Addis Ababa and Debre Libanos (3 days)

About this tour:

This is an excellent short tour exploring the highlights of Addis Ababa and taking you to Debre Libanos, one ogf the most important Ethiopian orthodox monasteries with an interesting adjacent museum. Debre Libanos also sports great natural beauty with its impressive canyon, rich bird life and the presence of the endemic Gelada monkeys.

Highlights:

Exploring the capital city Addis Ababa
Day trip to Debre Libanos

Included in the travel price

2 nights with breakfast in the hotel of your choice in Addis Ababa
Road Transfer in Toyota minibus or 4x4 Landcruiser
Professional tour guide (English, German, French, Italian or Spanish-speaking available)
All local guides
All entrance fees
Traditional dinner on the last evening before departure
1 liter of mineral water per day

Short Info:

Tour code: WET-AADL-3
Accommodation: middle-class to superior hotel
Number of domestic flights: 0
Required fitness level: no special requirements

Day 1: Arrival and Addis Ababa City Tour

Upon arrival at Bole International Airport, you will be met by a Welcome Ethiopia Tours representative and be taken to your reserved hotel. Depending on your arrival time, we have various sightseeing options:

Mount Entoto with the best views over the capital.
Institute of Ethiopian Studies, where you can see a variety of artifacts from all the different regions reflecting the history and culture of the country
National Museum which among other exhibits the 3.5-million-year-old bones of Lucy.
Trinity Cathedral: this is the burial place of members of the imperial family and noted patriots; the cathedral is the most magnificent of its kind in the country, ornamented with carvings, mosaics and other artistic works.
The Mercato, the largest open-air market in Africa,

Accommodation: Hotel, Addis Ababa

Day 2: Addis Ababa – Debre Libanos – Addis Ababa (132 km each way)

After breakfast we leave Addis Ababa towards the North to Debre Libanos (approx. 2.5 hours). Debre Libanos is home to one of the most important monasteries in Ethiopia with an interesting associated museum, where many ancient treasures of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church are on display. We also take a nice walk to the so-called “Portuguese Bridge”, from where there is a magnificent view over the imposing canyon. Some historians believe that the bridge dates back to the 16th century when the Portuguese invaded Ethiopia for a short time, others believe that it was built in the 19th century by Emperor Menelik’s uncle. After crossing the bridge, we have a view of a 60 m high waterfall. We should also encounter the endemic Gelada monkeys and a variety of bird species (especially birds of prey) here. We return to Addis Ababa in the late afternoon. In the evening you are invited to a memorable farewell dinner in one of Addis Ababa’s traditional restaurants with cultural songs, dances and traditional food and drinks. You will then be transferred back to your reserved hotel.