Southern Ethiopia
The main settlement in this area is the colourful village of Kibish. Set in a bowl in the forested hills, it is a fascinating place populated by the…
Must-see attractions in Southern Ethiopia
Southern Ethiopia
More than any other park in Ethiopia, this national park is known for its wildlife, but it’s a very beautiful place, too. As you approach from Dodola,…
Southern Ethiopia
With its mountainous backdrop, Lake Awasa is a lovely sight. You could easily spend a few pleasant hours strolling the lakeshore trail at the end of town,…
Southern Ethiopia
Lake Awasa’s fishermen head out in their little wooden boats in the afternoon and return the next morning laden with tilapia and catfish. The men are…
Southern Ethiopia
Omo National Park has long been one of the most remote parks in Ethiopia and travelling here can be incredibly tough – but never less than fascinating…
Southern Ethiopia
The main wildlife-watching circuit crosses the Bridge of God to the park’s namesake savannah, but the road is so atrocious that many tour companies prefer…
Southern Ethiopia
Around 100km east of Robe, the fast-flowing Web River runs through a deep gorge and then cuts straight through a limestone hill. Though underground for…
Abiata-Shala Lakes National Park
Southern Ethiopia
West of Lake Langano lie the twin lakes of Abiata and Shala, which form part of the national park. Identical twins these lakes are not: Shala’s 410-sq-km…
Southern Ethiopia
Hayzo is one of the few Southern Nations’ villages that has succeeded in turning the influx of tourists into a positive experience for all concerned. You…
Senkelle Swayne’s Hartebeest Sanctuary
Southern Ethiopia
Senkelle was established to protect Ethiopia’s endemic Swayne’s hartebeest, and though the population of around 700 is a far cry from the huge herds of…
Southern Ethiopia
Although by Ethiopian standards wildlife is fairly abundant in this dramatically beautiful 2162-sq-km park, there’s no chance of an East African-safari…
Southern Ethiopia
Where the Kulfo River empties into Lake Chamo you’ll find oodles of crocodiles sunning themselves. Both the size of the congregation and the size of the…
Southern Ethiopia
Shashemene’s Rastafarian community, known locally as Jamaica, straddles the main road just north of town. It’s readily distinguished by its tri-coloured…
Southern Ethiopia
This bizarre crater lake is about 800m across and 600m below the crater rim – it is so dark in colour that it looks like an oil slick amid the ruddy rocks…
Borana National Park – Yabelo Wildlife Sanctuary
Southern Ethiopia
Covering an area of 2496 sq km, this wildlife reserve was originally created to protect Ethiopia’s endemic Swayne’s hartebeest. Hartebeests have since…
Southern Ethiopia
High above the town, this venture provides a very brief introduction to Konso culture, but it’s the excellent collection of totemistic waga that makes it…
Southern Ethiopia
Spanning the narrow yet mountainous ‘Bridge of God’ that separates Lakes Chamo and Abaya, Nechisar National Park ranks among the most scenic national…
Southern Ethiopia
The World Heritage–listed Tiya Stelae Field is an important stelae cluster at the south end of Tiya village, about 35km after the turn-off to Adadi. Tiya…
Southern Ethiopia
Arba Minch, which is Amharic for ‘Forty Springs’, is named after the innumerable little springs that bubble up right at the base of the ridge below the…
Arba Minch
Divided by the lyrical ‘Bridge of God’ from Lake Chamo, beautiful Abaya is Ethiopia’s second-largest lake. Its peculiar reddish-brown waters are a result…
Southern Ethiopia
These lovely grounds west of the fish market provide a green haven for nature lovers and are also popular with newlyweds. You'll see plenty of vervet and…
Southern Ethiopia
If you're serious about archaeology, this megalithic site is well worth the detour. It features 267 (or so they say) densely packed stelae that are…
Southern Ethiopia
Jinka’s famous Saturday market, the largest in the region, sits 300m northwest of the roundabout. It attracts a variety of ethnic groups including Ari,…
Southern Ethiopia
The name of this hot springs resort 16km southeast of Shashemene translates as ‘Green Heaven’, which was more applicable before the hills were cleared of…
Southern Ethiopia
Ethiopia’s southernmost rock-hewn church, Adadi Maryam is believed to date from the 12th or 13th century. It's fairly crude in comparison with its…
Southern Ethiopia
A definite must-see for history or archaeology buffs, the Tutiti stelae field comprises nearly 1500 tapered stones that are up to 7.5m tall (though few…
Southern Ethiopia
This place is the home-cum-workshop-cum-museum of Haile Selassie medals and memorabilia of Ras Hailu Tefari (Bandy), originally from St Vincent in the…
Southern Ethiopia
Perched on a ridge 2km west of Konso, this atmopheric market proffers grand views over the Rift Valley. For sale, you’ll find women’s traditional skirts,…
Komaya Heart of Konso Cultural Handicraft Market
Southern Ethiopia
This beautiful hilltop spot is a developing project to provide an income for local craftspeople. There’s a weaving workshop and other craft demonstrations…
Southern Ethiopia
Lake Hare Sheitan (Devil’s Lake), about 9km south of Butajira, is an incredibly photogenic circular crater lake with the rim soaring perhaps 150m above…
South-Omo Museum & Research Centre
Southern Ethiopia
Perched on a hill northeast of town (look for the green roof), this museum hosts an interesting exhibition on the region's cultures. There’s also a…
Southern Ethiopia
Usually a stop on the way to the Lower Omo Valley, Arfaide, 20km out of town along the Jinka road, has a large collection of old waga that were recovered…
Southern Ethiopia
Chief Kalla Gezahegn is one of the nine Konso clan chiefs. A former civil engineer in Addis Ababa, he speaks fluent English and welcomes (paying) visitors…
Arba Minch
Lake Chamo supports a very large population of crocodiles and, unlike neighbouring Lake Abaya, the waters are not rusty in colour.
Arba Minch
Walking between the masses of crocs in their concrete tanks at this government-run facility is more humdrum than it sounds, except during feeding, which…
Southern Ethiopia
If you’re not in a rush, visit this low-key museum. It has various objects on display in the big round hall – the metal and brick exterior covers a…
Southern Ethiopia
An hour from Addis, just over the Awash River, is the Melka Kunture prehistoric site, where many stone tools and fossils, dating back 1.8 million years,…
Southern Ethiopia
Awasa's most prominent landmark, this cylindrical monument lies on a large roundabout east of the main avenue. It is said to represent the leaf of the…
Southern Ethiopia
Though more a local resource centre than tourist attraction, there’s a pottery display (ask staff to unlock the rooms) and occasional special exhibitions…
