repellent.
Can I do it in 3 days?
Yes, by dropping Bambasi. Ask us when you book.
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Plan with us
Ready for Ethiopia?
Choose your dates above, or tell us what you have in mind and we will shape the trip around you.