Suri Tribe 8 Day Tour

Overview

The Suri Tribe 8 Day Tour is an extraordinary cultural expedition into the remote southwestern region of Ethiopia, offering rare and authentic encounters with the fascinating Suri (Surma) people. This immersive journey takes you deep into the untouched landscapes near Kibish, where the Suri maintain their strong pastoral traditions, vibrant body painting art, decorative scarification, and iconic lip plate customs.

Your adventure begins in Addis Ababa, followed by a scenic flight and overland drive through lush highlands and coffee growing regions toward the Surma territory. Traveling by 4WD vehicle, you cross rivers, savannah plains, and remote villages before reaching the heart of Suri land near Kibish.

During your stay, you spend meaningful time in Suri villages, engaging respectfully with community members and observing daily life centered around cattle herding. The Suri are well known for their artistic body painting using natural pigments, elaborate beadwork, and ceremonial traditions. If timing allows, you may witness the famous Donga stick-fighting ceremony, a traditional competition that demonstrates strength, bravery, and cultural pride.

Beyond cultural immersion, the tour offers stunning landscapes, wildlife viewing opportunities, and unforgettable photography moments. This carefully designed 8-day itinerary blends adventure, cultural exchange, and responsible travel, making it ideal for photographers, anthropologists, and travelers seeking an off-the-beaten-path Ethiopian experience. The journey concludes with a return flight to Addis Ababa, leaving you with powerful memories of one of Africa’s most unique indigenous cultures.

Day 1: Addis Ababa Arrive at Bole International Airport in the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, where you will be welcomed by Barkaman ETHIOPIA representative and transferred to the Hotel where you will stay overnight in the morning Excursion from Addis Ababa to Jimma passing by beautiful scenery over view the Gibe valley and breathtaking landscape. Overnight in Hotel in Jimma.

Day 2: Excursion from Jimma to MizanTeferi visiting coffee plantations. Kafa, where coffee was first discovered for the first time and the name Koffee was named after the name of its birth place Kafa. Overnight in Hotel in Mizan Teferi.

Day 3: Excursion from Mizan Teferi to Kibish Morning drive to Kibish on the way visit the Bebeka coffee plantation, where they cultivate organic coffee trees, tea, spice as well as rubber trees. Short break for visiting the coffee farm from the plantation to the coffee processing local and modern techniques. Overnight camping in Kibish. Day 4 A full-day visit to Sui Tribe in villages found in Kibish. Overnight camping in Kibish.

Day:5 half of the hours visit Suri cattle camp & see the cow blood when it is cut from the neck of the cow & by the chance see any ceremony.

Day 6: Excursion from Kibish to Bonga Morning after breakfast drive to Bebeka passing through Magi on the way to visit the Dezi tribe. The Dizi people are hereditarily very short people who have beehive-like houses.

Day 7: Drive from Bonga – Welliso Returning back, we continue to Jimma via MizanTeferi. In Welliso you can take a refreshing time on your own: swimming, walking, shopping, and feeling the city.

Day 8: Drive back to addis & the raie of hours you can make a City tour of Addis Ababa and a Departure Sightseeing tour that includes Trinity Cathedral, a beautiful church with a baroque style of European Architecture unique to both Ethiopia and Africa; the National Museum, home to the famous complete hominid fossil remain of Lucy dated 3.2 million years; the Ethnological Museum presenting different collections for an overview of the history, culture, tradition, and religions of almost all tribal groups in Ethiopia; St. George Cathedral and Museum, a historical church with traditional Ethiopian Orthodox Church architecture founded by Emperor Menelik-II; from Mount Entoto you’ll have a panoramic view point at the highest point in Addis with an altitude of 3200 meters; The Merkato is the biggest open air market in Africa. In the evening transfer to the airport for departure home.