Omo Valley

Ethiopia's Omo Valley

Home to a number of resilient and fascinating tribes

The home of some of the most incredibly colorful tribes on earth, including the Mursi with ceramic plates in the lower lips of the women. And the Hamer, with their red ochre hair.

The villages are home to some of Africa’s most fascinating ethnic groups and a trip here represents a unique chance for travelers to encounter a culture markedly different from their own. Whether it’s wandering through traditional Daasanach villages, watching Hamer people performing a Jumping of the Bulls Ceremony or seeing the Mursi’s mind-blowing lip plates, your visit here will stick with you for a lifetime. This is quite a beautiful region too. The landscape is diverse, ranging from dry, open savannah plains to forests in the high hills and along the Omo and Mago Rivers. Each tribe has its own distinctive characteristics and traditional ways of life. The Mursi and Surma people are famous for their lip plates, the Arbore and Hamer, for the amazing paintings on their bodies. The southern part of Ethiopia is also home to several national parks suitable for camping and viewing wildlife such as the buffalo, cheetah, leopard, giraffe, Bruchell’s zebra, hartebeest, topi, Oryx and even the elusive lion.