5 OMO VALLEY TRIBES MAPS!

• Ethiopia map of Omo Valley tribe areas and regional zones

• Southern Ethiopia Omo Valley map West Omo Zone, South Omo Zone and Ilemi Triangle

• Detailed Omo Valley Tribes map, Southern Ethiopia

• Map of 3 airports for how to get to the Omo Valley Tribes - Jinka, Arbaminch and Jimma

• Best Omo Valley Tours map with itinerary routes and how to visit these unique African tribes in Southern Ethiopia

BLOG AND MAP UPDATE 2024: As of August 2023 the Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples Region SNNPR no longer exists. The maps below I created in 2022 when the SNNPR was in the stages of separating (Sidama and South West had already become independent Regions), but before the Central and Southern Ethiopia Regional States were officially created. I have updated the text information below, however the maps will show the 2022 SNNPR in place of the current Central and Southern Ethiopia Regional boundaries.

I’ll add a Central Ethiopia and Southern Ethiopia Regional State map in the future.

OMO VALLEY MAP 1 ETHIOPIA MAP WITH OMO VALLEY TRIBE AREAS AND REGIONAL ZONES

Ethiopia is sub divided into regional states that are governed by regional councils. The coloured sections of the map below include Addis Ababa (in green) and two regions of Ethiopia that are on many itineraries on an Omo Valley Tribe Tour. Most visitors to the Omo Valley spend their time in South Ethiopia Regional State. Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples Region SNNPR (orange section on map) has now been further divided and now the orange area is Central Ethiopia and South Ethiopia Regional States. The Suri Tribe and Bench Tribe are in the South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region SWEPR (pink section on map).

GREEN: Addis Ababa

ORANGE: Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples’ Region (SNNPR) which is no longer a region as between 2020-2023 was divided with different states declared within the original boundary or SNNPR. However, the orange section shows what once was part of the SNNPR until the last two regional areas were recognised and official. Central Ethiopia Regional State and South Ethiopia Regional State. At the time of I created this Ethiopia region map Sidama and South West Ethiopia had already become independent to the SNNPR. In August 2023 The Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples’ Region officially was no longer a region with the Central and South Ethiopia regions becoming official.

PINK: South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region (SWEPR)

OMO VALLEY MAP 2 - Southern Ethiopia Omo Valley map West Omo, South Omo and Ilemi Triangle

WHERE IS THE OMO VALLEY?

The Omo Valley is in the South Omo Zone of the SNNPR, which is in Southern Ethiopia.

The Omo River runs down some of the border with the West Omo (South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region) and South Omo (previously Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples Region but rezoned in 2023 to Southern Ethiopia Regional State) and then flows within the South Omo to the Omo Delta. The water from the Omo River then flows into Lake Turkana which is the world’s largest permanent desert lake.

The Suri Tribe (part of the Surma tribe group) live in the West Omo Zone close to the border of South Sudan. Often this area is referred to as the Upper Omo Valley or less common the Northern Omo Valley, with the more Southern Ethiopian tribes in South Ethiopia Regional State referred to as living in the Lower Omo Valley. However, these references to the Upper and Lower Omo Valley tribe areas are mostly used by people in the tour industry.

ORANGE: Previous (2022) Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples’ Region (SNNPR) with SOUTH OMO ZONE

UPDATE: SNNPR was no longer a region as of Aug 2023 with new region names and boundaries becoming official

PINK: South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region (SWEPR) with WEST OMO ZONE

THERE ARE MANY ZONES WITHIN THESE SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA REGIONS

Initially there were 56 ethnic groups in the Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples’ Region. It used to be one of the largest zones in Ethiopia covering more than 10% of the country, however the zones and boundaries of SNNPR changed between 2019 to 2023 with the Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples’ Region now no longer existing. The latest change was in August 2023 with the Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples’ Region no longer a regional state as two more regions became official.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SOUTHERN NATIONS AND NATIONALITIES PEOPLES REGION?

• Sidama broke away from the Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples’ Region in 2019/2020.

• November 2021 was when the South West Omo broke away from the SNNPR with South West Ethiopia Regional State coming into existence.

• Central Ethiopia and South Ethiopia Regional States were both official as of August 2023.

These were the original areas that were part of SNNPR and which are now rezoned and separated. Previous governments had hindered these areas from becoming independent Ethiopia regions.

When some Ethiopia region areas rezone, boundaries change which means that the administrate centres can change too.

Mizan Teferi is the administrative centre of the South West Ethiopia Peoples’ Region

Hawassa is the administrative centre of Sidama Region

Arbaminch is the administrative centre of South Ethiopia Regional State.

OMO VALLEY MAP 3 - DETAILED OMO VALLEY TRIBES MAP, SOUTHERN ETHiOPIA

There are 10 ETHIOPIAN TRIBES that are INCLUDED ON MANY OMO VALLEY TOURS

There are many Ethiopian tribes that live within the West Omo and South Omo zones in Southern Ethiopia.

The 10 Omo Valley tribes that are often on Ethiopian cultural tour itineraries are:

1. Suri Tribe / Surma Tribe

2. Aari Tribe / Ari Tribe

3. Arbore Tribe

4. Benna Tribe / Banna Tribe

5. Dassanech Tribe

6. Hamer Tribe / Hamar Tribe

7. Karo Tribe / Kara Tribe

8. Mursi Tribe / Surma Tribe

9. Nyangatom Tribe

10. Tsemai Tribe / Tsemay Tribe

There are more tribes that may be included on an Omo Valley Tour itinerary depending on where/how you get to the Omo Valley (another map on that below) which include:

Dorze tribe

Konso tribe

Bench tribe

Dizi tribe

Sidama tribe

and more!

There are so many Omo Valley Tours and itineraries, so tours can have any combination of any of these tribes and others.

This Ethiopia tribe map shows the Omo Valley Tribe locations

To view portraits of the 14 Southern Ethiopia tribes shown on this map (plus the Silte Tribe) CLICK HERE

OMO VALLEY Map 4 - airports to get to the Omo Valley Tribes - Jinka, Arbaminch and Jimma

HOW DO YOU GET TO THE OMO VALLEY TRIBES IN ETHIOPIA?

To visit the tribes in the Omo Valley you can drive from/to the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa or fly to one of the three airports in the map below. Arbaminch airport and Jimma airport have quite a lot of flights, however Jinka is a smaller country airport that does not have flights everyday. Also keep in mind that flights between Jinka and Addis can be weather dependant.

These short domestic flights for Omo Valley Tours are inexpensive if you are an Ethiopian citizen or if you have an international flight with Ethiopian Airlines as they are heavily discounted. A short flight can save lots of time and driving days on your Omo Valley Tribe Tour. All three of these flights are just over an hour flight time, but can save 1 - 3 days of driving.

OMO VALLEY MAP 5 - BEST OMO VALLEY TOURS MAP WITH TRIBE LOCATIONS AND ITINERARY ROUTES

The map below gives a detailed view of how I get to the Omo Valley Tribes and how they all link together by driving in a 4x4 on my Omo Valley Tour itineraries. There are different Omo Valley Tour itineraries and routes depending on a variety of factors but my two main Omo Valley Photo Tour itineraries are based on the map below.

Keep in mind while the Suri Tribe and Mursi Tribe are part of the Surma Tribe collective group, that access to the Suri tribe is more challenging and requires more days and time. When I visit the Suri Tribe we camp with the Suri and have our own chef. It is bush camping at our campsite as being immersed amongst the Suri Tribe on your incredible days here are truly the best experience and adventure with the most AMAZING photography opportunities.

Your time, budget and Omo Valley tour service provider can make a big difference to your Omo Valley tribe itinerary. The Omo Valley driving map I created above is to give a better idea of how some of the tribal villages are connected when visiting in a 4x4 vehicle and where they live.