Omo Valley Tribes

Join us on a cultural journey to the southern Ethiopia Omo valley tribes tour and adventure safari . The Omo valley Ethiopia is one of the most popular tribes and most recommended tourist destination

Ethiopia is the home of more than 83 indigenous ethnic groups and each tribe has their own remarkable and colorful culture.

The Omo people are some of the tribes located to south western Ethiopia, home of many well known tribes where immense ethnic groups have settled dawn on this valley. Omo valley is known for rich culture, nature, marvelous scenery, wild life, and birds.

The Mursi people are the most known Animist people from the region. They are famed for their practice of inserting large clay plates behind the lower lips by their women.

The most important event in the life of Hamer male is the bull –jumping ceremony –marriage .A row of eight to ten bulls is farmed and the naked imitate must traverse the row ,leaping from one animal to the next –four times . If successful, his male relatives they flog the backs of his female relatives, who see this as a chance to prove loyalty and valour.

The Konso people are famous by their terracing system, walled village, waqa is the carved wooden status used for as a grave marker like the Axumite pagan people .Konso people they erect this status to memorised their parents .The primary cash crop in the konso region is cotton, which is sold at the local market .The women in Konso go beautifully dressed in long deresses, which are locally woven. Konso as ‘Konso New York City’, this an ending plateau composed of fabulous ‘hodos’ very similar to Bryce Canyon in the USA.

The Karo or Kara is a small tribe with an estimated population between 1,000 and 3,500. They are closely related to the Kwegu tribe. They live along the east banks of the Omo River in southern Ethiopia and practice flood retreat cultivation. The crops that are grown by them are sorghum and maize. Only small cattle are kept because of the tsetse flies. These flies are large and consume the blood of vertebrate animals.

Like many of the tribes in the Omo, they paint their bodies and faces with white chalk to resemble the bird genie fowl. The chalk is mixed with yellow rock, red iron ore and charcoal to make its color. Face masks are worn at times and they have clay hair buns with feathers in them. Red clay mixed with butter is put into their hair and clothing is made from animal skin. The women scar their chest believing it makes them beautiful.

The men’s scars represent an enemy or dangerous animal killed. They also wear clay hair buns which symbol a kill. A man in the tribe can have as many wives as he wants, but must be able to afford them. Most men will only marry two or three.

The  omo valley tribes are unique ,safaris culture will take you to a beautiful cultural adventure , nature and safari as well as beauty of the southern Ethiopia.

How to get to Omo Valley Tribes – South Ethiopia ?

There are three ways to get in to the authentic Omo Valley Tribes and Sycamore Ethiopia Tours will arraage the best way that suits to your interest . these are the options ; fly from Addis Ababa to Jinka Airport then drive , Second , fly from Addis Ababa to Arba Minch city then drive to the tribes and lastly Drive from Adddis Ababa to the south via Hawassa , Arba minch the whole trip by surface transport .

Omo valley tribes