Ethio Travel and Tours

Ethio Travel and Tours is a long-established operator based in Addis Ababa. Its programmes cover the main touring regions of Ethiopia, from the Omo Valley and the Simien Mountains to the Danakil Depression and Lalibela, but for visitors staying in the capital the most relevant product is its full-day trip north to the Blue Nile Gorge and the monastery of Debre Libanos.

Debre Libanos is one of the most important monasteries in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. It was founded in 1284 by Saint Tekle Haymanot as Debre Atsbo and renamed in the fifteenth century, and its abbot once ranked second only to the head of the Church. Tradition holds that the saint prayed for 29 years in a cave in the cliffs above the monastery, and that cave and its holy spring still draw pilgrims; it is about a five-minute walk from the main complex. The church over Tekle Haymanot's tomb was built on the orders of Haile Selassie in 1961, and an older Church of the Cross is said to hold a fragment of the True Cross.

The site also carries a darker history. In May 1937, after the attempt on the life of the Italian Governor-General Graziani, Italian forces killed hundreds of monks and laymen at the monastery, and a cross-shaped tomb near the car park holds their remains. The setting itself is dramatic: the monastery sits on a terrace between a cliff and a gorge of a tributary of the Abbay, the Blue Nile, and the day continues to the edge of the main Blue Nile Gorge.

The operator's day trip includes a Toyota vehicle with driver, fuel, a guide, entrance fees and parking, so you only need to think about lunch and tips. It is a full day with long drives, so start early, bring warm and modest clothing for the monastery, and wear shoes suitable for the uneven path to the cave. The trip suits travellers interested in history and religion, and anyone who wants to see the highland landscape beyond the city.

For a longer break, the company also offers a weekend trip to Awash National Park. Contact it through its website for current departures and to confirm the itinerary before travelling, and check your government's travel advice for areas outside Addis Ababa.