Tour code:-ETW003
Tour Type:- Historic, Nature, and Hiking
Duration: Day tour
Transport: - Surface
Day Trip option one; Excursion to Debre
Libanos Monastery
Drive 110 km north from Addis over the Entoto Mountains
passing through the Sululta Plains to the Monastery of Debre Libanos founded in
the 13th century by Abune Tekle Haymanot.
Overlooking Jema River Gorge, a tributary of the Blue Nile,
the Monastery owns ecclesiastical, cultural and historical relics, and boasts a
rare grove of trees that have disappeared from elsewhere in the region. Walk
across a 16th Century Bridge said to have been built by Portuguese to a
spectacular viewpoint overlooking the gorge. Here you may see gelada monkeys—a
unique grass-eating primate found only in Ethiopia. In the late afternoon drive back
to Addis Ababa.
Day Trip option two; Menagesha Forest
Drive west 30 km from Addis Ababa and you'll reach the
entrance of the protected Menagesha Forest. On a 2-3 hour hike, we will explore
the forest with its typical plants such as the Giant juniper, Giant lobelia,
heather, and Giant ragweed. Some of the oldest trees are over 400 years old. In
addition, wild animals such as Guereza monkeys and Menelik bushbucks can be
observed.
Before heading back to Addis Ababa, we can visit an
abandoned compound with an old sawmill. Finally, after leaving the forest, we
can make a stop at the Meta brewery, sit in the green garden with a fresh beer
and have a look and some photos at the nearby waterfall.
Day Trip option three; Wenchi Crater Lake
Take a day trip to the northern Crater Lake Wenchi. Here, we
have a 5-6 hour hike (or riding tour) through the beautiful countryside. You'll
walk down to the Crater Lake before crossing the lake by boat. On a small
island, we'll visit a monastery and church.
From the opposite side of the lake, we start our way back
through a lovely green valley with numerous clear water springs and small
streams. In the late afternoon, we return to Addis Ababa.
Day Trip option four; Mount Zuqualla
Early in the morning, we drive south from Addis Ababa to
Debre Zeit and then to the feet of the extinct volcano mount Zuqualla. To visit
the Zuqualla Monastery, founded in the 4th century and situated on the top of
the mountain, we have to hike for about 4 hours and gain a height difference of
about 900 m.
Situated at the top of the mountain at almost 3,000 m sea
level, there is also a lake surrounded by a beautiful forest which is
considered to be holy. Here we can enjoy the wildlife, such as the Colobus
monkeys and the endemic Menelik’s bushbuck, as well as birds, including the
endemic Ethiopian oriole and Abyssinian woodpecker.