Debre Libanos

This Tour will give a partial view of the Ethiopian Rural area like experiencing the local hut or grass houses of the countryside and chance of learning about the history of Ethiopia, the Life in the monastery and its museums, and also you will have a chance of seeing the Ethiopian endemic baboons called Chilada, variety of bird life which are abundant to this Place and also seeing the fabulous waterfalls at the Portuguese bridge(which is one of the oldest bridge in Ethiopia built by the Portugal people).

On your arrival we will meet you at the airport or pick up you from hotel then drive to north Ethiopia passing through the wonderful chain mountains and densely tree forest of Mount Entoto then after a two hours driving we will be arriving at one of the respected monastery of Ethiopia Debre Libanos has one of the most interesting church museums in Ethiopia. A monument in front of the church memorialises the hundreds of innocent priests, deacons and worshipers who were massacred here by the Italians following an assassination attempt on the notoriously brutal viceroy Graziani in 1937 (he was later imprisoned by the Italians as a war criminal for crimes against humanity). finally we will take you to the Portuguese Bridge lying at the Blue Nile George to see the wonderful landscapes and Ethiopian endemic baboons which is called the Chelada Baboon and you will have a chance of seeing Ethiopian Birds. Later, back to in Addis Ababa Vist Ethiopian traditions house and back to your hotel.

This Tour Is Unique Because -You will have a chance of learning about the history of Ethiopia -You will have a chance of seeing the Ethiopian Endemic baboons called Chilada -You will have a chance of seeing some endemic birds only found in Ethiopia and specifically in Debre Libanos -You will have a chance of testing Ethiopian Foods -You will have a chance of hiking near to the George of Blue Nile & Jemma Valley -You will have a chance of visiting one of the oldest monastery of Ethiopia and its museums -You will have a chance of experiencing the local hut or grass houses of the countryside -You will have a chance of seeing the fabulous waterfalls at the Portuguese bridge(which is one of the oldest bridge in Ethiopia built by the Portugal people)

On this popular road trip, you will pass through beautiful countryside scenery and the real Ethiopian way of life in action – farmers, rural communities, towns cut off from each other. At the destinations, you will visit the ancient Debre Libanos Monastery (and its cave church), the famed ‘Portuguese Bridge’ built in the 1890s, the Nile Gorge with its abundant endemic birdlife and gelada baboons and enjoy a view of Addis Ababa from a viewpoint set at 3,300 meters above sea level (Entoto Mountain). Please note spotting the Gelada Baboons can be a matter of luck, as they live in an open park.

This tour is combination of nature, culture and religious activities where guests are allowed to improvise the program based on their interests. It includes amazing drive through the scenery of the countryside north of Addis Ababa, where several stops are allowed to have photographing time. The tour is an ideal escape from the busy Addis Ababa and spend a day wandering the nature and wildlife. Visit the monastery which is always active for public and offers a nice museum where you ancient manuscripts and antiques are displayed. It offers an average hiking time that suits everybody involved. A day in this natural attraction is always a day well spent.

Debre Libanos is an important monastic center for Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, the monastery there was founded by the renowned 13th century mystic, Saint Teclehaimanot and there is a small cave near the church (which is of recent construction) where he is said to have stood for seven years on one leg, until the other wasted away and dropped off. On arrival at Debre Libanos, we will first stop at the Jemma gorge. The Jemma River is one of the tributaries of the Nile, and there is a drop of nearly 1000 meters to the valley below. Here at the gorge (and in the forest around the church) we can expect to see the Banded Barbet, the Black-headed Forest Oriole, the White-billed Starling, the Red-billed Starling, the White-winged Cliff Chat, the White-backed Black Tit, the White-cheeked Turaco and Hemprich’s Hornbill. We will also see one of Ethiopia’s endemic mammals, the Gelada or bleeding-heart baboon.

This Tour Is Unique Because -You will have a chance of learning about the history of Ethiopia -You will have a chance of seeing the Ethiopian Endemic baboons called Chilada -You will have a chance of seeing some endemic birds only found in Ethiopia and specifically in Debre Libanos -You will have a chance of testing Ethiopian Foods -You will have a chance of hiking near to the George of Blue Nile & Jemma Valley -You will have a chance of visiting one of the oldest monastery of Ethiopia and its museums -You will have a chance of experiencing the local hut or grass houses of the countryside -You will have a chance of seeing the fabulous waterfalls at the Portuguese bridge(which is one of the oldest bridge in Ethiopia built by the Portugal people)

Depart Addis Ababa at 07:30 AM. At slightly over 100 km from Addis Ababa, Debre Libanos is one of the best day trips from the Ethiopian capital. The church is monumental and pretty awful on the outside, but the stained-glass windows are attractive. Debre Libanos has one of the most interesting church museums in Ethiopia. Besides the usual ecclesiastical items, there are Italian guns, giant cooking pots, crowns of past emperors and their wives, musical instruments, and old wooden shackles. Fifteen minutes up the hills from the monastery is the cave of Tekla Haimanot, the monastery founder, where the saint is said to have done all his praying. It is also the source of Debre Libanos' famed holy water. Finally, we will take you to the Portuguese Bridge located at the Blue Nile Gorge, where you can admire the stunning landscapes and observe the unique Ethiopian endemic baboons known as Chelada Baboons. You'll also have the opportunity to spot various Ethiopian birds.

The renowned mystic Saint Teclehaimanot founded the monastery at Debre Libanos, a significant center for Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. There's a small cave near the recently constructed church where he is said to have stood for seven years on one leg until the other wasted away and fell off. Upon reaching Debre Libanos, our first destination will be the Jemma Gorge. One of the Nile's tributaries, the Jemma River descends to a valley that is almost a thousand meters below the surface. We may anticipate to observe the Black-headed woodland Oriole, the Red-billed Starling, the White-billed Starling, and the Banded Barbet here in the gorge as well as in the surrounding woodland.

Our day tour Package will take you to one of the unique place nearby Addis Ababa because our travelers will experience a combination of a religious, nature and wildlife visiting with a little hiking experience with a breathtaking view of a canyon at the bridge. Travel with us and get to know the local mysterious way of life

Get out of Addis Ababa for a day to explore nature and learn more about history of Christianity. During this tour you'll visit Debre Libanos Monastery, the oldest Orthodox Christian Monastery in Ethiopia which dates back to the 13th century, enjoy scenic view of the Jemma River Gorge and walk on the Portuguese Bridge. You can expect there to see plenty of birds and geladas monkeys – a type of endemic baboon. This tour will also be a great opportunity to discover the authentic Ethiopian way of life by entering into local habitation, tasting local homemade food and drink as well as enjoying a traditional coffee ceremony.

Should you wish to do an excursion outside Addis Ababa, this tour with a 110km drive to the North of Addis, passing over undulating mountain ranges, takes you to. Shelter for the famous Gelada Baboon & various birds, Debre Libanos is a monastery complex that sits on a terrace between a cliff and the gorge of one of the tributaries of the Abbay River (the Blue Nile). This monastery is a living witness for one of the largest single acts of mass Christian martyrdom in the 20th century, where in 1937 Italian soldiers serving the fascist regime of Benito Musosolini slaughtered some 300 Ethiopian monks at one of this Ethiopia’s holiest religious site. This tour entails outstanding views of the famous Blue Nile Gorge and the ancient Portuguese bridge, a stop at a rural village to see their life style and local drink, with beer tasting at the oldest brewery in Addis Ababa.

For those who are looking for a day trip, this package is a great option. This one day excursion takes you to one of the oldest and most remarkable monasteries of Ethiopia. This tour incorporates outstanding views of the famous Blue Nile Gorge, often compared with Arizona’s Grand Canyon and the ancient Portuguese bridge, The monastery complex which sits on a terrace between a cliff and the gorge of one of the tributaries of the Large Abbay River. Current buildings include the church over Tekle Haymanot’s tomb, which Emperor Haile Selassie ordered to be constructed in 1961, the Jemma River, and other attractions are also included in this program.

Our tour Package is unique because our travelers will experience a combination of a religious, nature and wildlife visiting with a little hiking experience with a breathtaking view of a canyon at the bridge.

This Tour will give a partial view of the Ethiopian Rural area like experiencing the local hut or grass houses of the countryside and chance of learning about the history of Ethiopia, the Life in the monastery and its museums, and also you will have a chance of seeing the Ethiopian endemic baboons called Chilada, variety of bird life which are abundant to this Place and also seeing the fabulous waterfalls at the Portuguese bridge(which is one of the oldest bridge in Ethiopia built by the Portugal people).

A scenic drive to visit the Debre Libanos monastery, founded in the thirteenth century. Take a tour of the Debre Libanos church and take a short hike to the cave where St. Tekle Haymanot is said to have prayed for 29 years. See the amazing view of the Abay (Blue Nile) Gorge, see the rushing waterfalls, visit the Portuguese Bridge and see the Gelada baboons. – You will drive about 110 km to Debre Libanos. – You will start a tour of the church and the museum. – You will then take a short hike up to the cave church where St. Tekle Haymanot is said to have prayed for 29 years. – Then you will drive to a location where you will have an impressive view of the Abay (Blue Nile) Gorge and take a short hike down to the Portuguese Bridge, the waterfall, and the home of the Gelada baboons. -There is a restaurant near the bridge where you can have lunch . You will return to Addis in the late afternoon.

This 9 hours excursion (extra 1 hour for lunch) takes you to one of the oldest and remarkable monasteries of Ethiopia. The monastery complex sits on a terrace between a cliff and the gorge of one of the tributaries of the Abbay River. None of the original buildings of Debre Libanos survive, although David Buxton suspected "there are interesting things still to be found among the neighboring cliffs." Current buildings include the church over Tekle Haymanot’s tomb, which Emperor Haile Selassie ordered constructed in 1961; a slightly older Church of the Cross, where Buxton was told a fragment of the True Cross is preserved; and five religious schools. The cave where the saint lived is in the nearby cliffs. The Portuguese Bridge, The Jemma River are also the other attractions included on this program.

We will visit one of the most important sites in the history of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Admire stunning views of the Gur River from the Portuguese Bridge, as it plunges into a waterfall hundreds of meters high. You will also see a cave where Gelada baboons sleep at night. Look out for the endemic birds including banded barbet, Abyssinian woodpecker, Ruppell's black chat and white-winged cliff chat. Then, descend to the Blue Nile gorge, often compared to the Grand Canyon and cited as "the largest canyon in Africa."

•All entry fees are included •Get the chance to see local wildlife, including baboons and birds •Visit Debre Libanos monastery and the Blue Gorge with expert guide •Stay refreshed with free bottled water Experience the breathtaking mountains of rural Ethiopia an a day trip from Addis Ababa. On this tour, we will discover the cave monastery Debre Libanos, visit the Portuguese Bridge, see native baboons on the Blue Nile, and see other local wildlife, including many of Ethiopia's native birds.

The 2 day will take you to the must visited places and sites in Addis Ababa, and a day trip from Addis Ababa to the Debre Libanos, the drive to debre libanos will give you a glimps of the life in the countryside. Our well experienced guide and drivers will make sure that you will have the best tour. Please be noted that the mentioned itinerary can be done vise versa, and please advise us before the commencement of the tour.