Debre Libanos Monastery and Portuguese Bridge
Pick up from the airport in the morning and enjoy a scenic drive through the lush, fertile valleys of Goha Tsion.
Do some good birdwatching as you pass through the Sululta Plain. See Black-winged plovers, Wattled Ibis, Blue-winged geese, Common Cranes, and wheatears.
Reach the monastery. Debre Libanos is a religious center and monastery that was established in the 13th century by Saint (Abune) Tekle-Haimanot. It is famous for its miraculous spring. The new church that stands beneath a cliff on the edge of the gorge has beautiful stained glass windows and mosaic figures on the façade.
Break for lunch at a local lodge.
Experience the breathtaking sweeping view of the Jemma Valley Gorge from the Portuguese Bridge.
Visit the Jemma River Valley. Here at the gorge, and in the forest around the church, you can see the Banded Barbet, the Black-headed Forest Oriole, the White-billed Starling, the Red-billed Starling, the White-winged Cliff Chat, the White-backed Black Tit, the White-cheeked Turaco, and Hemprich Hornbill. You may also see one of Ethiopia's endemic mammals, such as the Gelada or bleeding heart baboon.
Drive back to Addis Ababa.
