Day Tour from Addis Ababa to Debre Libanos Monastery
1-day private guided trip with start and end at Addis Ababa
Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours [MEET’s] one-day excursion from Addis to Debre Libanos
A spiritual, scenic, and pleasure trip of 1-day
Exploring the Monastery of Debre Libanos, Jemma Gorge, and Portuguese Bridge
We assume that you are: - 
🤔Curious about life, nature, etc. outside of Addis Abeba
🤔 Thinking of the best places to visit near Addis Ababa in 1-day
🤔 Planning a one-day-long excursion around Addis, or
🤔 Seeking out engaging private day tours to book.
You're in luck if we're close to getting it right. Welcome aboard!
We are Ethiopian tourism professionals offering tours beyond ordinary sightseeing. Our private day tours near Addis Ababa keep earning outstanding TripAdvisor reviews.
Our expertise lies in designing one-of-a-kind trips in Ethiopia. Short tours particularly in and near Addis Ababa set us apart and atop.
A brief overview of the day trip to Debre Libanos is provided below. For a comprehensive itinerary, please continue reading.
For quick information on booking Debre Libanos day tour from Addis Ababa,
IN BRIEF - Day Tour from Addis Ababa to Debre Libanos Monastery
Duration - 8 to 9 hours
Total Distance Covers - ~ 210 km (~ 130 miles)
Tour start Time - 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM
What you'll visit (do) - Visit Debre Libanos Monastery and enjoy the stunning view of the Jemma River Gorge. Walk over the Portuguese Bridge to see the Endemic Ethiopian Gelada Baboons. Experience the authentic culture of locals with village visits and do a lot more.
Price (per person) in US Dollars - 1 = 185$, 2 = 115$, 3 = 110$, 4 = 95$, 5 = 85$, 6 = 80$
Tour Price Includes:
✔ Transportation ➤ Private vehicle with fuel (gasoline) and driver
✔ Guided Exploration ➤ Professional tour guide throughout your journey
✔ Entrance Fees ➤ All admission fees to included attractions
✔ Cultural Immersion ➤ Local family visits for an authentic Ethiopian experience
✔ Convenient Transfers ➤ Hotel/Airport pick up and drop offs
✔ Coffee Ceremony ➤ Enjoy a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony
✔ Delicious Meals ➤ Lunch with soft drinks, local snacks, and bottled water
✔ Refreshments ➤ Tea and coffee are available throughout the day
✔ Taxes Covered ➤ Tour prices include all applicable taxes
Price EXCLUDES any other expenses not mentioned above.
If you have any questions on customizing how you visit Addis Ababa, contact us on WhatsApp
Save your memorable day around Addis now. Book Debre Libanos excursion online with Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours [MEET].
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This Day trip to Debre Libanos Monastery is one of our best excursions. With a tour guide, explore top-ranking attractions near Addis Ababa in a day. Contact us directly to customize and reserve. Or Book this Excursion to Debre Libanos Monastery from Addis Ababa ONLINE ON VIATOR.
The main activity of this experience is visiting Debre Libanos Monastery. The ancient Debre Libanos Monastery is the largest Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity Monastery. The Monastery of Debre Libanos is at a distance of 100 km north of Addis Ababa. It is in the North Shewa Zone of the Oromia Region.
Set out for a day trip to discover the Ethiopian countryside near Addis Ababa. Meet locals at their villages to experience their daily life.
Debre Libanos excursion also includes visiting magnificent stone structure. The 16th-century Portuguese Bridge is another highlight of this Debre Libanos day tour.
Duration – 8 to 9 hours
Total Distance Covered – 210 km
Means of Travel – Private Toyota Corolla (1 or 2 visitors) or Toyota Minivan (3 to 6 visitors)
With this day trip from Addis Ababa: -
• Visit local villages of the Oromo people. Cultural experience here includes learning how to bake Injera (Ethiopia's national bread)
• Attend a traditional Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony
NOTE – June, July, and August is the rainy season in Ethiopia. Enjoying the views of the Jemma River Gorge and seeing the Gelada Baboons may be difficult.
Women have to cover their hair and dress to cover their bodies when visiting the monastery.
Major Points of Interest and Attractions to visit: -
✿ Debre Libanos Monastery – Ethiopia's biggest monastery, founded in the 13th Century AD
✿ Portuguese Bridge - a small stone-made walking bridge (16th Century AD)
✿ Stop at a viewpoint to enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the Jemma River Gorge
✿ Take part in and experience a typical Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony
✿ See one of the endemic mammals of Ethiopia – the Gelada Baboon, and
✿ Cultural experience in the villages of the Oromo people
Itinerary: – Begin your day trip from Addis Ababa by meeting your experienced local tour guide at your hotel at 8:00 AM. He gives you with essential details about the excursion before embarking on the journey.
Sit back and relax in an air-conditioned vehicle. Head 100km north of Addis to Debre Libanos Monastery.
On your way out of Addis Ababa, drive by Meskel Square. This square is Addis Ababa's central downtown square & events hub. Stop at the stature of Emperor Menelik II – the founder of Addis Ababa.
Traverse the beautiful Eucalyptus trees forest of Mount Entoto. The summit of Mount Entoto (3,200 meters or 10,500 feet above sea level) is the highest peak around Addis Ababa.
If you book the day tour to Debre Libanos Monastery in September or October, you'll have extra rewards. You will stop at a few viewpoints to enjoy the lush scenery decorated with Meskel Flowers.
With stopovers, enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the Sululta Plains. This time of the year is best to see the beautiful Adey Abeba flowers. This yellow daisy flower known as Meskel Flower is the National Flower of Ethiopia for many.
Before reaching Debre Libanos, stop for half an hour at a village of the Oromo people.
Indulge in a cultural experience to learn how Ethiopians bake Enjera. Enjera or Injera is the flat Ethiopian bread made of Teff Cereals. Take time to experience Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony with locals.
During this Addis Ababa day trip, take an hour's long guided visit of Debre Libanos Monastery. The monastery was established by Saint Abune Tekle Haimanot in the 13th Century AD.
St. Tekle Haimanot prayed for seven years standing only on one leg. If you are interested and fit to walk on steep cliffs, take a 15 mintues trek. Then, visit the small cave Saint Tekle Haimanot prayed in for seven years.
Continue tour of Debre Libanos Monastery with visiting the 'new' church. It was built by Emperor Haile Selassie I in the 1960s. This church is famous for its beautiful stained-glass windows and mosaics.
Then, visit Debre Libanos Monastery Museum for half an hour. See ancient religious and historical artifacts, crowns, manuscripts, icons, and royal seats.
With the museum visit, learn why Debre Libanos Monastery is established here. Learn the original history why its location is selected for the monastery.
Continue excursion from Addis Ababa by driving 10 minutes to the Portuguese Bridge. Around the small stone made Portuguese Bridge, walk for half an hour to take photos of the bridge.
If the day tour is in the rainy season of June to August, visit the powerful waterfall by the Portuguese Bridge.
Portuguese Bridge foundation is in the 16th Century, according to locals. Some historians claim that Ras Darge built the Portuguese Bridge in the 19th Century. What is for sure, anyhow, is that Portuguese Bridge is worth visiting. Passing the bridge by walking offers fantastic scenery.
Curious about its name - the "Portuguese Bridge"? It is because of the bridge’s architecture. It is similar to an earlier Portuguese-built bridge in Northern Ethiopia.
Using egg yolk as an adhesive for fusing the stones together is a reason for its name. The Portuguese Bridge is known locally as "እንቁላል ድልድይ" which translates to "Egg Bridge."
During the day trip from Addis, walk over the Portuguese Bridge. Head to the best outlook where you will have a bird's eye view of the beautiful Jemma River Gorge. Jemma River is one of the rivers flowing into the bigger Blue Nile Gorge.
The wildlife part of this day tour is seeing one of the endemic mammals of Ethiopia – the Gelada Baboon. The Debre Libanos area is the nearest place to Addis Ababa to see Gelada Baboons. These baboons are notable for the red patch on their chest. “The bleeding heart baboon” is the nickname of Gelada Baboons.
Have lunch at a local Ethiopian restaurant or at Ethio-German Park Hotel. Try the typical Ethiopian traditional food known as Beyaynet or Beyaynetu. Vegan curries, veggies and stews are served on top of a large round piece of ‘Injera bread’. Enjoy a unique Ethiopian dining experience eating with your fingers.
For bird lovers, this Addis Ababa day tour gives a chance to see a few endemic birds of Ethiopia. Near Debre Libanos, spot the Rüppell's Chat, White-winged Cliff-chat and White-billed Starling.
Then, drive 100 km back to Addis Ababa, with a couple of stops for scenic pictures along the way.
This day trip is a great getaway from the busy daily life of Addis Ababa city.
It allows visitors to develop photography skills in taking photos. Get great shots of different scenes. Snapshot historical places like Debre Libanos monastery, and the Portuguese Bridge. Wildlife photo capturing includes Gelada Baboons and some birds.
Cultural activities such as Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony are part of this day excursion.
Near Debre Libanos, admire the unique landscape of the Jemma River Gorge. River Jemma is one of the biggest rivers forming Blue Nile Gorge.
The other best part of this Addis Ababa day trip is a visit to local villages. With the cultural visit, see locals in difficult living conditions; yet feeling happy and smiling. Such experience makes most visitors give more value to their own life. You'll make more sense of social relations.
Per person tour price of Addis Ababa to Debre Libanos Monastery Day Tour
| Number of visitors in a group | Per-Person Price in US Dollars |
| 1 visitor | 185 US Dollars |
| 2 visitors | 115 US Dollars |
| 3 visitors | 110 US Dollars |
| 4 visitors | 95 US Dollars |
| 5 visitors | 85 US Dollars |
| 6 visitors | 80 US Dollars |
| Contact us if you have any questions |
The price of this day trip includes: -
• Comfortable Toyota Corolla or Toyota Minivan equipped with air conditioning and seat belts
• Fuel (gasoline) and driver's allowance
• All admission (entrance) fees to places of visits mentioned
• Lunch with soft drinks, water, coffee, or tea at a local Ethiopian restaurant
• Professional experienced English-speaking tour guide
• Family Visits and attendance of Coffee Ceremony
• Bottled water in the car
• And, related government taxes
Price does NOT include: -
• And, any other expense which is not mentioned in the “Included” list above
Please, contact us if you want the exact price of the tour.
This one-day tour from Addis Ababa can be customized to meet visitors’ interests and preferences best. And, the tour can be booked for up to six visitors at the same tour price.
This day trip can be extended to include the famous Blue Nile Gorge by driving 200 km more.
Contact us for booking this day tour from Addis Ababa or for further details!
PEOPLE ALSO ASK – Important questions visitors ask about Debre Libanos Monastery, Day Trips from Addis Ababa, and helpful answers
Where is Debre Libanos Monastery? And Distance from Addis Ababa to Debre Libanos?
Debre Libanos Monastery (ደብረ ሊባኖስ ገዳም) is located north of Addis Ababa. Debre Libanos is 100 km (about 62 miles) north of Addis Ababa past the towns of Sululta (ሱሉልታ), Chancho (ጫንጮ), and Debre Tsige (Debre Tsege) (ደብረ ጽጌ). At a small settlement known as Chagel (ጫገል), turn right and drive about 4 km to Debre Libanos Monastery.
What is ‘Debre Libanos Massacre’?
“Debre Libanos Massacre” was committed on 20 May 1937 by Italian troops massacring more than 2,000 Ethiopian pilgrims and monks at Debre Libanos Monastery.
Italy occupied Ethiopia from 1936 to 1941. On 19 February 1937, two Ethiopian nationalists tried to kill the Italian Viceroy, Rodolfo Graziani. Following the failed assassination, more than 30,000 Ethiopians were killed by the fascist Italians – as revenge.
The May 20th, 1937, Debre Libanos Massacre is part of this retaliation against innocent Ethiopians by invader Italians. More than 2,000 monks, nuns, pilgrims, and regular Christians were brutally slaughtered as they were celebrating an important religious holiday at Debre Libanos Monastery.
Looking for some birding near Debre Libanos Monastery?
Are you interested in a birding tour of 1 day from Addis Ababa? We customize this day trip to accommodate your Ethiopian birds watching interests.
With this day trip to Debre Libanos Monastery, your guide helps you spot several bird species including many Ethiopian endemic birds. As you drive from Addis Ababa to Debre Libanos, stop at Sululta Plains.
The wetlands of Sululta are is a great birding spot near Addis Ababa. Among many birds spot the endemic Ethiopian birds like the Black-Winged Plovers, Wattled Ibis, Blue-Winged Geese, Spot-Breasted Lapwing, and Abyssinian Long claw.
At Debre Libanos Monastery, walk in the forests to see different birds like the white-cheeked Turaco, Fan-tailed Raven, Stout Cisticola, Rüppell’s Robin-chat, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, and White-backed Vulture.
Expect to see three endemic birds of Ethiopia near Debre Libanos Monastery - White-winged Cliff-chat, Rüppell’s Black Chat and White-billed Starling.
Learn more about Ethiopian History with a day trip from Addis Ababa to Debre Libanos.
Visitors’ recent reviews about our day trip from Addis Ababa to Debre Libanos Monastery, Portuguese Bridge, and Jemma River Gorge
“Highly recommend this company!”
Very knowledgeable guide not just about sights but Ethiopian history, culture, people, and politics. In my travels, I depend on my guide to be a window into the country I am visiting. Muluken was a great help in this regard. I highly recommend him and his company Merit Ethiopia Experience Tours!
TripAdvisor review: Debre Libanos Monastery and Jemma River Gorge - Day Tour from Addis Ababa
Reviewed by Barry on Feb 15, 2023
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