Bishoftu Crater Lakes

Bishoftu, long known as Debre Zeyit, sits on a volcanic field where half a dozen crater lakes lie within a few kilometres of the town: Bishoftu, Hora, Babogaya, Kuriftu, Green Lake and others, each in its own steep-sided crater with different colours and depths. Lodges and resorts have been built on several rims and the town is the standard weekend destination from Addis Ababa, with swimming, boating, birdwatching and a great deal of eating. Lake Hora is the site of the Irreecha thanksgiving festival of the Oromo, held after the rains in late September or early October, when very large crowds gather at the shore. Flamingos and pelicans use some of the lakes. It is convenient rather than remote.

What you actually see

• Multiple craters - several lakes within a few kilometres of each other.
• Rim lodges - resorts built along the crater edges.
• Waterbirds - pelicans, flamingos and herons on the lakes.
• Irreecha at Lake Hora - the Oromo thanksgiving gathering in autumn.

When to go

October to March for dry weather. Irreecha falls in late September or early October and brings enormous crowds to Hora. Weekends see heavy traffic from the capital; weekdays are much quieter.

Honest expectations

Development around the lakes is dense and the resorts vary widely in quality. Some lakes have water-quality problems and swimming is not always advisable. Weekend crowds and traffic on the Addis road are heavy. Access to several shores is through paying resorts.

Nearby

Addis Ababa lies northwest; Mount Zuqualla rises to the south.