Cultural Attractions


Omo Valley Cultural Trip


Visiting the peoples of the South Omo (cultural route) is an enriching and educational experience. Up to two dozen tribes inhabit the area and we visit villages and local markets in the hope of meeting many of them.

The most famous are the Mursi, renowned for their clay lip plates, but there are many other vivid encounters. Whilst the emphasis of the trip is on the people, we also visit the Rift Valley Lakes with their beautiful scenery and fertile surroundings, and we are likely to see a wide range of mammals in Nechisar and Mago Parks.



Konso


The people of Konso are known for their terraced agriculture and wooden totems commemorating their ancestors.


Mursi Village


The Mursi village, whose women have the custom of expanding their lower lips using disks that gradually get larger and larger. These are people who farm the land and breed livestock; they live in almost complete isolation from the rest of the world.


Arba Minch


Arba Minch is one of the largest town in Southern Ethiopia and the gateway to travel in the Omo Valley region; all planes and vehicles come through this bustling crossroads before heading further south. Arba Minch is set on an escarpment overlooking the Rift Valley Lakes, Lake Abaya to the north and Lake Chamo to the south. The town's name in Amharic literally means "forty springs" that are found around the town.


Turmi


Turmi is the central town of the Hamer people. It is a main trading point between many of the Omo Valley peoples so markets here are particularly interesting. Optional Bull jumping is possible during harvesting season in the surrounding village. 

The most important event in Hamer society is the bull jumping, an initiation rite. Up to 15 bulls are lined up in a row. The initiate with naked body has to leap on the back of the first bull, then from one bull to the next, until he reaches the end of the row. He must repeat in the opposite direction, then third times.


Hamer


Hamers have remarkable hairstyles made from ochre, water, and binding resin. They rub the mixture into their hair then twist the strands repeatedly to create coppery-colored locks. This is a sign of wealth and welfare. Hamers are considered to be masters of body decoration.