Situated in the Great Rift Valley, only 200 kilometers (124 miles) south of Addis Ababa, and in the Lake Langano recreational areas, the Abijatta Shalla lakes National Park attracts numerous visitors. Using Lake Langano as your base, it is an easy trip to visit the National Park, which is 887 square kilometers in size, 482 of these being water.

The altitude of the park ranges from 1540 to 2075 meters, the highest peak being Mount Fike, situated between the two lakes. The network of tracks in this park is always developing. At present, you can enter at four different points, three of which are interconnected. Approaching from Addis you first reach the Horakello entrance, where the small Horakello stream flows between lakes Langano and Abijatta.

It was created primarily for its aquatic birdlife, particularly those that feed and breed on lakes Abijatta and Shalla in Large numbers. The park compresses the two lakes, the isthmus between them, and a thin strip of land along the shorelines of each. Developments have been limited to a number of tracks on land and the construction of seven outposts. While attention is focused on the water birds, the land area does contain a reasonable amount of other wildlife.

Abijatta and Shalla are both terminal lakes but very different in nature. The surrounding area is mainly acacia woodland, some of which is very degraded by man. Lake Abijatta is a shallow pan, only fourteen meters (46 feet) deep, and its level fluctuates periodically, caused in part by human activity but often by natural phenomena as yet not fully understood. The beaches are unstable and saline, and vehicles must not venture too close as there is a very real danger of sinking.

Lake Shalla, by contrast, is, at 260 meters (853 feet), Ethiopia’s deepest Rift Valley Lake, possibly the deepest lake in Africa north of the Equator. It is an exceptionally beautiful and still largely untouched stretch of water, with several hot springs that bubble up by the shore and flow into the lake.

The sides are steep and rocky — often right down to the shore. Although swimming is considered safe, it may feel strange: the water’s color is like cold tea and there is a high concentration of salts, making it feel soapy. Few fish are found in this lake.

The park was created for the many aquatic bird species that use the lakes, particularly great white pelicans and greater and lesser flamingo. Shalla’s islands are used as breeding sites by many birds and are home to the continent’s most important breeding colony of great white pelicans. Because of the lake’s lack of fish, the birds fly to Lake Abijatta — which has no islands — to feed. Other birds include white-necked cormorant, African fish eagle, Egyptian geese, various plover species, and herons. Although renowned for its birdlife, Abijatta is now outclassed by Lake Awassa farther to the south.

Local mammals are not numerous but include Grant’s gazelle — the northern limit for this species — greater kudu, Oribi, warthog, and golden jackal.

It has one of the highest wetland bird diversity in Ethiopia It is home to 144 waterbird species, which is in effect 70.6% of the total wetland bird species for the country. It is the most important breeding location for the Great White Pelican It is known to be the best site in the country to find a high number of Lesser Flamingos Acts as a staging ground for thousands of migrating waders and ducks during the Palaearctic migration period. Shalla is one of the deepest lakes in Africa and is reputedly one of the widest calderas on the continent.

Size of Abijatta-Shalla Lakes National Park

The park covers an area of 887 square kilometers which contains the Rift Valley lakes of Abijatta and Shalla.

Location of Abijatta-Shalla Lakes National Park

Abijatta-Shalla National Park is a national park in Ethiopia. It is located in the Oromia Region and the Ethiopian Highlands region, 200 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, and east of the Ziway–Shashamane highway.

How to get to Abijatta-Shalla Lakes National Park

Abijatta-Shalla National Park is a national park in Ethiopia. It is located in the Oromia Region and the Ethiopian Highlands region, 200 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, and east of the Ziway–Shashamane highway the park can be accessed by road using a 4×4 vehicle

Things to do in Abijatta-Shalla Lakes National Park

The park’s chief attractions are the scenic beauty of the Lakes and the wealth of birdlife they support. The park is resided by few mammal species and much birdlife with a unique combination. The two lakes in the park are found side by side and have different features. Lake Shalla is the deepest lake in the Rift 260ms and Lake Abijatta the shallowest lake in the Rift 13ms. Lake Abijatta is a home for enormous species of big game as well as nesting birds whereas Lake Shalla is devoid of birds. An ostrich farm is another charm of this national park. This park is especially known for its significance to migrating wetland birds from Palaearctic during the northern winter months. It serves as a stopover for a high population of birds including Black-winged Stilt, Avocet, and a large number of Lesser Flamingo and as a major feeding ground for the Great White Pelican.

Wildlife encounters

Grant’s gazelle, Colobus monkey, grivet monkey, Warthog, Greater kudu, Klipspringer, Oribi, and Jackals.

Birding excursions

Yellow-fronted Parrot is endemic to the park and other water birds can be seen on the lake shores.

Lake Chitu: is a small Crater Lake that offers a spectacular view of a colony of flamingos feeding on blue-green algae.

Look-out points: designated near Head Quarter to give contrasting views of both lakes.

When to visit Abijatta-Shalla Lakes National Park

Great birding trips can be observed from June to October and though less of the wildlife is seen the park can still extremely interesting to visit

Where to stay in Abijatta-Shalla Lakes National Park

Travelers can stay along with the lake sites and our picks are Bishangari lodge, Hara Langano Eco lodge, and Sabana beach resort.