Here are some day trips you can do from Addis Ababa.

  • Debre Libanos & Portuguese Bridge – About 120km north of Addis, over the Entoto mountains; visit the 13th Century monastery of Debre Libanos. Overlooking Jemma River Gorge, a tributary of the Blue Nile, the Monastery owns ecclesiastical, cultural and historical relics.  Nearby is a 16th Century Bridge still in use today and said by some to have been built by Portuguese.
  • Kessem Gorge and Ittisa – about 60km from Addis (2 hrs drive until the new road is finished).   Stunning views and good hiking.  Birthplace of Tekle Hymanot, visit church and monstery.
  • Sodore – a popular resort about 130 km south of Addis Ababa. The road goes through Kaliti, Akaki, Debre Zeit, Mojo and Nazareth.   Olympic size concrete swimming pool filled with warm mineral water; and you can see monkeys and birds. Lunch at the Wabi Shebelle Hotel. Visit the crater lakes in Debre Zeit en route.
  • Ambo & Wenchi Crater Lake –  Wenchi Crater Lake is about 150km from Addis Ababa.  Walk or mule ride about 2km to the crater rim for wonderful views.  Hot mineral spa in Ambo (125km from Addis Ababa).  The road takes you through Gefersa, the reservoir for the Addis water supply, great for birdwatchers.  You can stay the night at Negash Lodge.
  • Ankober – Rugged road through Debre Birhan (130km) then a gravel road leading to Kundi mountain (over 3500m) overlooking the Great Rift Valley, covered with eucalyptus forest.  Lunch at Ankober Palace Lodge (2870m).
  • Menagesha Forest – Mengesha Forest is about 35Km West of Addis Ababa. The park is densely wooded with 400 year old trees.
  • Adadi Mariam & Melka Quntture – Adadi Mariam is a 13th century Lalibela type rock hewn church located approximately 50KM South of Addis Ababa on the Alem Gena-Swodo road. It is surrounded with beautiful and enticing hills. From here, you can easily proceed to Melkam Quntture. With its scenic site on the bank of the Awash River, Melkam Quntture is an archeological spot where experts have excavated fossils, stone tools and related materials dating from 1.5 million years ago.

1 Comment

Budget Globetrotting » Quick Guide: Backpacking Ethiopia on a Budget · November 18, 2011 at 12:00 pm

[…] Owen’s Guide – Great overview of day trip options from Addis Ababa […]

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