What day trips from Addis Ababa are possible right now?

There is plenty to fill a free day from Addis Ababa. The classic day trip is Bishoftu (Debre Zeit) and its volcanic crater lakes, roughly 50 km south-east on the expressway: lunch on a crater rim, a lakeside walk and back in the city before dark. The capital itself makes a full, relaxed day out, and Hawassa and the southern lakes are an easy trip of a night or two.

Older blog posts list a dozen day trips from Addis, and a few of them are in areas where travel isn't advised right now, so this guide focuses on the ones that work well today. For all of them, a private car with a driver is the easiest way to go: one fixed quote for the whole car, the driver waits at each stop, and you are back in Addis before dark.

Which day trip works best right now?

Bishoftu (Debre Zeit) and its crater lakes

Bishoftu is the clear answer. It is named as an exception in the official warnings for Oromia and sits on the Addis–Adama expressway, a toll road, roughly 50 km south-east of the capital.

Bishoftu is a resort town known for its five volcanic crater lakes, including Lake Bishoftu, Lake Hora and Lake Kuriftu. Resorts and lakeside restaurants sit on some of the crater rims, with good views over the water. A typical day is simple: a late breakfast or lunch by a lake, a walk to a viewpoint, and back to Addis well before dark.

One date to watch: Irreecha, the Oromo thanksgiving festival, is held at Lake Hora each year around the start of October and draws enormous crowds. If your trip falls then, check the date first and expect heavy traffic and security checks.

Our drivers make this trip regularly. We pick you up at your hotel, drive the expressway, drop you at the lake or resort you choose and bring you back to Addis in daylight, all for one fixed quote agreed before the day. For more detail, see our guides to what to do in Bishoftu and how long the drive takes.

What can you do on a day out inside Addis Ababa?

If you have a spare day and want to stay in the capital, the city itself has plenty:

• Entoto Park on the forested hills at the city's northern edge, with trails, viewpoints and the historic Entoto Maryam church. Reported crime has risen there, so go by car, in daylight and with company; your driver drops you at the entrance and waits.
• The National Museum near Arat Kilo, where you can see a replica of the famous Lucy skeleton, combined with Holy Trinity Cathedral and Unity Park in the old palace grounds.
• The Adwa Victory Memorial in Piassa, opened to the public in 2024, with St George's Cathedral a short walk away.
• Merkato, one of Africa's biggest open-air markets, best visited in the morning with someone who knows it. Keep valuables out of sight, as in any big market.

Link these together with a driver by the day and you have a full, relaxed day without leaving the city: the car waits at each stop and takes you on to the next, and you are never flagging taxis on the street.

What about Hawassa and the south?

Hawassa is not a day trip, but it is very much a trip you can make. Our drivers drive to Hawassa and other southern cities regularly, down the main road from the expressway, and we can tell you current road conditions before you book. The drive is long enough that most people stay at least one night, often with stops at the Rift Valley lakes on the way. Read our guide to the Addis–Hawassa drive for timings.

A few of the classic trips, such as Debre Libanos monastery, Tiya's stelae field, Adama and Ambo, are in areas where travel isn't advised right now, and the north, including Lalibela, is off the table for this trip too. Bishoftu, a day in Addis and a couple of nights in Hawassa make a very good substitute.

How do we look after you on a trip out of Addis?

Before every trip outside Addis, we do our own security check using reports from our drivers across the country. Then we talk it through with you and decide together on the best plan: the route, a reroute if needed, what time to leave, and when not to travel. Your driver stays with you for the day, so you have a trusted local driver as your company from your hotel door to the lakeside and back.

How should you plan any trip out of Addis?

1. Check your own government's advice. Official advice differs between countries in places, and your travel insurance may depend on following yours.
2. Travel in daylight. Driving after dark outside Addis Ababa isn't advised, because vehicles often have no lights and livestock stray onto the roads. We plan the day so you are back before dark.
3. Stay on the main route. For Bishoftu, that means the expressway corridor rather than detours into the surrounding rural areas.
4. Allow a little slack. Fuel queues at petrol stations are common across Ethiopia, and mobile networks can be unreliable. Download offline maps and keep your phone charged.
5. Ask about malaria. There is malaria risk in areas of Ethiopia below 2,500 m, and Bishoftu sits at about 1,900 m. Ask a travel clinic whether you need tablets for your plans.
6. Check again on the morning you leave. Conditions can change within days. We check the road with our drivers before every trip, and you can check the official advice too.

What about Bale Mountains National Park?

Bale is the other exception in the official warnings for Oromia, but it is not a day trip: it is far to the south-east of Addis Ababa and needs several days, and the roads there cross areas with stricter advice. If it is on your wish list, ask us and we will talk through the route with you.

The bottom line: a day trip from Addis Ababa means Bishoftu's crater lakes or a well-planned day inside the city, and Hawassa makes a good trip of a night or two. All of them are genuinely enjoyable, and all are easy with a private driver.