Hawassa
The fish market at dawn
Fishermen land tilapia and catfish at first light; marabou storks and pelicans wait their turn. Breakfast is fried fish on the shore. In the evening, walk the lakeside to Amora Gedel park.
Destination · Along the A7 · የስምጥ ሸለቆ ሐይቆች
Rift Valley lakes
- Altitude
- 1,580 to 1,710 m
- Drive
- Addis to Hawassa, 4 to 5 hours
- Time needed
- 2 nights
- Best months
- October to March
- Birds
- Pelicans, flamingos, fish eagles
On sale
We use only the A7 corridor south of the expressway junction, where the FCDO makes an exception, and the lakes beyond it in Sidama and West Arsi. We do not go to Bishoftu's lakes for Irreecha. Checked 26 October 2026 against UK and US government advice.
01 · The place
የስምጥ ሸለቆ ሐይቆች
A chain of lakes in the floor of the Rift, from Ziway to Hawassa, joined by one road we are able to use: birds, fish markets, hot springs and the way south to coffee country.
South of Addis the highlands split and drop into the Great Rift Valley, and the road runs past a string of lakes: Ziway with its island monasteries, brown Langano, the soda lakes of Abijatta and Shalla with their flamingos, and Hawassa, a university town on a freshwater lake with a dawn fish market.
We are careful here. The FCDO advises against all but essential travel in most of East Shewa, but makes an exception for the A7 from the expressway to Hawassa. We stay on that road and on the lakes beyond it, and we check the zone list again before every quote.
- A7
- The only road through East Shewa we use, as the FCDO allows.
- Hawassa
- The capital of Sidama region, on its own freshwater lake.
- Wondo Genet
- Hot springs and forest above Hawassa.
02 · Rift Valley lakes
What we do here
Ziway
Lake Ziway and its islands
Batu, the town on Lake Ziway's shore, sits on the A7 itself. Pelicans and fish eagles on the lake; island monasteries out on the water.
Wondo Genet
Hot springs in the forest
Twenty kilometres from Hawassa, hot springs rise in old forest with colobus monkeys and many birds. A morning's walk, then a swim.
03 · When to go
Month by month, by the Ethiopian calendar
Read across the thirteen months. For exact dates and festivals during your trip, use the calendar converter.
መስከረምMeskerem
Best
Best
ጥቅምትTikimt
Best
Best
ኅዳርHidar
Best
Best
ታኅሣሥTahsas
Best
Best
ጥርTir
Best
Best
የካቲትYekatit
Best
Best
መጋቢትMegabit
Good
Good
ሚያዝያMiyazya
Good
Good
ግንቦትGinbot
Good
Good
ሰኔSene
Rains
Rains
ሐምሌHamle
Rains
Rains
ነሐሴNehase
Rains
Rains
ጳጉሜንPagume
Good
Good
BestGoodRains: possible, but harder
04 · Getting there
Getting there, and the advice
We drive from Addis on the Addis–Adama expressway and then the A7 south. Batu (Ziway) is about 160 km from Addis, Hawassa about 275 km. For the way back, Ethiopian Airlines flies Hawassa–Addis.
We do not go to Bishoftu's crater lakes for Irreecha, or off the A7 into East Shewa's other districts.
Shaded by the UK FCDO zone list. Red: advised against all travel. Ochre: essential travel only.
05 · Sample journeys
Journeys that include Rift Valley lakes
Before you write
Before you go
Can we swim in the lakes?
Ask locally each time. Some lakes carry a risk of bilharzia, especially near reeds and villages. The hot pools at Wondo Genet are the easier swim.
Why not Abijatta-Shalla?
The park lies off the A7. We include it only when we have checked the access road against the current zone list; it is not part of our standard routes.
Next destination
Omo Valley