About This Place

Lake Ziway, also known as Batu, is a vast and shallow freshwater lake in the northern part of Ethiopia's Great Rift Valley, situated about 160 kilometers south of Addis Ababa. It is renowned for its five volcanic islands, most notably Tulu Gudo, which houses an ancient monastery where local tradition says the Ark of the Covenant was once hidden for safekeeping in the 10th century. As a critical ecological and economic hub, the lake supports a thriving fishing industry and vast irrigation projects while serving as a premier sanctuary for hippopotamuses and spectacular birdlife, including massive colonies of Great White Pelicans and Marabou storks.