Debre Zeit
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Debre Zeit

Debre Zeit

Ethiopian town south of Addis Ababa, set among wooded volcanic crater lakes near the Rift Valley.

Debre Zeit sits 47 kilometres south of Addis Ababa, close enough for a day trip but rewarding enough to deserve a night or two. The town itself is unremarkable, but its setting is not: a cluster of crater lakes fills ancient volcanic calderas on the edge of the Rift Valley escarpment, and the landscape around them is wooded and calm.

The most striking of these lakes is Babogaya, a near-circular volcanic crater lake about a kilometre across, filled with clear water and ringed by trees. You can swim in it, paddle around it by kayak, and sit above it watching a remarkable variety of birdlife — around 50 species have been recorded from the lakeshore alone. Behind the water, the cone of Yerer volcano rises to give the whole scene a satisfying drama. Emperor Haile Selassie used to retreat here at weekends, and it is easy to see why.

The climate is mild and pleasant year-round, noticeably cooler and less hectic than Addis.

Guide

Getting There

From Addis Ababa the drive is about an hour on a good day — 47 kilometres south on the A1 expressway toward Adama. The new toll road bypasses most of the old congestion, but the last few kilometres into town are still slow.

Minibuses leave from Addis's Mexico Square and Kality terminal regularly through the day, dropping at the main bus stand in Debre Zeit. The fare is modest. From there, taxis (bajaj three-wheelers) run out to the lakes.

Train. The Addis Ababa–Djibouti railway makes a stop at Bishoftu station, which is the easiest way in if you happen to be timing it right. The station is in the south of town, twenty minutes from the lakes.

A car helps if you want to circuit several lakes. Otherwise pick one — Hora, Babogaya, or Kuriftu — and base yourself at a lodge there.

Guide

Things to Do

The lakes are the whole point of Debre Zeit. Five crater lakes — Bishoftu, Hora, Babogaya, Kuriftu, and Cheleleka — sit within a few kilometres of the town centre, all formed by volcanic explosions that left near-perfect circular craters. You can spend a full day driving between them or walking a circuit on foot.

The lakes are good for swimming, kayaking, and bird-watching. Several resorts offer day passes that include lake access, a meal, and the use of a kayak or paddleboard. The Hora and Kuriftu resorts on Lake Kuriftu and Lake Hora are the best-known.