Photo! Photo!Photo!

Ethiopia, the Cradle of Mankind, is the oldest independent nation in Africa and one of the oldest in the world. Located in the Horn of Africa, it is one of four countries that make up the East African rift. The Ethiopian highlands reflect the nation’s biodiversity and are split into two distinct systems of plateaus and mountains. The terrain is exceptionally breathtaking and goes from one extreme to the next; where there is an abundance of hot springs, beautiful lakes, vivid mountains, high plateaus, and greenery, for as far as the eyes can see, there is also an abrupt dry lowlands and sparse plains. Amidst these highs and lows, I fell in love with their national tree, the beautiful acacias.

Travelling to Africa has been on my mind forever, but trips to these remote destinations can require months of planning if you are travelling solo, and group trips are always sold-out months in advance. Luckily for me, there was a cancellation in an upcoming group trip that fit perfectly into my schedule and with that I was registered to go to the South Omo Valley, an intense spot at the heart of Africa and like many other spots in the Mother Continent a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Valley is home to a rich tribal culture, there are 20 different tribes living in and around the Valley River. Approximately 200,000 agro-pastoralists make up of some of Africa’s most unique and traditional ethnic groups, including the Arbore, Ari, Banaa, Mursi, Nyangatom, Hamer, Karo, and Dassenach, among others. Truly unique and diverse each tribe reflects their tradition and ancient ways, from hairstyles, to distinctive costumes, multi-colored ornaments, and round thatched huts.

I arrived a day earlier than the rest of the group and after what felt like eternity getting my camera gear cleared in customs (read the note for camera requirements), I headed out of the airport where my hotel pickup was sort of” patiently “waiting for me.

Addis Ababa:” New flower in Amharic” is the third-highest capital city in the world, at an altitude of 2,440m and at the foot of Mount Entoto. The plan was to spend the afternoon touring Addis and driving up to its highest point to visit the shrine of the Late emperor Haile Selassie. The shrine is a must see if you are ever there, although it’s also the exact point when altitude sickness hits hard. An early night was enough to clear my head and the next day I headed to the airport where I met up with our group as we all flew out to Arba Minch, marking the start of a 10-day adventure across South Omo Valley.

Landing in the airport is enough to set the mood and expectations. Cattle and goats grazing on one side and monkeys and baboons in the trees keeping their distance from the amused tourists. This was beyond cool. We immediately split into groups of three making our way to our first stop: Lake Chamo. Home to the six largest crocs in the world, a huge number of hippo families, and the most exotic birdlife I have ever seen. The afternoon was well spent photographing this array of wildlife, I truly wish I could have extended my zoom to capture them in all their glory. The sunset was gorgeous, so a bit of lake-scape photography ended our day before we headed back for an early night.

We started our next day with the main focus of the trip, street and portrait photography. So, each of the days to come was dedicated to a different village and its market. These markets are the lifelines of the families that reside by it. Every member alone or collectively gets to showcase their handiwork or catch each of them eagerly trying to impress us enough to make a sale (I bought some croc fangs). It was so beautiful for every member of our group to not only capture the people of the village, but also to engage with them.

I could dedicate a whole write up just on the wonderful kids we met in each village. The children would follow us screaming “photo photo photo” and jumping into poses to try to get our attention and at other times just quietly giving us their best smile. We tried our best to interact with everyone, communicating with them in the most basic words and hand gestures to put them at ease and in turn ask permission to take their photos. Respecting their right not to be photographed was something important to us.

This was a trip of many firsts and watching a bull jumping ceremony ranks amongst the top of those firsts. After a long drive to the Hamar tribe location, we reached the celebration point and the festivities were in full swing. Women dancing in their traditional attires, their legs adorned in bells, and groups of people playing large horns. Home-brewed sorghum beer was passed around freely to villagers and visitors alike. The bull jumping ceremony is a coming-of-age ritual here, a young Hamar man (Ukuli) leaps over a line of 7-10 oiled cattle as a rite of passage. Amid an electric atmosphere and a cacophony of bells and horns, the young man must leap up onto, and run over the lined cattle buck naked, without falling. Once completed, he becomes qualified to marry up to 4 women, raise children, and own livestock. Even more intriguing, and another ritual of sorts were the female relatives who were demanding to be whipped by the men as a display of loyalty and dedication. The scene was one for the National geographic channel.

Another experience that stands out, was the trip to the Dassanech tribe. We drove to our spot where a dugout canoe was expecting us to take us across the Omo River to visit the tribe. We descended the steep embankment, very carefully sitting in the canoe so as not to tip it, helped by two kids not more than the ages of 14 who expertly, using poles, steered the canoe to its destination. Another first, and in all honesty, it really didn’t seem touristy to me but rather a genuine experience with people who were happy to share their culture with us.

Fast forward to our last day, the epiphany celebrations. At this point in the trip, I was exhausted and more than happy to stay in the hotel and take more bird photos. But Millie our driver, bless his heart, was adamant that I would join to witness Epiphany and I couldn’t have been more grateful to him for pushing me to do it. Epiphany, or Timket, commemorates Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist on the River Jordan in the East. In this festivity everyone wears white, the streets are lined with children from different choirs singing and dancing, with families watching the festivities. Colorful processions of “The Three Kings “by different church congregations included both traditional and religious songs sung. The entire event was so beautiful and so full of life.

Like all good things, our trip came to an end. Ten days passed, but they included a lifetime worth of experiences. I have a new level of respect for the communities we visited, and who continue to strive to keep their customs and traditions alive in today’s world. Ethiopia is not a trip for the faint hearted, but it is one that will leave your heart full. I am privileged to have experienced it with the best company anyone could wish for

Tips :

Check the vaccine requirements with your local health centre prior to the trip.

DO NOT drink tap water or even use it when brushing teeth .Use bottled water at all times.

Avoid eating any uncooked veggies or fruits to be on the safe side.Eat veggies or fruits that can be peeled .

Drones are not allowed in Ethiopia and they will be confiscated in customs .

Cameras and lenses have to be pre registered .

Pile up the sunscreen and keep it in your backpack at all times .

Buy a phone chip as wifi is limited to hotels and usually the service is not that great .

Electricity in hotels is closed between the hours 10pm to 5 am in the morning so keep a torch for emergencies.

A power bank is a must .I used Anker 10000M.

Visa requirements :

www.ethiopianimmigraition.org

Cameras and lenses :

-Travel with a minimum of two camera bodies. Easier than switching lenses. Fujifilm xt4/xh1/nikon z7ii

-bring as many camera batteries as possible.

-wide angle lens 14-24mm ( I like to use it in environmental portraits).for close ups I used 80mm usually a macro . a midrange zoom nikkor 24-120mm . A long range zoom 100400mm or more for wildlife.

There is a lot of flora for Macro lovers . Reeflex Macro 10x lens for mobile .

Clothing :

-Tshirts/joggers/long shorts /long sleeved t-shirts and gaiters for jungle treks./a light puffer jacket /a shawl.

Trainers and sandles with support. do not bring flats .

Sunglasses/mosquito repellent/sunscreen/ shampoo/lotion/soap/hats/ a full medical kit (paracetamol,vita c , anti nausea, anti diarrhea ,mosquito bite lotion, hand sanitiser )

LAST BUT NOT LEAST take as much pens and color crayons as your luggage allows . It’s a luxury they can’t afford . Candies are always a bonus.

Tour operator: Bryan peterson

Instagram : @bryanfpeterson