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The fabled hidden empire is renowned for its extraordinary history, chanting priests, rock-hewn churches and its breathtaking natural scenery. The highland plateau is dissected by a series of spectacular gorges that hold the best kept secrets of this remarkable country. |
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The Omo River offers the ultimate rafting journey, a wild and beautiful immersion in an almost prehistoric world. Deep forested gorges hide thundering waterfalls, wildlife is prolific and we encounter some of the most remarkable tribal peoples on earth. |
| Soon after we embark on the Upper Omo our rafts drift into a series of dramatic canyons where troops of baboons peer cautiously at us from the clifftops. We crash through the dancing rapids of the Omo and drift into serene pools where crocodiles bask on the river banks. Troops of Colobus Monkeys fly between the tree tops and raptors sour in the warm thermal air currents. Strange and colourful birds dart in and out of the lush vegetation and the snorts of hippopotamus echo across the river. We take time to relax on sandy beaches in the sun, explore shady side canyons or bathe in hot springs beneath the light of the moon. |  |
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Numerous pods of hippopotamus crash across the river and where the Lower Omo broadens, the outlook across the African plains is magnificent. Palm trees and small vegetable plots give way to distant blue peaks and we encounter the first tribal peoples of the Omo. |
| Initially surprised by our presence, the near stone-age Omo tribal people soon enthusiastically beckon us ashore with broad smiles and basic sign language. The Kwegu, Bodi and Mursi tribes all wear distinctive decorations. They sport enormous clay lip plates, elaborate hair styles and hefty ear plugs. Some wear bark-cloth or beaded leather skirts, but the Kwegu are near naked and still hunt hippos with spears. |  |
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 A priest at the door of a Lalibela church |
The Omo leads to the heart of one of the most remote areas on the African continent, a breathtaking wilderness and home to our earliest homosapiens ancestors. |
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| Click here for Departure Dates and Prices | Day 1 Drive to Weliso, overnight in hotel |
| Day 2 Drive to our start point near Albelti and begin rafting | |
| Point of Departure: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
Days 3-10 Rafting and exploring the gorges of the Gibe and Omo Rivers |
| Day 11 Rendezvous with our support vehicles at Bele Bridge and drive to Wondo Ghenet for the night | |
| Day 12 Drive back to Addis Ababa | |
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| Day 1 Drive to Sodo and overnight in hotel | |
| Encompassed on all sides by the enemies of their religion,
the Ethiopians slept near a thousand years, forgetful of the world by whom they were
forgotten. Gibbons |
Day 2 Rendezvous with our rafts at Bele Bridge and begin river journey |
| Day 3-12 Rafting and exploring the river to Omo Mursi | |
| Day 13-14 Four-wheel drive through Mago National Park to Jinka. Fly from Jinka to Addis Ababa in a light plane | |
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| Combine the two sections for the ultimate river odyssey | |
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| Explore the northern historic sites of Ethiopia. Contact us for details. |
