Like a chain of pearls, the lakes dot the Rift Valley, which stretches from Syria to Mozambique with a width of 50km. All of the lakes are full of fish like tilapia and Nile perch and, thus, attract many different bird species, creating a paradise for birdwatchers. They are also ideal for a real vacation of relaxing, swimming, boating, fishing, wildlife watching, and enjoying serene, romantic scenes, especially at sunset, with only the voices of the birds or crickets as background music. Coming from Addis Abeba, the manmade Koka Reservoir is the first encountered while heading south. Not long after passing this reservoir, the first true Rift Valley Lake comes into sight.

Lake Koka – is an artificial lake from the Awash River with spectacular scenery as the other rift valley lakes and a bird watching area which can be explored from Meki. Meki is a small town along the way to Ziway some 60km south of Mojo.