Hotels and Accommodation in Arba Minch

Arba Minch — meaning 'forty springs' in Amharic — is a town of two levels connected by a winding road, set above twin lakes that shimmer in the Rift Valley below. Lake Abaya (dark brown with suspended volcanic sediment) and Lake Chamo (clear green, famous for Nile crocodiles and hippos) are separated by a ridge of land known as the Bridge of Heaven. From the higher part of town, the view across both lakes on a clear morning is one of the finest in Ethiopia.

Nech Sar National Park occupies the Bridge of Heaven and the eastern shore of Lake Chamo. It protects large populations of Burchell's zebra, Swayne's hartebeest, Grant's gazelle and more than 350 bird species. Boat trips on Lake Chamo to see the crocodile market (a gathering place for massive Nile crocodiles) are a highlight.

Arba Minch is also the jumping-off point for the Dorze highlands and the spectacular Omo Valley — home to some of Africa's most distinctive traditional cultures.