Nature journeys
Crocodiles basking on Lake Chamo, zebra on the Nechisar plains and Dorze weavers in tall bamboo houses, from a base above two lakes.
Overview
Arba Minch means “forty springs”, for the water that rises at the foot of the escarpment and feeds a groundwater forest. Below the town lie two lakes, Abaya and Chamo, divided by a forested ridge called the Bridge of God. On Chamo’s shore, at a place known as the Crocodile Market, Nile crocodiles lie in the sun by the hundred.
Three days here move from lake to plains to highlands: a boat among crocodiles and hippos, zebra grazing the pale grass of Nechisar, then a climb into the cool Gamo hills to spend a morning with Dorze weavers. Short walks, one flight each way.
Itinerary
Your guide meets you at Bole International Airport for the morning flight south. In the afternoon you walk among the springs of the groundwater forest below town. At sunset, from the resort terrace, the light turns Abaya brown-gold and Chamo blue, with the Bridge of God between them.
An early boat crosses Lake Chamo to the Crocodile Market, where hundreds of Nile crocodiles lie with their mouths open in the sun, and hippos surface nearby. In the afternoon a 4x4 crosses the Bridge of God onto the Nechisar plains, whose name means “white grass”, to look for zebra and gazelle.
The road climbs to about 2,400 m and the air cools. In a Dorze village a family shows you their bamboo house, which can stand 12 m tall, a cotton loom at work, and kocho, the bread made from the enset plant. Afternoon flight back to Addis Ababa.
Itineraries can change with weather, road and flight conditions. We will tell you promptly if they do.
Gallery
Photo: Unsplash
Good to know
Dress code: Light clothing for the lakes, with shoulders and knees covered in the villages.
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
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