Excursion to Debre Libanos
No. of day/night: - Excursion to Debre Libanos
Mode of transportation: - Surface
This day you will have an excurison to the Monastery of Debre Libanos an important monastic center for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. This monastery was founded in 13th century by Saint Tekle Haimanot who prayed for 29 years in a small cave near the church, where after 22 years of prayer he lost his right leg because he stood there for many days and nights and then he finished praying the seven years in the cave. The new church stands beneath a cliff on the edge of the gorge. It has a beautiful stained mosaic figures on the facade.
Visit and proceed to the one of the oldest bridge in Ethiopia, the Jemma River Gorge, one of the tributaries of the Nile, and there is a drop of nearly 1000 m to the valley below. It is the best to see some of the endemics of the Gelada or bleeding heart baboon. Visit and drive to Addis observing the scenery en route.