South Omo Valley, Ethiopian Tribes

Ethiopia is dusty, difficult to travel because of terrible roads but full of surprises. Ethiopia is one of the oldest countries in the world and the history can be traced back to around 1000 BC. It was never colonised, apart from the short Italian occupation (1936 - 1941).

The people are amazing and wonderful, especially the children. Particularly in the north they are open-hearted, the majority live in rural areas. The life is extremly simple, most of the Ethiopian have no running water or health care.

The South Omo Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a unique and spectacular place, located in the south western part of Ethiopia. The Omo Valley hosts some of Africa's most fascinating and colorful nomadic and semi-nomadic ethnic groups like the Mursi, Kara, Hamer or Bodi tribe.

Many of the tribes, mostly small in size, are pastoralists and they practice flood-retreat agriculture along the Omo River. Until now the indigenous ethnic groups of the Omo Valley are some of the most traditional in Africa. Here you can read more about the future of the tribes in South Omo Valley.