Rift Valley Lakes

There are seven lakes in the Rift Valley about 200 km south of Addis Abeba. They are located in the wide fertile stretch of the valley between the capital and the border with Kenya. Thousands of birds roam the area and many people only visit this area to see the birds. Most birds can be seen on Lake Abiyata, which is shallow. Lake Lagano and Crater Lake Shala are also popular spots. The latter is 250 meters down a crater. Some of the lakes are protected as national park. The area around Lake Abaya (the largest of the seven lakes) and Lake Chamo closer to the Kenyan border is a good place if you want to see wildlife. Beware of crocodiles though.

Be careful when swimming in the lakes as they may contain bilharzia. Lake Lagano is supposed to be the safest and there is some accommodation available. More accommodation can be found at Lake Ziway.

There are hot springs in Wondo Genet to the south, 13 km from Shashemene.

There is a bus connection from Addis Abeba to the lake area.