Debre Zeit (bishoftu) Lakes Tour

This is the native Oromo name for the little town nowadays called Debre Zeit. Only 50km. from Addis Ababa, with a population of 50,000, Bishoftu is rapidly expanding. It is the site of the air force base and the veterinary institute. At an altitude of 1,900 meters it enjoys a warmer climate than the capital city. Bougain villea, flame trees and frangipani brighten the streets. Bishoftu lies within a circle of five crater lakes and is a popular weekend resort for Addis Ababa residents. Just before entering the town on the right side of the road (42 km, from Addis) there is a fruit juice café where refreshing drinks of papayas, orange, strawberry and grape juice, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables and some tinned foods, are on sale. The terrace of this little bar overlooks a shallow lake, Chalaklaka, formed by the rains which is periodically the feeding ground for about 100,000 flamingos.

The main hotel, the Hara, is situated on the rim of the largest crater, Boating and waterskiing are popular and there are many species of birds for the enthusiastic ornithologist – cormorants, pelicans, grebes, shovellers, storks and a myriad of brightly coloured passerines. Continuing down the same road past the Veterinary Training Center and Experimental Station, you come to an even prettier lake where the mission has its headquarters. Other lakes in the area worth a visit are Green Lake, famous for its birdlife, and Lake Bishoftu to the south.