Package ID: 1009
Duration: 1 or 2 days
Season: January- December
Activities: Climbing, Church tour
We take the south east road, heading for Mount Zuquala, which can
easily be seen from Addis Ababa. Zuquala is a volcanic cone which
rises to 3000 m asl, some 1000 m higher than the surrounding
countryside, the crater is 2 km across and some 60 m deep, with a
shallow lake at the bottom. We turn of the main road just before
entering Debre Zeit, some 48 km from Addis Ababa. It used to be
possible to drive straight to the top but in recent years there has
not been maintenance after the rains and it is now necessary to park
the car and walk for an hour or so.
On the north east of the caldera is a monastery, part of which was
destroyed by Mohammed Gragn in the 16th century, but which was later
restored. The monastery is dedicated to Abba Gebre Menfes Qiddus, an
Ethiopian saint renowned for his love of animals and wild life – he
is
frequently shown in paintings surrounded by lions and other wild
beasts. A common story is that he allowed a bird to drink water from
his eye.
The crater slopes are covered by dry montane forest, mainly made up
of Juniper trees. The forest has a high bio-diversity – 217 species
of flowering plants and ferns have been recorded. A number of
endemic birds and mammals can be seen here, including: Wattled Ibis,
Blue-winged Goose, Black-winged lovebird, Banded Barbet, Abyssinian
Woodpecker, White-winged Cliff Chat, Abyssinian Catbird,
White-backed Black Tit, and the Colobus Monkey.
Other birds of interest include: White-cheeked Turaco,
Slender-billed Chestnut-winged Starling, Sharpe’s Starling,
Verreaux’s Eagle and Ruppel’s Griffon Vulture, while of animal
species Grey Duiker and Klipsringer can be seen.
We will take a picnic lunch in the crater (it is forbidden to enter
the lake, which is said to be blessed), and pay a short visit to
Debre Zeit town before returning to Addis Ababa late afternoon.