Sof Omar Caves

Around 100 kilometres east of the Bale Mountains are the Sof Omar caves, a vast, fascinating cave system through which the Web River flows. The river flows underground over a distance of several kilometres and passes through a variety of hidden chambers which have been washed out of the limestone over thousands of years. The entrance to the cave is a large, natural portal. Soon inside is the so-called “Chamber of Columns”, one of the finest and most imposing of all chambers. Limestone columns reach up to 20 metres high, dividing the room giving it a cathedral-like character. A 1.7 kilometre route along the river flows through the cave system.  The river must be crossed seven times and it is about an hour’s walk before the daylight is seen again.

The caves are named after Sheikh Sof Omar, a local Muslim leader in the 12^th century and are a place of pilgrimage for the Muslim population of the country. But even earlier, the caves were a place of worship for the early resident dwellers.

The caves are also interesting for any ornithologists as they feature a rare endemic bird, the Salvadori’s serin.

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Birding: Salvadori’s serin, orange-bellied parrot, blue-naped mousebird, Abyssinian scimitar-bill, sulphur-breasted bush shrike, small grey flycatcher, brown-tailed chat, brown-tailed apalis, bristle-crowned starling, Fischer’s starling, Somali tit

Meals & Accommodation: Hotels can be found in the cities of Goba or Robe, or alternatively in the lodge at the Bale National Park in Dinsho.

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