Omo National Park
Omo National Park, situated in the southwestern regions of Ethiopia near the border with South Sudan, has become a renowned national park of remarkable ecological significance. The park is where one can get accustomed to a variety of mammal species with enormous numbers in plain areas of the park. The Omo River is where life emanates over also tranquil the real nature. Unspoiled nature, unspoiled culture where the authentic colors of nature twinkle.
Wildlife: Common Eland, Buffalo, Elephant, Cheetah, Lion, Giraffe, Tiang, African Wild Dog and Hippopotamus.
Birds: Eastern Gray plantain eater, Yellow Bill, Brown Parrot, Dark Chant Goshawk, Eagle Owl, Starling Spices
Why visit this park? One of the least developed areas of the country, a trip to Omo National Park is like a journey back in time. A visit provides the chance to see undisturbed ancient cultures as well as to see diverse wildlife and habitats. The park is crossed by several rivers and there are several hot springs.
Park Discription
In the early 1900s, the Omo Valley used to be a permanent grazing ground for local pastoralist communities such as Dize, Mursi, and Surma. By the 1920s the influx of hunters increased in the valley. Most of these were Ethiopian "prestige" hunters, looking for trophies to take home for fame and other cultural reasons, as it was a common practice in most of the country. The earliest interest in the Omo Valley as a protected wilderness area dates to the brief Italian occupation. The interest was mainly related to hunting and mineral prospecting and these activities promoted the area's reputation as an outstanding wildlife locality. In 1962, the Ethiopian Government presented a request to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for assistance and recommendations for better use of wildlife resources and the setting up of conservation areas in Ethiopia. Following this request, in 1963, a UNESCO mission presented a report to the Ethiopian Government which proposed the establishment of three National Parks (Awash Valley, Simien Mountains, and Omo Valley). In early 1965, UNESCO wildlife consultants undertook a reconnaissance ground survey to assess the wildlife potential of the area. The outcome of the survey together with a three-year wildlife conservation development plan was presented to the government. Following these recommendations, the Omo National Park was established in November 1966.
- Park areas are open from 6: 00 am – to 6:00 pm.
- Overnight stay is prohibited in any park area except in campsites.
- Fires are permitted only in existing fireplace grills using charcoal. No fire shall be left unattended, and any fire must be completely extinguished before leaving the area.
- Motorized vehicles must always remain on designated roadways and parking areas.
- All trash, litter, or refuse is to be placed in the provided trash receptacles. No dumping allowed.
- Hazardous Activities – It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in any activity on any park lands that constitutes a hazard to the safety of self or other persons.
- The use of any fireworks and/or weapons is strictly prohibited.
- It is unlawful to remove, damage, destroy, deface, or otherwise vandalize any park property, structure, sign, or vegetation.
- It is unlawful to hunt, trap, harass, or harm any wild animal, bird, or plant life.
06:00 am – 06:00 pm
The ONP is a lowland area below the altitude of 1000 masl. The climate of the area is categorized as a dry tropical climate with moderately high mean annual temperature and relatively low rainfall. The rainfall of the Omo National Park is characterized by three months (March, April, and May) of rainfall and a few showers of rainfall can be expected any time of the year. The rainfall in the park is not well distributed and is characterized by high torrential storms. Variation occurs in the park due to the physiography of the locality. The western part of the park which is more mountainous receives more rainfall than the lower-lying plains. The highlands that surround the Park on the northeastern and western sides receive three times greater rainfall than the precipitation over the lower ground. The significance of the highland rain as far as Omo National Park is concerned is the amount of water that is discharged to the park by rivers and in the form of seasonal floods by perennial streams. Annual rainfall in the park is 780 mm. The rainfall in the Jinka and Maji highlands is the highest which is 1,381mm in Jinka and 1,634mm in Maji, the lowest record is at Omo-Rate which is 327mm.
Game driving, bird watching, nature walking, camping, paragliding, rafting and others.
Camp sites inside the park