Drive to Debre Libanos leads across the highlands north of Addis Ababa. It offers a glimpse into the lovely village landscape of Ethiopia until suddenly a more than 1,000m deep gorge opens at Debre Libanos.
We take a short rest at the top of the gorge, where various birds can be observed. On a short hike (1.5 to 2 hours) we cross an old bridge built for commercial purposes, to arrive at a terraced waterfall and caves inhabited by monkeys.
In the afternoon we visit the sanctuary, where the famous monastery of Debre Azbo (later Debre Libanos) was founded in the 13th century and destroyed in 1937 during the Italian occupation. We visit the octagonal church with the glass-paintings of the artist Afework Tekle, who also designed the windows of the Africa Hall in Addis Ababa, as well as the newly built museum in which art treasures of the monastery are shown. In the late afternoon, we return to Addis Ababa.
