Tourism in the Omo Valley can be extractive. It can reduce people to photo subjects, route money away from communities, and reward staged “authenticity.” We work against each of those tendencies, on purpose.
Consent comes first
No photograph is worth taking without consent. We explain in advance how photography works in each community, what fees apply, and when the answer is simply no. See photography and consent.
Community payments are transparent
Communities set fees for visits and photographs. We pay them, itemize them, and never hide them inside a “package.” You will know what reaches the community.
Local partners are named, not anonymous
Our guides and liaisons are colleagues, credited by name with their consent — not invisible “fixers.” The relationships they hold are the reason these journeys work.
Representation is honest
We do not use the words untouched, primitive, or lost tribe. We do not present distinct peoples as one culture, and we don’t hide contemporary life — phones, markets, schools, and change are part of the story, not a disappointment.
Small numbers, more time
Small groups and longer stays reduce pressure on communities and make genuine encounters possible. Depth is an ethical choice as much as an editorial one.
We do not sell access to people. We build journeys through relationships.