Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
RIFT VALLEY LAKES
The traditional route to southern Ethiopia heads southeast out of Addis and departs the
Harar road 70km later at Mojo. The many shade houses you'll pass supply the European
market with flowers and vegetables. Also keep an eye out for colourful
Oromo tombs
that
dot the countryside, particularly after Lake Ziway.
The route follows one of our planet's grandest geographical features: the massive Great
Rift Valley. A 4000km scar that stretches from the Red Sea to Mozambique, it's a work in
progress, and millions of years from now the rifting process will have split Africa in two.
The most visible manifestation of the subterranean forces in this area is a string of five
lakes along the road.
Lake Ziway
Surrounded by volcanic hills and covering a massive 425 sq km, Lake Ziway is the largest
of the northern group of Rift Valley lakes.
Sights & Activities
Typically the lake earned just a quick hit on a southern sojourn, for a look at the many
white pelicans, hamerkops, sacred ibises, African fishing eagles, marabou storks and other
birds
that hang around the busy earthen
jetty
(per person Birr10, per vehicle Birr10)
wait-
ing to feed on fishermen's castoffs. But the formalised organisation of boat trips to the is-
lands should lead more people to extend their stay.
BOAT TOUR
Visitor Information Centre
( 0927-340309;
ziwayboatservice@gmail.com
; 8am-5pm)
Boat trips are booked here
near the jetty, 1km east of Bekele Mola Hotel. The most popular outing is the half-day
Short Boat Tour (one to four people Birr620), which visits the historic monastery on
Debre
Sina island
, takes a close look at the residents of
Bird Island
, finds the
hippo pods
(which
can sometimes be seen from the jetty), and stops to climb up to a viewpoint.
Another half-day trip (Birr1300) goes out to the largest island,
Tullu Gudo
, to visit the
Zay village and the legendary
Maryam Tsion
(Birr50)
monastery. According to tradition,
it housed the Ark of the Covenant for 70 years when priests, fleeing the destruction of the
city of Aksum at the hands of Queen Gudit in the 9th century, brought it here. Interestingly,
