In Hawassa, spend a morning at the lakeside fish market, take a boat out to see hippos, walk among the colobus monkeys in Amora Gedel park, climb Tabor hill for the view, and consider a half-day at the Wondo Genet hot springs. It is a city for easy lakeside days rather than big-ticket sights.

Hawassa is the capital of Sidama region, home to Hawassa University, and sits on the eastern shore of Lake Hawassa at about 1,708 m, noticeably warmer than Addis Ababa. Sidama is also one of Ethiopia's major coffee-growing regions. Our drivers drive the road from Addis to Hawassa regularly, so if you are planning a trip we can tell you how the road is before you set off.

What are the best things to do in Hawassa?

Visit the fish market

The fish market on the lakeshore is Hawassa's signature sight. Fishermen land tilapia and catfish, clean them on the spot and sell them, and small cafes beside the market fry fresh fish. The shore draws plenty of birds too. Guides may offer tours, and visitors without a guide may be asked for an entry fee, so agree terms before anyone starts showing you around.

Take a boat to see hippos

Boats wait near where Piazza Road meets the lake, taking visitors out to where hippos gather. Sometimes you see whole animals, sometimes only ears and nostrils while they rest. Keep a respectful distance, as hippos are dangerous if crowded, and check the boat has life jackets before you set off.

Walk in Amora Gedel park

Right beside the fish market, Amora Gedel is a green lakeside park with trees, monkeys and water views. It suits an unhurried walk, ideally early in the morning or late in the afternoon when wildlife is more active. Colobus monkeys are the stars; keep food out of sight, as monkeys at lakeside cafes will steal it.

Climb Tabor hill for the view

Tabor, the hill that rises over the city (it was once called Dume), gives a wide view of Hawassa and the lake. The walk suits most reasonably fit visitors. Go in daylight and in company.

Relax at the Wondo Genet hot springs

Wondo Genet, a small resort town in Sidama region surrounded by forest, is known for its hot springs and its forestry college, and makes a popular half-day or day trip from Hawassa. The road to it runs from Shashemene. If you have a car and driver with you in Hawassa, it is easy to add as a day out; ask us about the route when you plan it.

Coffee and Sidama culture

Sidama is one of Ethiopia's major coffee-growing regions, and you will find good coffee in town. The Sidama New Year festival, Fichee-Chambalaalla, was inscribed on UNESCO's intangible heritage list in 2015. Its date changes each year because astrologers determine it, so check locally if you hope to see it.

St Gabriel Church and lakeside evenings

St Gabriel Church is one of the city's best-known landmarks and is busiest on the saint's feast days. In the evening, the small bars where Piazza Road meets the lake are where people sit out to watch the sunset over the water.

Is Hawassa safe to visit right now?

Hawassa is a busy university city and a popular weekend escape for people from Addis, and we drive there regularly. Like the rest of the country, it is covered by general travel advice, and conditions on the road can change, so the practical points are these:

• Travel in daylight. Leave Addis in the morning so you arrive well before dark, and avoid driving between towns at night.
• Check the road before you go. Protests have affected some towns on the route at times, including Shashemene, so ask us before you set off and we can tell you how the road is at the time.
• Know the general advice level. The US rates Ethiopia as a whole Level 3, Reconsider Travel, and your own government's advice may differ for particular areas along the way.

Ethiopian Airlines also flies between Addis Ababa and Hawassa if you prefer to fly. There have been fuel shortages in 2026, so allow extra time either way. With a private car you set the departure time, stop when you want and go straight to your hotel door.

How do you get to Hawassa?

By road it is roughly 270 km south of Addis Ababa. Our guide to the Addis Ababa to Hawassa drive covers the route and timings, so we will not repeat it here. By air, Hawassa has its own airport with Ethiopian Airlines flights from Addis Ababa; we can book domestic flights and hotels for you in birr, and you pay us one amount in US dollars.

What should you know before you go?

• Go to the fish market in the morning if you want to see the catch come in, and bring small notes if you plan to eat there.
• Carry cash. Card payments and ATMs are limited and unreliable, especially outside the big cities.
• Travel between towns in daylight only.
• Ask before photographing people, especially at the fish market.

We are a family-run driver service in Addis Ababa, not a tour company: we drive you there, drop you at the door and pick you up again. We will update this page if travel advice for Hawassa or the road changes.