A Great Homestay In The Southern Region

About Family Lodge, Arba Minch

This simple homestay is designed and managed by the Dorze tribe. High on the mountain, the homestay has lovely views on all sides.

The 12 round tukuls have walls and roofs of woven bamboo. They can be furnished with 1 or 2 single beds, and a chair. The bathroom block, adjacent to the tukuls, has loos and showers in bamboo cubicles. The restaurant, also created from bamboo, is adorned with the tribe’s traditional artefacts, and has colourful traditional fabrics over the windows. Tables and chairs are made from wood and animal hides. Breakfast is included, and the team can prepare local dishes for lunch and dinner on request.

Across the road from the homestay is a local village that guests are welcome to visit. The local people are happy to demonstrate how to make their staple dish – flatbread made from fermented false banana pulp, eaten with honey and chilli, and washed down with local firewater. Visitors are also welcome to try their hands at harvesting honey from the beehives, to wander around the vegetable fields and to watch a weaving demonstration. Traditional scarves are for sale.

Activities include mountain climbing and trekking. This is a wonderful place to experience the life of the Dorze tribe, to try their food and learn about their culture.