We drove back towards Omorate to visit the Karo tribe living on the banks of the Omo River (🎟️500 ETB, 📷500 ETB, guide 1000 ETB). The Karo tribe is an indigenous ethnic group of about 3,000 people in southwestern Ethiopia, known for their elaborate body and face painting and scarification. They practice flood-retreat cultivation, fishing, and raising livestock, and have strong cultural ties to the nearby Hamer tribe. Karo culture features unique traditions such as decorating hair with clay and feathers, and males scarifying their chests for acts of bravery. Fishing is also a traditional activity; “kara” means “fish” in their language. They share cultural and linguistic similarities with the Hamer tribe and sometimes participate in ceremonies such as the Hamer bull-jumping rite.
