Travel Guide Grottes De Sof Omar

Sof Omar, with its 15 km of explored galleries, is by far the most important cave in Ethiopia. First listed in the late 19th century, it has been explored by numerous expeditions, mainly British and Swiss. But Ethiopia's underground domain remains to be discovered. The main limestone zone, likely to contain chasms and caves, stretches from the Dire Dawa road to Addis Ababa in the north, to the Bale massif in the south. The area to be explored is immense. For some years now, expeditions by Ethiopian, Italian, English and French speleologists have been systematically cataloguing caves and chasms. The recorded underground domain corresponds to 37.5 km of galleries (including the 15.1 km of Sof Omar). But there are still hundreds of kilometers of galleries and caves to be discovered. The area and riverbanks are a good place to observe animal life, with monkeys, kudu, dik-dik, turtles and reptiles, as well as numerous species of birds and butterflies. It's worth combining a visit to the caves with one to Sof Omar's Saturday market.A word of caution. Many caves are home to large colonies of bats, whose guano can cause histoplasmosis. Histoplasmosis is a microscopic fungus that affects the lungs through inhalation. Any incursion into the caves, however small, requires protection with a mask.Sof Omar cave. This is currently the only cave open to tourists. The village of Sof Omar stretches along the gorge of the Web River, which here loses itself in an underground labyrinth forming the largest network of natural caves on the continent. In the white limestone, erosion has fashioned a formidable complex of imposing porches, majestic halls, arches and pillars, a veritable natural cathedral where the sound of the river adds to the already spellbinding atmosphere. The network of galleries stretches for 15 km, with 42 passages that require caving equipment to explore in their entirety. However, an hour's walk allows you to discover part of the underground complex, including the "big dome" and the "column chamber", between the Ayyo Mako natural bridge and the Hulluqa resurgence. Astonishing rock sculptures, such as the "Sof Omar carpet", stretch along the riverbed. If a guide is essential, don't hesitate to negotiate prices (100 birr seems a reasonable price, but guides rarely speak good English).In addition to its great natural beauty, the site is also one of the high points of Ethiopian Islam. It was here that Sheikh Safiyullah Omar (Sof Omar) found refuge in the early days of Islam, before the new religion spread throughout the Bale region. Here, however, immemorial animist rites venerating underground spirits mingle with the Muslim cult in memory of the holy man, and during pilgrimages, numerous pagan offerings accumulate at the entrance to the caves.