Why Ethiopia?
has been relatively untouched by adventure tourism. Most tourists
have never heard of the adventure potential in Ethiopia, and few are
aware of its geological, botanical, and zoological wonders. In the
high desert of Tigray, the northern most region of Ethiopia,
monolithic sandstone towers stretch up to 180m high. These towers
have been partially explored for religious reasons, the result of
which is a smattering of rock-hewn churches perched midway up
escarpments in saddles and depression.
But their shear walls, complex faces and summits. Those vertical
aspects that define climbing and climbers have remained virtually
unknown. The red and gob spires splitting the azure sky are the
towers of legends, the type of rock formations climbers’ dream of
finding, so rare that few still exist in a virgin state. Intricate
walkways and paths carved in stone lead in to these religious
fortresses. For most visiting an ancient rock-hewn church is the
closest they will come to climbing in Ethiopia. The churches are
equally ancient and spread like a labyrinth over the region.
Climbing trips in Ethiopia
The mountains of Tigray (Debre Damo)
Ethiopia’s oldest monastery, Debre Damo spreads across the flat top
of a prominent Amba not far from the Eritrean border. It can be
reached only by climbing up a long leather rope that could be pulled
up in times of distress to prevent access to the top. The monks now
welcome visitors who come with peaceful intentions, but the only
access for visitors is still by way of the rope. Women and all
female beings are excluded from the monastic precincts; this custom
applies also to several other but not all - monasteries in Tigray.
(Proposed tour)
Gheralta
Gheralta is a range of up thrusts; it is 450 meters tall and more
than 3 times that wide.
The Gheralta is an east –west chain across the central-north of the
province. The Gheralta offers every kind of enticement to the
adventurer; pinnacles vertical cliffs, flat-topped ambas, and long
traverses across broken slopes. The chain contains at least a dozen
rock churches. Most of them are still served by monks and priests,
and some have extraordinary art dating back to the 14th century.
There are also abandoned chapels and many hermits’ cells.
At the far Eastern end of this chain of peaks and pinnacles are
three rock-cut Axumite tombs that have been adapted to serve as
Christian churches. Over one, a large classic north Ethiopian –style
church has recently been built, incorporating its Axumite
sub-structure. Not far away, out side the small town of Hawzien to
the East, an Italian investor has recently opened a beautiful lodge
that offers comfortable accommodation and a magnificent view of the
whole length of the Gheralta. It is excellent location from which to
plan excursions. (Proposed tour)
Abune Yemata
The Sacred Site of Considered the most challenging climb of the rock
hewn churches. Abune Yemata nestles into a sandstone spires west of
Megab.
The climb to Abune Yemata is describes in guide books as a vertical
slope followed by a passage (walkway) to the isolated church
entrance.
From the base of the ascent, it is roughly 45 meters to a saddle,
and then the final ledge. The rock here is solid, though polished
even slippery.
The history of Abuna Yemata is both strategic and spiritual.
Difficult to access, the church was a natural refuge for villagers
escaping the fighting below. The church has been a site for humans
to escape in other ways as well. The caves are scattered with
skeletal remains of hermits who chose to die in the sacred area of
the church. The sheer, stunning, vertical relief of Abune Yemata is
not its only claim to fame. Frescoes dating to the 11th century
cover the cupolas. Very little is known about the history of the
rock-hewn churches of Tigray. But the priest tolds Abune Yemata was
built over a period of eight centuries, starting in AD 800. It was
carved by hand into a massive sand stone pillars; it has been a
sacred site since the 1300s.
The mountains of Wollo
On all sides of the historic town of Lalibela rise splendid
mountains that have never been climbed. Exceptions are Mount Esheton
and Mount Makina, both of religious significance Mt Esheton’s flat
topped summit (3219 meters) is clearly visible slightly to the South
East of Lalibela. The mountain has two early churches that attract
pilgrims. Esheten Maryam, rock-hewn in a cliff on the North side of
the mountain 50 meters below the summit; and Nakuto la’ab, in a
broad open cave at the base of the mount on the southern side, by
tradition established during the reign of the Zagwe Emperor of that
name who reigned briefly during the first half of the 13th century.
Both churches have long been accessible over trails from Lalibela.
Mount Makina, about 40 kilometers directly to the East, is famous
for a tiny church built in a cave below its summit, reaching
requires a 2-3 hours hike over a trail leading up from the rock
carved church of Genete Maryam.
Bale Mountains
Bale Mountains National Park is really a climbing area. At Dinsho
Headquarters a one km nature trail has been designed up Dinsho hill.
This gives a brief introduction to the plants and animals of the
area, and the location of the main park.
Climbing on Gaysay hill is rewarding in terms of the views and
chances of seeing wildlife at close quarter. The physically fit will
find the steep climb to the Boditi summit (3520m) worthwhile for a
spectacular view of the Gaysay river flats and south into the main
Park area. The sanetti plateau is crowned by several peaks, Konteh
Tullu – the striking volcanic plug formidable, but 20 minutes of
steep scrambling from its base gives you magnificent views from the
top
Mountains of Arsi
Arsi is Oromo country, a gently rolling plateau averaging a height
of 3000 meters and punctuated by several mountains, all volcanic in
origin. Midway down the plateau towards the south are two peaks,
Mount Kakka and Mount Enquolo, both lightly forested and said still
to shelter remnant herds of Nyala.
Munt Chilalo, a huge hulk of mountain that dominates the North part
of Arsi.
Chilalo 4021 meters appears to be a gentle mountain. It is seldom
climbed.
The great gash on top which separates Chilalo from the ridge that
leads eastward to the Baada summit (4133 meters) offers excellent
opportunities for rock-climbing and al manners of ascents and
descents over precipitous cliffs and steep slopes.
A traverse of the entire Chilalo-Badda ridge from west to east would
take 3 or 4 days.
The best track up Chilalo leads directly east from the center Assela
(Capital of Arsi) (Proposed tour)
Mount Fantalle in Awsh National Park
Half day drive to East of Addis Ababa is the first of several
volcanic mountains that rise from Awash Lowlands extending East ward
Dire Dawa and Harar.
Fantale has a huge crater where stream and smoke still emerge from
fumaroles on its floor. It can be walked around the entire crater on
its rim, around 2000 meters. So the hike requires little exertion
though it can take up to 2 hours. It would not have been dangerous
to spend the night in the crater, for, in spite of steaming and
smoking, it has not been known to erupt in modern times. (Proposed
tour)
Mount Zuqualla at 2989 meters
Is the most prominent features of the horizon to the south when air
is clear enough in Addis Ababa to afford a good view.
It is a long dormant volcano with a large lake in its crater. A
small museum consisting of several Tukuls (huts) with displays has
recently been opened a short distance south of the river. The area
to the west is one of the most important sites of activity by early
men in Ethiopia. It is accessible over a track that turns to the
west, a short distance beyond the bridge.
Zuqualla is now regarded as sacred by Christians, as well as pagans
and Muslim Oromo. It was the residence of one of Ethiopia’s most
revered early saints, Abune Gebre Manfas Qiddus, reputed to have
come from Egypt in the early Middle Ages and alleged to have lived
for 600 years a top the mountain. He is pictured in Ethiopia
iconography as an old man with long hair and accompanied by friendly
lions and leopards. An animals festival in March celebrates Abo and
draws tens of thousands of pilgrims who come to spend the night on
top of the mountain several trails enable them to reach the top.
(Proposed tour)
Lake Wonchi
About 60 kilometers west of Addis Ababa, fills a series of irregular
shaped craters in a long extinct volcano whose edges rise over 3’000
meters. It is easily accessible on a highway that leads from Wolisso
(Ghion) to Ambo and crosses the shoulder of the mountain.
Wonchi, like other lakes in the rift valley, become a refuge for Christian as originally pagan Oromo advanced from the south into central and North Ethiopia in the 16th and 17th century. The people who live in the crater still maintain features of medieval life. As island in the lake contain a church with early foundations. Dugout canoes made of cedar logs are used for transportation on the lake and the village around it can be reached over trails leading down the steep sides of the crater.
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