The Omo valley and its tribe

Omo valley is located in the southern end of Ethiopian Rift valley and stretches up to the Kenyan border where a diversified ethnic tribe with their archaic culture found. Omo Valley is undoubtedly one of the most unique places on earth because of the wide variety of people and animals that inhabit it. The region is known for its culture and diversity. The tribes that live in the lower Omo Valley are believed to be among the most fascinating on the continent of Africa and around the world.

They are nomadic and practice still very old cultural activiteis. The Omo valley is still an ideal hunting ground for culturally rich ethnicity.

Mursi trieb.

The Hammer is known by their hair style and blue jumping. In the hammer culture when a young boy is mature for mirage, He has to jump a bull before his mirage. Whereas the Mursi is known by their lower lip stretching. At the age of 12 or 13 years pierces a girl her lower lip and put a clay disc in her lower lip to show her beauty. Surma is also another ethnic tribe lives in the south Omo valley and known by their stick fight. Tours are offered to several towns and villages. It is often you come into contact with most colorful and best preserved cultural peoples: Arbore, Ari, Bena, Bodi, Bumi, Daasanech (Geleb), Dorze, Hamer (Hamar), Kara (or Karo), Konso, Kwegu (or Muguji), Mursi, Tsemay, and Turkana when you tour the valley.

Paleontological site in southern Ethiopia

The lower Omo valley

The Lower Valley of Omo is located in south-western Ethiopia. It extends over an area of 165 km2. The age old sedimentary deposits in the Lower Omo Valley are now world renowned for the discovery of many hominid fossils, that have been of fundamental importance in the study of human evolution.

The Lower Omo Valley includes the Konso and Fejej paleontological research locations with sedimentary deposit going back to the plio-pleistocene period.

These have produced numerous hominid and animal fossils, including fragments of Australopithecus. The deposits of human vertebrae fauna, and paleo-environmental evolution, shed light on the earliest stages of the origins and development of Homo sapiens of Africa. The discoveries of ancient stone tools in an encampment also offers evidence of the oldest known technical activities of prehistoric beings, thus making the property one of the most significant for mankind. After the earliest known discovery of Homo Sapiens (Human) fossil fragments were found. The lower Omo Valley and Lake Turkana which is primarily located in Kenya, have both been declared World Heritage sites by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization or (UNESCO).

The Rift Valley (Mid-South-East)

It extends from the dead sea, Middle East to Mozambique for about 2,500km and It is a major land feature on our planet which can be visible even from the space. The rift valley stretches from the north-eastern to the south-eastern tips of Ethiopia and divides Ethiopia into two almost equal parts.

Here varied plant and wildlife is scenically interspersed with glamorous bodies of water and diversified marine and bird life. It encompasses unique bio-diversity: the lowest point on earth is located in the north-east (the Danakil Depression is 116m below sea level); Ethiopia’s second highest peak (Mount Tulu dimtu at 4373m above sea level) is located in the south-east. About four national parks, more than six crater lakes, and rivers with breathtaking marine and bird life are found at either end. The Rift Valley is also rich in various land forms such as gorges, rolling plains, cliffs, and escarpments.


The lakes are mostly alkaline, and do not have outlets for the water contained within them. The major ones are Lake Abaya, Lake Chamo, Lake Awassa, Lake Ziway and Lake Abiata. The Rift Valley lakes provide pleasant areas for bird watchers in particular and nature lovers in general.

Abyata Shala National Park (Rift Valley)

This park is located about 200km south of Addis Ababa. Situated in the main Rift Valley, it has two beautiful lakes, Abyata and Shalla.

The beautiful flamingo birds at Abyata and shala Rift valley lakes.

The park is home to a few mammal species and many birds. The two lakes in the park are found side by side yet have different features. Lake Shalla is the deepest lake in the Rift Valley (260m) and Lake Abyata is the shallowest (13m). Lake Abyata is home to enormous numbers of big game as well as nesting birds whereas Lake Shalla is devoid of birds. An ostrich farm is another charm in this national park and it is the only park where ostriches can be seen in large numbers.

Nech Sar National Park (south)

This park is found near the southern end of the Rift Valley system. Bordering the two beautiful Rift Valley lakes, Abaya and Chamo, it possesses extraordinary landscapes as well as exotic flora and fauna. The endemic mammal Swayne’s hartebeest is exceptionally found in this park. Lion, leopard, gazelle, baboon and other mammals are also commonly sighted here. The two lakes in the park are also home to exotic marine life. Hippos and crocodiles live here in colonies.

Largest African crocodile at Arbaminch

Omo and Mago National Parks (south)

Located at the southernmost part of Ethiopia, Omo National Park extends along the banks of the Omo River. Unlike the other national parks, this park has a rich wild animal reserve of big game such as elephant, buffalo, lion, cheetah, leopard, giraffe, etc.

The omo national Park and its omo river

This park is also home to the Mursi people, who are regarded as the most interesting in the Omo Valley.Known by their lower lip streching, settled by the banks of the Omo River. The park offers wildlife and virgin culture in one package.

Mago National Park is situated in the same corner as Omo National Park and the two are separated by the Omo River, which drains into Kenya. This park features the same wildlife as Omo National Park. However, Mago National Park is not inhabited by Omotic tribes as in the Omo National Park. The two adjacent parks can be seen in the same tour package and are East African treasures.

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