Arba Minch and Dorze Tour: Experience Authentic Ethiopian Lifestyle and Nature

5 Ratings

Arba Minch

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Immerse yourself in the authentic Ethiopian lifestyle and explore the stunning nature of Arba Minch and Dorze. Experience traditional bamboo houses, wildlife encounters, and a vibrant coffee ceremony.

Duration: 3 days

Cancellation: 1 day learn more

Highlights

Dorze village

Dorze Village - You will be collected from your Arba Minch hotel or from the airport and drive to Dorze. Enjoy our Dorze walking tour – along the way visit the traditional bamboo houses, spend time with a family learning how to make the local bread from false banana tree, enjoy the colourful market, watch the women spinning and see the famous Dorze weavers. Stay overnight at Dorze Lodge, renowned for the spectacular views of the two Rift Valley lakes. After dinner, sit by the camp fire and join in with the local village’s singing and dancing.

Arba Minch and Lake Chamo

Arba Minch - After breakfast, drive to Arba Minch and take a motor boat across Lake Chamo, you will see giant crocodiles, hippos, local fishermen, pelicans and different types of birds. Spend the evening in Arba Minch. Stay overnight at Haile Resort.

Arba Minch - Forty Springs and city walking tour

Arba Minch - After breakfast, drive to the Forty Springs and spend time in the rainforest, visit the springs, take a gentle hike to see bamboos, Columbus monkeys and waterhogs. Conclude your tour with a dip in the cool natural swimming pool. After lunch, visit Arba Minch market or enjoy our popular Arba Minch walking tour which concludes with a coffee ceremony. We will take you to either your hotel or the airport.

Add an extra day to your tour and visit one of the world heritage villages in Konso.

What's Included

2 nights accommodation at Dorze Lodge and Haile Resort
All meals included: 2 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 2 dinners
Soft drinks included with meals
Dorze and Arba Minch walking tours
Lake Chamo boat trip
Cultural experiences with Dorze singers and coffee ceremony
Transport in a 4WD vehicle with professional driver and fuel
Professional English speaking guide
Collection and return from Arba Minch airport or hotel
Tea and coffee available

What's Not Included

Alcoholic drinks
Any local fees for taking individual photographs
Gratuities
Return flight to Arba Minch

Additional Information

Arba Minch, meaning Forty Springs in Amharic, is so named for the plentiful springs that nourish the surrounding rainforest. Surrounded by lush, green mountains, the city is home to two of the largest Rift Valley lakes in Ethiopia and the Nechisar National Park. The quaint village of Dorze, a scenic drive away, offers a traditional lifestyle and warm hospitality. The hidden treasures of this East African city include:

A walking tour of Dorze where you can explore traditional bamboo houses, learn bread-making, and meet renowned weavers.
Visit to the Nechisar National Park, where a leisurely hike might let you spot zebras among other local wildlife.
A boat tour in Lake Chamo, giving you a chance to see crocodiles, hippos and various bird species.
A walk around the famous Forty springs.
A walking tour of Arba Minch City.
And, a traditional coffee ceremony.

Baby/infant car seats not available, you can bring your own
No wheelchair access
Not suitable for strollers or prams

Location

Arba Minch

Haile Hotel, Paradise Lodge Hotel, Tourist Hotel or pick up from the airport

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

5.0

(5 Ratings)

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Gelagaya

Sep 12, 2024

My witness to Dorze village - During our visit to Arba Minch, we had the opportunity to explore the fascinating Dorze Village, a popular tourist attraction in the region. The Dorze tribe is a small community primarily residing in a village located near the city of Arba Minch. Situated in a mountainous area, Dorze Village is approximately an hour's drive from Arba Minch. The estimated population of the Dorze tribe is around 15,000 individuals. The Dorze community has embraced community-based tourism and proudly showcase their unique culture. Visitors can witness their traditional clothing, dances, and the distinctive bamboo huts they construct, which are shaped like elephants. Additionally, they demonstrate the process of preparing cotton for trade, weaving traditional textiles, and making Kocho, a pancake-like food made from false banana. The Dorze people are well-organized and offer professional demonstrations to tourists.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

K1567nlmichaels

Jun 26, 2024

Arba Minch and Dorze - With Simen Land Tours we flew from Addis Ababa to Arba Minch. Good organization of the trip. We went into the pristine forest with a local guide. I was intrigued to see it everywhere. Besides monkeys we saw beautiful trees and also rocked on branches. A highlight was certainly to visit a few of the 41 springs in the forest and drink the water directly from the spring. The water was unimaginably clear. Afterwards we took a boat tour and observed free-living crocodiles and ospreys. Especially the ospreys were very fascinating to watch. Beautiful animals. Before finishing the boat tour, we visited a small fishing village and were able to eat the fish the fishermen processed directly there. It was really delicious. The first night we stayed at Hotel Paradise. The hotel is a bit older but a very nice location with a charming ambience. The next day we went on to Dorze. Readiness of the ride we could see children who always wiggle their butts. Apparently that's part of the culture there. In Dorze we first visited the public market with all its spices and animals. A whole other world. Afterwards we visited a primeval village. Especially the dwelling, so-called elephant houses, were very fascinating. We were also traditionally dressed with shield and spear for men. It was fascinating to see that everything is made in this small village. Especially the honey there is recommended. They took some home, too. The local guide village was very nice and accommodating. Highly recommended. The second night we spent at the Hotel Haile Resort. This hotel belongs to a chain founded by marathon runner Haile Gebreselassie. It is a modern hotel which even has air conditioning and pool. Overall, it was a really nice trip in Ethiopia.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

90sibylleh

Apr 16, 2024

Brilliant weekend! - Wes organised a great trip. He was clear about what was included and what wasn't and accomodated specific requests His team were very professional and helpful. Thanks so much! I highly recommend the company.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

84robertantony

Oct 20, 2023

Excellent Omovalley tour - Wes +251 91 683 1252 - We did a last minute plan to tour Omo Valley and as we were travelling from India , Wes agreed to make all our bookings ( our internal flights in Ethiopia / hotel bookings etc) and we paid him only after we arrived in Addis . This takes a lot of trust on his behalf and I am very happy that we found him on Tripadvisor. Thank you TripAdvisor . He is a gem of a person Apart from this , he is a very people oriented guy and this was obvious to us when we visited many local tribes sometimes after 3 hours drive and he would know the people in each of these places by name and they would be genuinely happy to see him and us . For me that’s a great plus point in him . Skill and knowledge is one thing but genuine people skills is amazing His service right from airport pick up to airport drop and sharing all meals with us with excellent conversation skills made our trip memorable . Highly recommend this company and Wes for his superb services . We are certainly coming back for a tour of the north !!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Harris05182

Sep 25, 2023

An incredible experience - I spent three days in Arba Minch and Dorze in August 2023 with Gamo Travel Tours and I can honestly say it was one of the best experiences I've had travelling abroad. As two women travelling alone, safety was front of mind, and we felt supported, listened to, and safe and secure every step of the way. Our tour guide, Wes, checked in with us regularly before and during the trip to ensure we were kept well informed, that the tour was tailored to our needs, and that all our questions were answered. Our night in Dorze was out of this world - it is SUCH a beautiful place and we stood in awe at the view. Our hosts at the lodge could not have been more welcoming and friendly and the services were excellent and the food delicious. It really was a magical weekend, with memories that I will treasure for a lifetime.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

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up to 12 guests

1 Adult