Rift Valley Lakes & Tiya Steles Tour with Private Guide

Stone monuments from the 14th century stand among the Rift Valley's crater lakes and bird colonies.

This 11-hour day trip from Addis Ababa takes you south through the Ethiopian Rift Valley to two distinct sites: Lake Ziway, where you walk the shoreline to spot water birds and hippos, and the Steles of Tiya, a UNESCO World Heritage cemetery of 42 stone monuments erected between the 12th and 14th centuries to honor local warriors. The tour includes a private air-conditioned minivan with an English-speaking guide, a visit to an Oromo family and a traditional coffee ceremony, hotel pickup, bottled water and local snacks.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Rift Valley Lakes and Tiya Steles

• Visit Tiya Steles UNESCO site
• Walk around Lake Ziway for birdwatching
• Have lunch at Butajira with viewpoints
• Visit Oromo village near Bishoftu crater lake

The experience

You start from your hotel in Addis Ababa and travel south into the Rift Valley, stopping at viewpoints along the way to see the dramatic escarpment and crater lakes of the region. The route passes through Bishoftu, where you visit a village of the Oromo people and get a sense of how rural communities live in the highlands. Lunch happens in Butajira before you reach the main sites.

Lake Ziway is your first major stop. You walk the shoreline for 30 minutes to an hour, watching for Marabou Storks, Malachite Kingfishers, Sacred Ibis, African Fish Eagles and Hammerkops. If conditions are right, hippos surface in the water. The lake sits at the heart of the Rift Valley's chain of crater lakes, and the bird life is what draws most visitors to this stretch of water.

The Steles of Tiya are the centerpiece. These 42 standing stones, carved between the 12th and 14th centuries, mark a burial ground for local warriors and are among Ethiopia's most significant archaeological sites. The stones vary in height and carving detail, and the cemetery sits on open ground with views across the valley. Before heading back to Addis, you stop at a local family's home for a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony: roasted beans, ground by hand, brewed in a jebena pot and served in small cups as part of the social ritual.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned Toyota minivan with professional English-speaking guide.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Addis Ababa.
• visit to an Oromo family home and traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony.
• bottled water and local snacks during the drive.
• access to Lake Ziway for bird watching and the Steles of Tiya UNESCO site.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 06:30, 07:00 and 07:30

Book up to12h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and German

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want to see both the Rift Valley's lakes and the 14th-century Steles of Tiya in one day. The private minivan lets you set the pace and linger at viewpoints without the fixed stops of a shared group tour.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and German.

What birds can I expect to see at Lake Ziway?

Lake Ziway hosts Marabou Storks, Malachite Kingfishers, Sacred Ibis, African Fish Eagles and Hammerkops. The 30-minute to one-hour walk along the shoreline gives you the best chance to spot them, and hippos occasionally surface in the water if you're lucky.

How old are the Steles of Tiya and why were they built?

The Steles of Tiya are stone monuments erected between the 12th and 14th centuries AD to honor local warriors. About 42 of these carved stones still stand at the UNESCO World Heritage site, marking one of Ethiopia's most important archaeological cemeteries.

Does the tour include meals?

Lunch is at your own cost in Butajira. The tour includes bottled water and local snacks in the van, plus a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony at a local family's home, but meals are not part of the package.

What time does the tour leave and when do I get back to Addis?

The tour runs 11 hours total from hotel pickup to drop-off. Hotel pickup is included, so your guide collects you in the morning and returns you to your accommodation in the evening.

Is this tour suitable if I'm visiting Addis for just one day?

Yes. This is a full-day trip from Addis Ababa, so if you have one free day after arrival or before departure, it covers the main Rift Valley sites and gets you back by evening. The private minivan and guide mean the pace stays steady without waiting for other groups.