March Itinerary

After all your preparations and fundraising - the journey finally begins!

Upon arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, you will be met by our local Ethiopian guide and transferred to your hotel. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner at local restaurant.

Jupiter Hotel Bole

Meals: D

After breakfast we set off to visit Hamlin's Addis Ababa fistula hospital on the western side of the city. We will have morning tea with key personnel and enjoy a tour of the grounds followed by lunch with the nursing and theater staff.

Later visit Sabahar to see traditional Ethiopian weavers and spinners at work. Dinner at the Union Hotel with great views over the city and Maskil Square.

Jupiter Hotel Bole

Meals: B,L,D

This morning, we’ll visit the world-renowned Hamlin College of Midwives, where you’ll have the opportunity to tour the campus and enjoy lunch with key members of the college staff. The afternoon is spent at Desta Mender (Joy Village), a farm and training center for long-term fistula patients. Meet staff and residents and learn about education, reintegration and microfinance programs.

Later we’ll head out to a mountain community where the women create the “Bullets to Beads” jewelery, made from melted down bullet casings found on Ethiopian farm land.

Jupiter Hotel Bole

Meals: B,L,D

The day begins with a coffee at Tomoca Cafe before setting off to explore Addis Ababa. This morning we visit the Marketo Market, the largest open-air market in Africa and continue to Mount Entoto which rises to an altitude of 10,499ft and offers a panoramic view of the metropolis. 

If time allows, we will also visit the National Archaeological Museum, which houses the 3.6 million year old remains of “Lucy”, discovered in Ethiopia 40 years ago. Dinner at the famous Louvre Restaurant.

Jupiter Hotel Bole

Meals: B,L,D

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for the flight to Jinka. We will visit the Ari village, which is the biggest group in the Omo region. Ari women are famous for their pottery which they sell to support their families. Ari villages have neat compounds in fertile and scenic land with coffee plantations. They have large livestock herds and produce large quantities of honey.

Eco-Omo Lodge (Jinka)

Meals: B,L,D

This morning, we travel from Jinka into Mago National Park, a remote and wildlife-rich area that is also home to some of the Omo Valley’s most iconic tribal communities. Our destination is a visit with the Mursi people, renowned for their distinctive cultural traditions. Mursi women are known for wearing large wooden or clay lip plates, inserted into the lower lip and earlobes — a powerful symbol of beauty, identity, and social status within their community.

Following our visit, we continue by road to Turmi, the heartland of the Hamar tribe, one of the largest ethnic groups in the Omo Valley. The Hamar are semi-nomadic and engage in cultivating millet, vegetables, cotton, and tobacco, as well as raising cattle and goats. They are recognized for their stunning craftsmanship in pottery and their highly expressive cultural attire. Men often style their hair in elaborate clay buns adorned with ostrich feathers — a mark of honor typically worn for months after a successful hunt — while women wear beautifully layered beaded necklaces, iron arm coils, and adorn themselves with cowry shells.

We arrive in Turmi in the late afternoon and settle in for a relaxed evening, surrounded by the rich culture and natural beauty of the Omo Valley.

Note: Although not guaranteed, there may be a chance to experience a bull jumping ceremony, a practice of the Hamer Tribe which represents the males transition from childhood to adulthood.

Total drive 80 miles - approx 3 hours on gravel road in 4WD.

Emerald Lodge (Turmi)

Meals: B,L,D

We depart Turmi early and begin our journey north towards Arba Minch, traveling through diverse landscapes and tribal regions. Along the way, we stop to visit the Konso people, a UNESCO-recognized community known for their terraced agriculture, intricate stonework, and waga sculptures — carved wooden grave markers that honor clan heroes.

A guided walk through a traditional Konso village offers a fascinating insight into their social structure, customs, and sustainable farming practices.

After our visit, we continue the drive to Arba Minch, located between the twin lakes of Chamo and Abaya. We arrive by late afternoon and settle in for the evening, with time to relax and take in the views.

Approximate driving time: 8-9 hours including stops (Konso village and scenic viewpoints along the Rift Valley and Omo Valley)

Paradise Lodge (Arba Minch)

Meals: B,L,D

Enjoy a relaxed morning at leisure to take in the serene surroundings of Paradise Lodge. After an early lunch, we set off on a scenic drive through the stunning Rift Valley to Yirgalem.

Arriving at the tranquil Aregash Lodge by mid-afternoon, we’ll walk to Sidama village for a warm cultural welcome and an authentic Ethiopian coffee ceremony. If time permits, we’ll also take a short walk through the nearby biodiverse forest, home to bushbuck, hyenas, and colobus monkeys.

Drive 122 miles - approx 4 hours on asphalt road 4WD

Aregash Lodge (Yirgalem)

Meals: B,L,D

After breakfast, we’ll visit Hamlin’s Yirgalem Fistula Hospital, followed by a tour of a nearby Hamlin-supported Midwifery Clinic, where you’ll learn more about the essential role midwives play in improving maternal health in rural Ethiopia.

After lunch, we’ll continue to a second Hamlin-supported clinic, offering further insight into the reach and impact of Hamlin’s midwifery program across the region.

Aregash Lodge (Yirgalem)

Meals: B,L,D

After breakfast, we drive to a fishing port to commence a boat trip in Hawassa to see Maribou storks and hippos. Continue to the twin lakes Abiata and Shalla, famous for flocks of flamingos and great white pelicans. Abiata is a shallow brackish lake, home to colonies of flamingos. While Lake Shalla is a crater lake that has a depth of about 820 feet and is surrounded by sulfur springs. 

We plan to take some recommended walks in the areas surrounded by podocarpus and wild fig trees, and full of Columbus Monkeys and many species of birds, seven of which are endemic to Ethiopia.

Continue to Langano for overnight.

Drive 62 miles - approx 2 hours on asphalt road 4WD

Beach Resort (Langano)

Meals: B,L,D

After breakfast, drive back to Addis Ababa. This afternoon, you are free to enjoy Addis Ababa or relax at the hotel. Tonight we’ll celebrate the end of an incredible journey with a fabulous cultural experience of food, wine and traditional dance at the Yod Abissinya restaurant.

Drive 93 miles - approx 3 hours on sealed road 4WD

Jupiter Hotel Bole

Meals: B,L,D

This morning, the women will be transferred to the start line of the International Women’s Day 5km Run — a truly inspiring women-only event. The men will be transferred to the finish line, where they can cheer on their teammates and soak up the incredible energy of the day.

This is the experience of a lifetime — running alongside staff from Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia, more than 7,000 Ethiopian participants, and some of the world’s best female athletes. For those spectating, it’s an unforgettable opportunity to be part of the festive, joyful atmosphere.

In the evening, we’ll come together for a celebration dinner at a local restaurant in Addis Ababa, reflecting on this powerful and uplifting experience.

Jupiter Hotel Bole 

Meals: B,L,D

This morning is free before we head to the Makush Art Gallery to check out local artists and do some last minute shopping, followed by an early lunch at the Art Gallery. 

At midday we check out of our hotel and transfer to Addis Ababa airport for your flight home.

Meals: B