Southern
Omo Valley
Discover Omo Valley.
Southern Ethiopia
Konso
Stone-walled hill towns and hand-built terraces, a UNESCO cultural landscape still farmed.
Overview
About Konso
In Konso the hills are stepped from foot to crest with dry stone terraces, and the towns sit on top inside up to six rings of stone wall. People have farmed this dry country the same way for more than 400 years; UNESCO listed it in 2011.
Inside the walls, lanes run like a maze to the mora meeting houses and the poles raised for each new generation. Carved wooden waga figures mark the graves of respected men.
- Region
- Southern
- Best time
- All year
Highlights
What makes it worth the journey
Highlights
- Terraced hillsides
- Walled towns such as Mecheke
- Mora meeting houses and generation poles
- Gesergio canyon
Things to do
- Walk a walled town with a local guide
- See the waga figures
- Visit Karat market on Monday or Thursday
- Walk among the sand pillars at Gesergio
Plan your visit
Before you go
Best time to visit
All year, best outside the rains of March to May
Getting there
Fly to Arba Minch, then about two hours south by road.
Getting around
On foot inside the walled towns, with a local guide from Karat.
Good to know
- The Konso zone is under an official travel warning; tours are paused.
- Always ask before photographing people.
Gallery
A look at Konso
Photos: Unsplash
Keep exploring
More places to see
Southern
Southern
Omo Valley
A river valley home to many distinct cultures, with colourful weekly markets.
Southern
Bale Mountains
Alpine moorland and forest, and the best place to look for the Ethiopian wolf.
Let us plan your Konso trip
Tell us when you want to travel and what you love. A local specialist will reply with a suggested plan and a clear price.