The Menagesha Forest provides the perfect setting for a relaxing day trip from Addis Ababa (see: OUR TOURS; Short Trips). The lush green of the dense mountain forest invites you for a pleasant walk, accompanied by the sounds of birds and other forest dwellers found along the way. The Menagesha-Suba State Forest was declared a “Crown Forest” by Emperor Zera Yacob (1434-1468) who first planted trees there. Over 400 years later, Emperor Menelik II declared it to be a national nature reserve in the later 1890’s.
Two main routes are offered through the forest for both hiking and walking and start with a single trail from the park district. The more challenging trail leads steadily uphill until the tree line. Here the view is over several hilltops of volcanic origin, with traditional picturesque huts and fields scattered in the small depressions below. The view stretches far above the surrounding plain.
A less strenuous but equally beautiful trail runs through the mountain forest into a depression to a small waterfall. Baboons and colobus monkeys can usually be spotted on the way, and with some luck, many other animals that inhabit the Menagesha Forest.
A stopover in the Meta Brewery, located near the Menangesha, is the perfect close to the day. With a cold beer and tasty tibs (a local meat dish) in the garden of the brewery – what more could you need!
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Meals & Accommodation: For those who wish to stay overnight in the park there is an option for camping in a designated open space. In addition, there are simple rooms with shared washrooms and showers close to the parks headquarters. A communal kitchen for self-catering is also available.
Wildlife: Baboon, colobus monkey, Menelik’s bushbuck, Grimm’s duiker, civet, bushpig, warthog and even leopards
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