Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
OMO NATIONAL PARK
Omo National Park is arguably the most remote park in Ethiopia and travelling here can
be incredibly tough - but never less than fascinating. Because there is virtually no tourist
infrastructure within the park, you will need to be totally self-sufficient with your own
food, camping gear and vehicle.
Like other parks in Ethiopia, wildlife here has come into conflict with the indigenous
tribes who live here, but despite this you do stand a pretty good chance of seeing various
antelope species and there's some fantastic
birding
.
With the bridge down, no roads connect Omo National Park with the neighbouring
Mago National Park (
Click here
)
on the opposite side of the Omo River, but it's possible
to cross between the two by boat and have a vehicle meet you on the other side.
Jimma
POP 123,000 / ELEV 1678M
Western Ethiopia's largest city, and a major university town, Jimma is a raucous place
with wide (and, thanks to a major refurbishment program currently taking place, very
dusty) streets, lots of honking horns and a massive coffee pot rising from its main round-
about. The town has a fairly substantial expat community (most of whom are involved
with NGOs), but for a tourist there's little real reason to linger here other than to get to an
ATM and break up a long journey.
For centuries, a powerful Oromo monarchy ruled the surrounding fertile highlands from
its capital at Jiren (now a suburb of present-day Jimma). The region owed its wealth to its
situation at the crux of several major trade routes and to its abundant crops. At its height,
the kingdom stretched over 13,000 sq km. When Menelik came to power in the late
1800s, he required the region to pay high tribute.
When the Italians entered the picture in the 1930s, they had grand plans to create a
modern city in the heart of Ethiopia's breadbasket and Jimma was subsequently born from
Jiren.
