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5 days 4 nights
Specific Tour
8 people
English, Espanol
Abuna Yoseph is one of Ethiopia’s highest mountains (the highest place out side Bale and Simien mountains) with its peak at 4,288m. We can whisk you off from Lalibela (or the airport) and transfer you to the village of Geneta Mariam where the community has a simple guesthouse on the spur of a hill. It is in fact possible to walk from Lalibela – around the Nekutaleab church to Geneta Mariam. It is an attractive 3-4 hour walk, crossing the pretty Kechin Abeba river among its irrigated fields. There are several interesting churches before the trail takes you up into the remoter parts of the mountain. You will se volcanic plugs, and be walking at around 4,000 meters in the Afro Alpine moorland. Up in the higher areas – staying at the highest guesthouse you have an excellent chance to see the Ethiopian Wolf. There are many troops of Gelada Baboon/Monkeys. There are also Rock hyrax, Hamadrus Baboon, Leopards, and a host of raptors such as the Lammergier, Vereaux’s Eagle, Augur buzzard and much more. You will see intriguing rock formations, have great vistas (in good weather you can see for what seems a hundred miles!), and spend a time exploring the afro-alpine landscape, before descending down into Lalibela town.
Leave Lalibela on foot from around Nekutaleab church (you maybe required to pay entry fee so worth seeing). From here Geneta Mariam is an attractive 4 hour walk. You will pass irrigation at the Kechen Abeba river - and cross fields before emerging on the top of a ridge overlooking Geneta Mariam. Geneta Mariam itself is home to a pretty rockhewn church with interesting painting including elephants. You will have a snack on arrival with tea at Geneta Mariam and enjoy dinner at the guesthouse
Trek up from the village on a path that takes you onto the escarpment behind Geneta Mariam. There is a remarkable church in a cave here called Mekina Medhan Alem, which is well worth a visit. Have a picnic lunch here carried from Geneta Mariam. From here the trail carries on along the ridge with great views, and the landscape becomes wilder and more remote. At times the path is narrow and on a steep slope. Not for the feint hearted. You will arrive at the dramatic and small village of Tadios Amba. Dinner and breakfast are provided here
Carry on up the ridge, and soon you will leave the farm land and enter the afro alpine moorland with the strange Giant Lobelia. This is the land of the Ethiopian Wolf who hunts the many rodents, and the Gelada Baboon that eat grass and roots. You should arrive at Ethiopia's highest tourist accommodation - Agaw Beret for a bowl of soup and simple lunch. Just up to the east is the Rift Valley edge, with the land tumbling away. to the north East is the peak of Rim Gedel (4,288 - the highest peak outside the Simiens and Bale). In the afternoon either scale the peak or go off in search of the illusive wolf (or both). Dinner at the guesthouse [note that this guesthouse is not currently available - can either camp - there are other options]
In the morning the weather maybe clearer - so this is another chance to climb the peak if you didn't do so the day before. Early morning is also good wolf spotting time. You will head around the high part of the mountain heading for its northern flanks where at the Zigit peaks you can see some remarkable rock formations. The whole area is great for sightings of the Geladas. The whole walk time to the guesthouse at Ad Medhan Alem is around 6 hours. You pass through some small villages and past a school on your way, before emerging at the dramatic west facing guesthouse with views over Lalibela.
Enjoy your morning at Ad Medhan Alem , before trekking down to the town. It takes around 3 hours, more if you are not fast going downhill. If you do not want to walk all the way there is now a road so you can arrange with your guide to be picked up along the way. It is also possible to trek to Yemrehana Kristos church from Ad Medhan Alem. Your guide will need to arrange a car to pick you from there and you will need to pay him the guiding fee too (and pay the church entry as at all churches).
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