South Omo Valley

Southern Circuit

Introduction to the South Omo Valley

Located in Southwest Ethiopia, the Lower Omo Valley is regarded as Africa’s ‘last great wilderness’ and one of one of the continent’s final frontiers.

The Omo Valley is most famous for its fascinating cultural landscape. More than a dozen tribes live here, their ancient lifestyles largely untouched by the influences of the modern world. Each of the Omo Valley tribes has its own unique cultural dress, traditions and rituals, passed down from generation to generation. Some of the best-known tribes are the Mursi, Hamer, Karo, Konso and Dassenech.

The Omo Valley is rich in historical value. Recognized for its paleontological discoveries, the Lower Omo Valley was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.

Southern Ethiopia differs vastly from Northern Ethiopia – in topography, climate and character. The remote, lowland landscapes are more reminiscent of sub-Saharan Africa, and characterized by vast savannas and acacia woodlands. An expansive fertile green belt, carved by the Omo River, extends nearly 1,000 kilometers to Lake Turkana, on the Kenyan border. The Omo River is the largest Ethiopian river outside the Nile Basin.

The East African Rift Valley runs through low-lying southern Ethiopia, creating a concentration of magnificent rift valley lakes that teem with aquatic birds and other wildlife. Volcanic outcrops and interesting rock formations add to the beauty of the scenery.

Ethiopia’s greatest concentration of wildlife can be found in these parts. Although the wildlife population is not comparable to countries like neighboring Kenya, southern Ethiopia’s drawcard is its biodiversity and impressive list of endemic species. A number of beautiful national parks are located in southern Ethiopia, each with its own unique attractions.

Travel Tip

Recommended length of stay: 3 – 6 nights

Elevation: 1,599 meters (5,246 feet) above sea level

The Omo Valley is a photographer’s paradise. See our “Travel Tips” page for photo etiquette.

UNESCO World Heritage Site

More info

When in South Omo Valley

Key Attractions

OMO VALLEY TRIBES

The Omo Valley, home to a diverse range of tribes, is unique due to its preserved ancient traditions. Tribespeople adorn themselves with cultural clothing, jewelry, and body scarification. Mursi women are known for their large lip disks. Most tribes are pastoralists, with livestock being central to their lifestyle and economy. The annual Omo River flooding allows for cultivation in this semi-arid region. Some tribes are nomadic, others live in fixed locations. Each tribe, including the Mursi, Hamer and Karo, has unique customs and traditions.

HAMER

In addition to rearing cattle and goats, the Hamer grow crops including vegetables, sorghum, cotton and tobacco. Wild honey is one of their staple foods.

The Hamer are easily identifiable by their body adornments and unique hairstyles, which all bear symbolic significance. Creating a paste from fat, ochre and water, the married women form russet braids that are called gosha. When men kill an enemy or dangerous animal they wear a clay bun for a year.

The bull-jumping ceremony is unique to the Hamer tribe. Customarily held between August and November, or January and April, this coming-of-age ceremony involves jumping across a the backs of a row of bulls. Once ten to thirty bulls have been lined up, the young initiate is required to jump across this bovine bridge four times. Once a boy has completed this ritual he is regarded as a man and may take a wife.

KARO

The Karo, who live along the Omo River’s eastern bank, are considered the most endangered of the Omo Valley tribes. Originally pastoralists, they converted to agriculture when their livestock were destroyed by disease. Being related, their appearance and language resemble those of the Hamer.

The Karo are considered to be masters of body adornment. In preparation for cultural celebrations and dances, they paint their bodies using white chalk and charcoal, to imitate the plumage of the guinea fowl.

MURSI

The Mursi move seasonally between the Tama plains and the Mago National Park, where they settle in simple grass-covered huts, in the Mursi Hills above the eastern banks of the Omo River. Being pastoralists, they place great value on their livestock.

Mursi are famous for their ferocious stick-fighting tradition as well as their elaborate body decorations. The Mursi women practise unique rituals of body beautification. They insert terracotta disks into an incision in their lower lips. These lip plates can be as large as 15cm in diameter.

RIFT VALLEY LAKES

A chain of magnificent rift valley lakes extends through Ethiopia, with many of these concentrated in the low-lying southern part of the country. Formed by the East African Rift Valley, which bisects Ethiopia from the Afar region up north all the way down into Kenya, these lakes are mostly alkaline and teem with aquatic birds and other wildlife. Lake Chamo, Lake Abaya, Lake Awassa and Lake Ziway are a few of the major lakes.

Travel Tip

Archeologists found a jawbone of an Australopithecus man, estimated at some 2.5 million years old in the area.
The Omo Valley is best visited between June and March with January and February being particularly hot and humid.

The Omo Delta, only accessible by boat, is an extremely remote area of islands.

When in South Omo Valley

Key Attractions

OMO VALLEY TRIBES

HAMER

In addition to rearing cattle and goats, the Hamer grow crops including vegetables, sorghum, cotton and tobacco. Wild honey is one of their staple foods.

KARO

MURSI

RIFT VALLEY LAKES

Where to say

Accommodations

Lale‘s Camp

Accessible only by boat, Lale’s Camp is both remote and purely exclusive. This stylish tented camp sprawls beneath the shade of beautiful ficus trees, on the eastern bank of the Omo River; and offers the ideal base when exploring the Omo Valley. The scenery is wild and beautiful, with a riverine forest hugging the river and providing a habitat for a host of plants, animals, and birds. The spacious tented bedrooms all have verandas and are tastefully furnished. Each tent has a private shower tent, which is equipped with a bucket shower, basin, and flush toilet. Breakfast and dinner can be enjoyed in the lovely mess tent. Packed lunches are prepared as you head out to visit the fascinating tribes of the Omo Valley.