The Great African Rift Valley runs through Ethiopia with a chain of very different lakes in it. The main section runs south from a town called Nazeret/Adama towards the Kenyan border. The lakes include Ziway, Langano, Abijiata, Shalla, Hawassa, Abaya, Chamo, and finally in the Omo Valley, Chew Bahir, and the upper part of Lake Turkana.

This area is mostly inside Oromiya region, which is Ethiopia’s largest region and home to the biggest ethnic group. There is a long-standing Oromo movement for greater autonomy, which spawned a guerrilla movement known as the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). While main roads, towns, hotels, and lodges are generally safe, there is some concern in the surrounding countryside. We observe the precaution of not driving late in the day.

The area around Hawassa, Awassa, is in Sidamo Region, a new region, and not affected by this conflict except right along some borders. The city is modern and safe. We have made several trips there recently, focusing on the mountains to the west of the lake, and found it safe.

A little to the east of the lakes is a parallel road south going from Nazeret/Adama through Assela to Dodola. This is much less traveled by tourists, and the mountains off to the east of the road are not safe places to trek at this time. However, the main road is OK with the same proviso as with the road to the west.