Abijatta-Shalla National Park, National park with two lakes in Oromia Region, Ethiopia
Abijatta-Shalla National Park is a protected area in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia, centered on two crater lakes sitting at different elevations. Lake Abijatta is shallow and alkaline, while Lake Shalla is enclosed by steep cliffs and sits much deeper below the surrounding terrain.
The Ethiopian government established this park in 1963 to protect the two lakes and their surrounding land. Since then, human pressures such as deforestation and grazing have changed much of the area, posing ongoing challenges for its management.
People living near the lakes have fished and herded animals here for generations, giving the area a rhythm tied to the water and open land. Around Lake Abijatta, visitors may spot local fishermen working along the shore.
The park sits south of Addis Ababa along the road toward Shashamane and is best reached by private vehicle. A four-wheel drive is helpful for the rougher tracks inside, and it is worth bringing layers since temperatures can shift over the course of the day.
Natural hot springs rise from the shores and bed of Lake Shalla in its northeastern section, fed by geothermal activity beneath the rift valley floor. This same lake is considered one of the deepest in all of Ethiopia, which makes it look and feel very different from the shallow Lake Abijatta beside it.
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