Debre Libanos

Duration: Day Trip

The church-monastery of Debre Libanos is situated 110 km north of Addis Ababa in a setting that is, simply, spectacular.
A 4-km drive brings you to the village of Debre Libanos, on the brink of the enormous canyon of the Jemma River, one of the tributaries of the Blue Nile.
Just outside the town is the monastery of Debre Libanos, one of the oldest in the country. It was founded in the 13th centuries by Saint Tekle Haimanot. It has a nunnery for women as well as quar¬ters where monks reside. Nearby is a magnificent new church, built in 1961 during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie. Both churches are filled with innumerable icons and paintings, part of Ethiopia’s astonishing ecclesiastical heritage. After the tour back to the main road for a lunch stop at Ethio-German House Park, then you walk down to the spectacular river gorge view and Portuguese bridge. Late in the afternoon you drive back to Addis Ababa.
N.B – The main attraction in this area is Debre libanos monastery, Portuguese bridge, and the gorgeous Jemma river gorge view.
– Seasons and conditions:- this is whole time accessible but more recommendable from June –December because of greenish and attractive scenic of the landscape.