FAQs

FAQs:

(FAQs) Frequently Asked Questions about the Omo Valley, the tribes, and travel packages

Q1: When to visit Omo Valley?
A: In order to avoid the rainy season and enjoy the milder temperatures, the best time to travel is therefore between November and March, though going between June and September also works well (although temperatures will be higher).
 
Q2: How do I visit tribes in Ethiopia?
A: A number of companies and tour agencies can arrange for visits to the tribes with a local guide.

Q3: What tribes live in the Omo Valley?
A: There are over a dozen distinct tribes with a combined population of about 200,000 living along the Lower Omo River in southwestern Ethiopia. They’ve been there for millennia. 

Q4: What to do in the Omo Valley?
A: There is no doubt that you can go to the Omo-valley tribes. The cultural diversity in Ethiopia’s Lower Omo Valley is astounding, from the lip plate-wearing Mursi to the Hamer’s ochre-and-butter-rolled hair, ash-painted faces, and brightly beaded Benna. Tribal tourism in the Omo Valley is a contentious issue, so visitors must exercise caution while visiting to respect the traditions and customs that have been passed down through the generations.

Q5: What language is spoken in the Omo Valley?
A: Many tribal groups in the Omo valley speak Omotic family languages.

Q6: How many tribes are in the Omo Valley?
A: There are about 12 pastoralist tribes living in the Lower Omo Valley, including the Hamer, Bashada, Benna, Karo, Kwegu, Nyangatom, Dassanach, Mursi, Suri, and Bodi. Due to the fact that inter-tribal marriage is not usually permitted, each tribe in the Lower Omo Valley has kept its own distinct traditions.

Q7: What are the tribes of the Omo Valley?
A: The most well-known and popular Omo valley tribes are the Mursi, Bodi (Me’en), Suri, Hamar, Daasanach, Kara (Karo), Banna, Nyangatom (Bume), Konso, Bume, Erbore, Tsemai, Ari, and Dorze.

Q8: How to get to Omo Valley?
A: The quickest and most convenient way to travel to the Omo Valley is by domestic flight to the nearby airport towns of Arba Minch and Jinka. You will then take to the road and travel into the Omo Valley, making overnight stops in a number of small towns as you explore the area over the course of a few days.

 Q9: Where is the Omo valley in Africa?
A: ETHIOPIA. The Lower Omo Valley is in southwestern Ethiopia. It covers an area of 165 km2. The Lower Omo Valley’s age-old sedimentary deposits are now world renowned for the discovery of many hominid fossils that have been critical in the study of human evolution.

Q10: How to visit Omo Valley?
A: You can visit Omo Valley on land with a recommended tour company, such as Omo Valley Tours with King Dawit Tours Ethiopia, or by flying from Addis Ababa to Arba Minch and/or Jinka and using the services of local tour guides.

The above listed faqs are not the only frequently asked questions about Omo valley but we do organize and select them based on their value for travelers. 

Send us all your questions (FAQs) and we will get back to you with clear answers and explanation.