Hawassa
A lakeside capital of Sidama Region in the Rift Valley, with a dawn fish market, hippo-watching on the lake, the Wondo Genet hot springs nearby and the Rift Valley lakes national parks within reach.
Hawassa lies in the floor of the East African Rift Valley at an elevation of about 1,700 meters. It is the capital of Sidama Region and lies about 275 km south of Addis Ababa. The city stretches along the east shore of Lake Hawassa, with wide streets, shady trees, and lakeside hotels and resorts. It is a popular weekend getaway and conference destination for Ethiopians, and a common overnight stop for travelers heading south to the Omo Valley, Arba Minch or east to the Bale Mountains.
The main sights are on the lakeside. At dawn, fishermen bring in freshly caught tilapia at the fish market, where it is cut into fillets and eaten raw on the spot, while marabou storks and pelicans scavenge among the crowd. Nearby, Amora Gedel Park has colobus monkeys and many bird species, and boats can be hired from the shore to see hippos. Tabor Hill, south of the city, offers views over the town and the lake.
Hawassa makes a good base for several day trips. About 25 km south-east are the Wondo Genet hot springs and forest. About 50 to 90 km north lies a group of Rift Valley lakes, including Abijatta-Shalla National Park with flamingos and hot springs, and Lake Langano, where swimming is possible. To the south, the Sidama highlands are the home of the famous Sidama coffee. On the way, Shashamane is home to a Rastafarian community whose members came from Jamaica. The Sidama New Year, 'Fichee-Chambalaalla' (around November–December), is listed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, and its main celebration takes place in Gudumale in town.
The best season is October to March, the dry season, with November to February the best for migratory birds. June to September is the main rainy season.
Getting there: Ethiopian Airlines flies from Addis Ababa to Hawassa (about 40 minutes). By road, the Addis Ababa–Adama–Hawassa expressway takes about 4–5 hours. In town, you can take a 'bajaj' three-wheeled taxi. Plan 2–3 days.
Top sights
- Lake Hawassa – A rift-valley freshwater lake to the west of the city, with open water ringed by mountains, where small boats offer close views of hippos a…
- Hawassa Fish Market – A lively open-air fish market by the lake in the early morning, where fishermen haul their boats ashore and clean fish on the spot, marabou…
- Amora Gedel Park – A lakeside leafy park next to the fish market, home to East African black-and-white colobus monkeys, long-tailed monkeys, and many waterbir…
- Wondo Genet Hot Springs – A forested hot spring area on the hillside southeast of town, with outdoor thermal pools, and birdwatching and colobus monkey spotting on f…
- Abijatta-Shalla Lakes National Park – Two alkaline lakes in the Rift Valley: shallow Lake Abijatta often hosts flamingos, while deep crater Lake Shalla has hot springs along its…
- Lake Langano – A rift valley lake with reddish-brown water, free of bilharzia and safe for swimming, with eco-lodges on its shore, ideal for birdwatching…
- Sidama Coffee Farms – The Sidama highlands south of Hawassa are a world-renowned specialty coffee origin, where visitors can tour smallholder coffee gardens and…
- Mount Tabor – A small hill south of town, a 30–40 minute walk to the top, offering views over Hawassa, its lake, and the distant Rift Valley mountains.
- Shashamane Rastafari Community – A Jamaican Rastafari migrant community formed after Emperor Haile Selassie gave land to Black people of the Western Hemisphere, with a muse…
- Gudumale – A sacred gathering ground of the Sidama people, where the New Year festival Fichee-Chambalaalla is celebrated each year; the festival is li…
Where to eat
- Lewi Resort Restaurant – An open-air lakeside restaurant with wide views of Lake Hawassa, specialising in freshly caught tilapia and local home-…
- Haile Resort Restaurant – A lakeside resort restaurant founded by long-distance running legend Haile Gebrselassie, with lake views and a mainly W…