Photo Nomad

Start your day early, well before dawn, and check in for your flight to Jimma. Before boarding, enjoy breakfast at the airport cafeteria. Upon arrival, you’ll be welcomed by our Prime Ethiopia Tours driver(s) waiting for you at the parking lot.

Jimma, the largest city in southwestern Ethiopia, was once the capital of the former Kaffa Province — a region renowned for its vast coffee estates. This area isn’t just known for large coffee farms; it is also celebrated as the birthplace of coffee itself.

After settling in for lunch, continue your drive to Mizan Teferi. Western and southwestern Ethiopia are home to the country’s richest and most diverse forests and vegetation. Be captivated by the scenery of cultivated lands dominated by coffee, tea, and various spices. Enjoy the photographic opportunities along the way.

Overnight at Mizan Salaysh Hotel

Today marks the beginning of your first photo session as you head deep into the remote southwestern part of Ethiopia. On the way, pass through the Bebeka Coffee Plantation (about 30 km from Mizan), the oldest coffee plantation in Ethiopia. After passing the town of Tulgit, you’ll arrive in Kibish. Our focus today will be on photographing the fascinating Suri people— one of the least-visited and most culturally intact tribes in the Omo Valley. The Suri are pastoralists who place great value on their cattle, often defending them from neighboring tribes. In turn, they also raid livestock from their rivals, which has led to occasional conflicts, especially with displaced people from Sudan. The Suri are known not for carvings or statues, but for their elaborate body decoration through painting, scarification, and creative adornments using flowers and other natural materials — a dynamic and visually striking art form. Notably, Suri women, like the Mursi, wear lip plates. Around the ages of 13 to 15, an unmarried girl’s lower lip is pierced and gradually stretched using clay discs, which grow larger over time. The size of the lip plate determines the bride price, with larger plates fetching up to 50 head of cattle.

Overnight camping in Kibish

A highlight of Suri culture is sticking fighting (Donga), a traditional sport and rite of passage for young men. If your visit coincides with a Donga contest, you may be lucky enough to witness it.

Each contestant wields a hardwood pole about six feet long and under two pounds in weight. The goal is to strike the opponent until they are knocked down or retreat. Participants are typically unmarried men.

The winner is carried away on a stretcher to a group of waiting girls, who then decide which one will propose marriage to him. Taking part in Donga is considered more important than winning.

Overnight camping in Kibish

After an early breakfast, prepare your camera gear for a full day of photographing the Suri people in their daily lives. Capture moments in villages and streams. 

In the late afternoon, you’ll have the chance to photograph a traditional Suri dance at sunset — a vibrant and culturally rich experience. 

Overnight camping

Our final day with the Suri offers ample time to immerse yourself in photography—experimenting with angles, compositions, and lighting to capture truly unique shots. Explore different locations and backgrounds, refining your creativity behind the lens. In the evening, visit a traditional cattle camp, where, if fortunate, you can capture stunning images of pastoral life bathed in the warm hues of the sunset.

Overnight camping

Depart early @ 5:00 Am, Today, we leave behind the Suri for good and embark on a long day journey to Turmi, which will serve as our base for the next 4 days. As we travel through Omo national park we may spot some wildlife along the way.

Overnight at Buska Lodge 

After an early breakfast, drive to Kangatin by crossing a newly built long bridge over the Omo River. The Nyangatom tribe are believed to be descendants of the Toposa tribe of South Sudan. The Nyangatom people also have ties to tribes in Kenya and Uganda.

This tribe lives in a harsh, arid and low environment of the omo valley. The women wear multiple strands of beads, which they build upon over their lifetime as a symbol of status. Water is collected daily from the Omo River, making it a lifeline for survival. Photo session!! Soon after head to the Kara people of Dus. The Kara is known for their creative body chalk painting and intricate adornments. Women often pierce their lips and insert thin sticks, flowers, or pins. If you’re lucky, you might also witness a communal dance on the banks of the Omo River — a dramatic and dusty scene perfect for photography. late in the evening return back to Turmi.

Overnight at Buska Lodge 

After breakfast, start visiting the Hamar tribe open-air market.

The Hamar women are known for their distinctive appearance, including thick copper necklaces (signifying marital status), beaded skirts, and hair treated with red ochre and butter. Men style their hair with colored clay caps (Poro). Photo session program in the market. 

Overnight at Paradise Lodge

Today is fully dedicated to experiencing and capturing a village life of the Hamar tribe. Step into one of the Hamar village homesteads to discover the unique goat-skin dresses and elaborate hairstyles of Hamar women. Learn about their distinctive rituals, language, and daily life, including their household responsibilities. In the late afternoon, witness the Bull Jumping Ceremony — a rite of passage for young men from the Hamar and Kara tribes.

Overnight Paradise lodge

Travel to Arbore, located at the edge of Mount Buska. Arbore women have striking dark skin and strong features, often shaving their heads before marriage. Return to Turmi 

Overnight at Paradise Lodge

Drive to Omorate near the Kenyan border, home to the Dassanech tribe. If fortunate, you may witness a Dimi ceremony celebrating female fertility. After a photography session with the Dassanech, return to Turmi for breakfast, then visit a Hamar village before driving to Jinka.

Overnight at Eco Omo Lodge

Drive to Mago National Park to visit the Mursi tribe, whose women wear large lip and earlobe plates. Afterward, head toward Konso. Extended photo sessions. drive back to jinka. 

Overnight at Eco Omo Lodge

The Bodi are renowned for their cattle-centered culture, where livestock play a vital role in marriage, divination, and name-giving rituals. They are both pastoralists and agriculturalists, cultivating sorghum, maize, and coffee along the fertile banks of the Omo River.

Overnight Eco Omo Lodge

Catch a morning flight to Africa’s diplomatic capital. In the afternoon, take a short drive to Merkato to experience the busiest open-air market in all of Africa. Follow it up with a visit to Shiro Meda, a street known for its traditional handicrafts and woven fabrics. Enjoy a farewell dinner at Yod Abyssinia Restaurant, accompanied by a traditional music and dance performance. Transfer to the Bole international Airport to catch a flight back home.