Debre Libanos Monastery Tour: Experience Wildlife & Ancient Cave Church in Ethiopia

Embark on a captivating road trip through Ethiopia’s countryside to explore the ancient Debre Libanos Monastery, the Portuguese Bridge, and the stunning Nile Gorge. Encounter wildlife, including gelada baboons, and enjoy breathtaking views of Addis Ababa.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Debre Libanos - Founded by Ethiopian Saint Abune Tekle Haymanot, within a steep riverine canyon in 1284, Debre Libanos later became the political centre of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and is where Emperor Lebna Dengal received the first Portuguese mission to Ethiopia in 1520. The Italian army destroyed the original church in a 1937 massacre…
What's Included
  • Local guides
  • Ground transportation including a car, fuel and a driver
  • Pickup and dropoff at any location in Addis Ababa (either Hotel or Airport)
  • Lunch, including a bottle of water and hot drinks
  • Museum and Church Entrance Fees
  • Accompanying English speaking tour guide
What's Not Included
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Personal expenses
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

As part of this admired roadway journey, you will traverse through stunning pastoral landscapes and observe the authentic Ethiopian lifestyle - agriculturists, rural districts, isolated towns. The trip includes a stopover at the historic Debre Libanos Monastery (including its cave church), the renowned ‘Portuguese Bridge’ constructed in the 1890s, the…

Location
Edna Mall
Cameroon Street
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(232 Ratings)
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1 star
Daytrip65301737756
Jul 19, 2025
- Great , Abiy ( the guide ) and Muse ( the driver ) were super nice and we make this day trip amazing! I had fun and loved the experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Passenger11832826724
Jul 3, 2025
No Regrets! - I'm not a big fan of tours. But there are times and places where a tour is the best or only option for seeing new things. In this case, I was so lucky to go on a full-day trip to Debre Libanos with Abiy and Muse. To begin with, communication before pick up was excellent and arrival was on time. The drive was excellent: the van was in great shape, reliable, and Muse's driving was outstanding. I never worried about leaving my bag in the car when we were at our various stops. In general I felt very safe and secure. When I first arrived in Ethiopia, my binoculars were impounded and I worried I wouldn't get a look at very many birds. But thanks to our guide Abiy, that was not the case. He has a keen eye and good knowledge of local birds, and I got a look at about 25 species of birds during our tour, including important Ethiopian endemics. Beyond birds, Abiy clearly has a relationship with the right people at all the places we visited. Lunch, prepared at a restaurant operated by a most interesting woman, was one of the great highlights of the trip. Delicious Ethiopian food, draft beer, and wonderful conversation. There were a lot of options online for his tour, but ultimately I feel relieved that I choose one of the best.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G8605pojulienr
Jun 22, 2025
Beautiful - In very good hands with Abiy, he guided us through beautiful landscapes to show us around beautiful sites. Thank you.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michaelri947eg
Jun 13, 2025
Countryside visit seeing much Ethiopian life - Had a fun day with Abiy and Muse. Was a long drive into the countryside to see the Baboons, and visit the church as well as lunch with a local family. Nice coffee tasting. Informative guide
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Desjardinsjanie
Jun 9, 2025
Great experience - I thoroughly enjoyed the tour. The guide was very knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. However, I would recommend being mindful of the security situation, as some NGOs—rightfully—do not authorize their personnel to visit these locations.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maya
Jun 9, 2025
Trip outside Addis - Abiy was an excellent guide — highly professional, organized, and attentive to safety throughout the trip. This tour offers a great glimpse into life outside Addis Ababa, as you drive through small towns and villages where donkeys and cattle frequently wander onto the road, adding to the rural charm. The monastery is an ancient and peaceful site, providing a meaningful insight into the country's deep religious traditions. The only real challenge was navigating the heavy traffic while leaving Addis. Once out of the city, the roads are generally reasonable, though there are occasional rough patches. Overall, a fascinating and well-guided experience beyond the capital.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Janie_d
Jun 8, 2025
Interesting to visit. - Great experience. Good guide. Give us lot of explanation on his side and on the road. Need to have good walking shoes
Review provided by Viator
267christinar
May 31, 2025
Great trip - Me and my colleague had a great day and saw Chilada baboons, visited Debre Libanos Monastery and the Blue Nile Gorge and the Portuguese bridge. Our guide Abiy and driver Muse were very nice and knowledgeable. I can absolutely recommend this trip! 🙏
Review provided by Tripadvisor
In_sl8
May 28, 2025
Great day Tour to Debre Libanos - I had a wonderful day trip with our guide Abiy and our driver Muse to the Debre Libanos area. We had an incredible view of the Blue Nile gorge, saw a bunch of monkeys, visited the Debre Libanos Monastery and the Portuguese bridge. A local lunch was included which was geez delicious. I would definitely recommend this tour! It is a great experience and Abiy tells a lot of very interesting things. Getting back to Addis I asked him where to buy good coffee and they took their time to stop with me at a store. Thank you for this wonderful experience and for showing me your beautiful country.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Previn
May 24, 2025
Amazing Day Out - Haleluya and M.R Tade were really amazing hosts and generous with their knowledge l. Haleluya had an amazing personality and it was fun talking to him. Would recommend to everyone who is visiting Addis Ababa
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $70
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).