Embedded Files
Where Ethiopia Comes to Swim
Lake Langano, sits at 1,585 meters above sea level in Ethiopia's Great Rift Valley. More than a resort destination, it is Ethiopia's only freshwater lake free of bilharzia, where mineral-rich waters shimmer with a distinctive copper hue , the dormant Edo Laki Island hot springs bubble from the surface , and the surrounding shores teem with monkeys, warthogs, and over 300 bird species against a backdrop of acacia woodlands and the Munessa State Forest.
Lake Langano
Lake Langano is a freshwater lake, located in the Great Rift Valley. It is the only lake in Ethiopia free of bilharzia (schistosomiasis), making its brown mineral-rich waters safe for swimming and water sports . The western shore features sandy beaches with resorts, while the eastern shore retains forest patches within Munessa State Forest
Abijatta-Shalla National Park
Abijatta-Shalla Lakes National Park is a protected area in the Great Rift Valley . Established in the 1960s-1970s, the park covers 887 square kilometers encompassing two alkaline lakes: Lake Abijatta (shallow, 14 meters deep) and Lake Shalla (Ethiopia's deepest lake at 266 meters, occupying a volcanic caldera) . The park features hot springs on Lake Abijatta's northeast corner and Lake Shalla's shores, Mount Fike between the lakes offering viewpoints over three lakes including Langano, and supports over 300 bird species including thousands of flamingos on Abijatta and breeding great white pelicans on Shalla.
Lake Chitu
Lake Chitu is a small crater lake within the Abijatta-Shalla Lakes National Park . The lake occupies a volcanic tuff ring measuring 1.6 by 1.2 kilometers in diameter, with the crater rim rising about 80 meters above the water . Its highly alkaline water (pH around 10.5) supports dense growth of Arthrospira fusiformis (Spirulina) algae, which attracts thousands of lesser flamingos that feed on the cyanobacteria . The name "Chitu" derives from the local language meaning "that which is broken or separated," referring to local tradition that it was once connected to Lake Shalla .
Nearby Attractions of Langano
Lake Ziway
Lake Ziway is a freshwater lake in Ethiopia's Great Rift Valley, measuring 31 kilometers long and 20 kilometers wide, with a surface area of 440 square kilometers at an elevation of 1,636 meters . Fed primarily by the Meki and Katar rivers, it drains via the Bulbula River into Lake Abijatta . The lake contains five islands, including Tulu Gudo, home to a monastery said to have housed the Ark of the Covenant around the 9th century . Lake Ziway supports a thriving fishing industry and is known for its populations of birds and hippopotamuses.
Shashamane Rastafari Community
The Rastafari community in Shashamane, traces its origins to a 1948-1950 land grant by Emperor Haile Selassie I to Black people of the world through the Ethiopian World Federation, in gratitude for support during the Italian invasion. The first settlers arrived in the 1950s-1960s from Montserrat, the United States, and Jamaica, creating the neighborhood called "Jamaica Safar" . Following the 1974 revolution, the Derg regime nationalized the land, reducing the community's holdings and prompting many to leave. Residents from various nations currently live there, maintaining Rastafari culture and religion.
Lephis Forest
Lephis Forest is a pristine highland forest encompassing rolling hills, valleys, and glades of unspoiled vegetation, home to diverse wildlife including leopards, warthogs, bushbuck, mountain nyala, and colobus monkeys, along with bird species such as thick-billed ravens and blue-breasted bee-eaters . The Lephis Waterfall, plunging over 20 meters into a sheer chasm, forms the forest's centerpiece .
Google Sites
Report abuse