Ethiopia · Archaeology

2-Day Ethiopia Archaeology and Lakes Tour with Tiya and Langano

2 Days Round trip from Addis Ababa Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Visit the prehistoric archaeological site of Melka Kunture and its museum
02 See the UNESCO-listed Tiya Stella grave markers
03 Spot birds along the shores of Lake Ziway and flamingos at Abiyata and Shalla
04 Swim in Lake Langano, the only swimmable lake in Ethiopia

Go on a 2-day tour through southern and central Ethiopia to visit the prehistoric archaeological site of Melka Kunture, the UNESCO-listed Tiya Stella, Lake Ziway, and Abiyata Shalla National Park. Experience nature and wildlife along the way, with opportunities to spot birds and flamingos on the shores of the lakes. The journey also includes Lake Langano, the only swimmable lake in Ethiopia, and a chance to discover local culture and traditional coffee-making.

Go on a 2-day tour through southern and central Ethiopia to visit the prehistoric archaeological site of Melka Kunture, the UNESCO-listed Tiya Stella, Lake Ziway, and Abiyata Shalla National Park.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 2 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Wheelchair access No

Cities Addis Ababa, Lake Langano, Tiya, Butajira, Abijatta-Shalla National Park, Ziway, Bishoftu

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Melka Kunture, Tiya Stella, and Lake Ziway

Meet your tour guide either at the airport or at your hotel.
After breakfast, drive southwest of Addis Ababa to Melka Kunture, a prehistoric archaeological site. See the excavation site, fossils, stone tools made of obsidian, and other findings in the museum.
Continue to Tiya Stella, a grave marker site and one of the World Heritage Sites registered by UNESCO in 1980 E.C.
Stop for a lunch break in Butajira town.
Head to Ziway town, named after the lake. Spot birds along the shore such as Marabou storks, pelicans, hamerkops, ibises, herons, egrets, Egyptian geese, ducks, and more.
Continue to Lake Langano, the "golden lake," and enjoy a swim in the only swimmable lake in Ethiopia.

Overnight in Langano.

Day 02

Abiyata Shalla National Park and Bishoftu

Drive from Langano to Abiyata Shalla to see wild animals such as ostriches, gazelles, kudus, warthogs, and Anubis baboons.
Visit the hot springs, which local communities use for medicinal purposes, and where people sometimes boil eggs in the hot springs.
Head to the two lakes, Abiyata and Shalla, and spot some flamingos.
Return to Addis Ababa and, on the way, stop to see the traditional way of making coffee, either in Koka town, named after the lake, or in Bishoftu, also named after the lake.
Stop in Bishoftu town to visit one of the crater lakes and see the local activities of the Oromiya people.
Arrive in Addis Ababa.