- The Great Rift Valley stretches for over 9,600kms form Jordan to Mozambique South Africa. In east Africa this crack has made a valley with a length of 6000 kms. This is the last massive movement of the earth that played significant role in shaping the geological formation of the current landscape of the earth. Again these features, the active volcanoes, natural hot springs and strongly elongated lakes in the Great Rift Valley are evidences in the earth’s crust that threaten to split Africa apart eventually.
- This split east Africa in to two arms. The valley passes through Ethiopia where its largest area lies (it is about 2800kms long). In Ethiopia, the northern end of the valley opens in to the famous Dankill Depression (one of the hottest places on the earth) which is 116 meters below sea level. The volcanic floor is with an average width of 50 km and its maximum width is 90 km. This volcanic floor encompasses some of the world’s last true wildernesses.
- The Great Rift Valley’s passage through Ethiopia is marked by a chain of seven lakes. Each of the seven lakes has its own special life and character and provides ideal habitats for the exuberant variety of flora and fauna that make the region a beautiful and exotic destination for tourists. These lakes are Lake Zeway, Shalla, Abijata, Langano, Hwassa, Chmao and Abaya. Most of the lakes are suitable and safe for swimming and for other water sports activities. Lakes Abijata and Shalla are ideal places for bird watchers.
- Lake Langano has developed into an unsurpassed resort popular with weekend visitors from the capital Addis Abeba. There are good camping facilities and excellent hotels and chalet bungalows situated on the shore of the Lake, fronting sandy beaches perfect for swimming, sailing, water sporting and wind surfing. The nearby best sightseeing is Abijata and Shalla lakes national park, one of the extraordinary destination for bird watchers. In addition to birding tour in this national park, one will also see the deepest lake of Ethiopia called Shalla (260 meters deep). This lake is the most important lake for the breeding settlement of the Great White Pelicans. These two splendid lakes are also excellent feeding place for Flamingos in the continents of Africa and they are home to the migratory bird species which come from different African countries and Europe.
- Lake Abaya is the largest and longest lake from the rift valley (with length of 72km) and provides well-stocked fishing grounds in the Ethiopian rift valley. Lake Chamo makes the part of Ethiopia’s finest and known national park named Nech Sar National Park. In the edge of Lake Chamo’s sparkling aqua marine waters, hundreds of hippos come out at night to graze grass on the shores. Lake Chamo is asylum for huge African hippopotamus, and one can also see several thousand crocodiles at the places called Crocodile Market and with varieties of aquatic bird species.