2-Day Addis Ababa & Debre Libanos Monastery Tour: Private Guide

See Lucy's Fossil, Then Walk a Gorge Where Gelada Baboons Roam

A private 2-day tour of Addis Ababa and Debre Libanos Monastery with a live English-speaking guide, driver and hotel pickup included. Day one covers the National Museum of Ethiopia, Mount Entoto, Merkato market and St. George Cathedral. Day two heads north to the 13th-century Debre Libanos Monastery, where you climb to a cave and walk to a Portuguese-style bridge spanning a gorge with endemic baboons and vultures.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Addis Ababa city tour

• Visit National Museum of Ethiopia
• See Myazia 27 Square Monument
• Visit Yekatit 12 Martyrs Square
• Tour Ethnographic Museum
• Pass by Chiromeda market
• Visit Entoto Hill for panoramic view
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Enjoy coffee at Tomoca coffee
• Walk around Merkato market
• See Lion of Judah monument
• Drive by Minilik II Square
• Visit St. George Cathedral

Day 2: Debre Libanos monastery and nature

• Pick up and drive to Debre Libanos
• Visit Debre Libanos monastery and cave
• Lunch near Jemma River
• Walk to Portuguese bridge
• See Gelada baboons and vultures
• Drive back to Addis Ababa

The experience

What makes this tour work is the split between city and countryside. Day one stays in Addis Ababa, moving from the National Museum (where the 3.5-million-year-old fossil of Lucy sits on display) through the Ethnographic Museum inside the old palace of Emperor Haile Selasie, then up Mount Entoto at 3,200 meters for a panoramic view of the city. You'll stop at Chiromeda market for locally made textiles, grab lunch at a local restaurant, and finish with coffee at Tomoca before walking through Merkato, Africa's largest open-air market, which sprawls across several square miles and employs thousands of traders.

Day two is the drive north. You leave at 8 a.m. and travel about 110 kilometers on the Gojjam road to Debre Libanos, a monastic center founded in the 13th century by Saint Teclehaimanot. After visiting the monastery and climbing to the cave where monks lived, you walk roughly 300 meters to the Portuguese bridge: a narrow 16th-century span that locals built in a style that fooled European travelers into thinking it was Portuguese work. Below it the Jemma River, a tributary of the Nile, drops nearly 1,000 meters into the valley. In the gorge you'll see Gelada baboons, also called bleeding heart baboons because of the red patch on their chest, and several species of vultures. The drive back to Addis Ababa takes you through countryside that shows how rural life moves at a different pace from the city.

Your guide speaks English and knows both the historical sites and the practical details, which stops are optional, where to eat, how long things take. The vehicle is air-conditioned, water is provided, and all entrance fees except the Entoto Park fee are covered. Infants can sit on a lap or use a specialized seat if you need one.

What’s included

• Driver and English-speaking guide.
• hotel pickup and return.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• bottled water.
• parking fees.
• all entrance fees except Entoto Park.
• guide fee and driver allowance.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day7 departure times: the first at 07:30, the last at 08:30

Book up to6h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (1 to 11 years)

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 16 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Addis Ethiopia Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want a private guide who can adjust the pace and answer questions as you move between sites, and if you're interested in both Ethiopian history and the countryside landscape. The two-day structure lets you see the city thoroughly on day one, then experience the monastery and gorge on day two without rushing either part.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 11 years).

What is Lucy's fossil and why is it in the National Museum?

Lucy is a 3.5-million-year-old fossil of a hominoid woman from the species Australopithecus Afarensis, discovered in Ethiopia in 1974. The discovery changed how scientists understand human ancestry, proving that our ancestors walked upright 2.5 million years earlier than previously thought. The National Museum of Ethiopia displays Lucy alongside many other artifacts from pre-Axumite civilization.

Can I skip Chiromeda market or any other stop?

Yes. The itinerary notes that stopping at Chiromeda market is optional, so you can choose to skip it or spend time there browsing locally hand-made clothing and textiles. Your guide will work with your preferences on the day.

What is the Portuguese bridge and why is it called that?

The Portuguese bridge is a 16th-century stone span built by Ethiopians over the Jemma River gorge near Debre Libanos. Its narrow design resembles Portuguese architecture so closely that European visitors assumed it was Portuguese work, and the name stuck. The bridge sits above a dramatic cascade and offers views into a gorge that drops nearly 1,000 meters.

Will I see wildlife on this tour?

Yes, mainly on day two in the gorge near Debre Libanos. You'll see Gelada baboons, an endemic mammal with a distinctive red patch on the chest, and several species of vultures including Lamergeyer's, Ruppell's and Lappet-faced vultures. The countryside drive also gives views of rural Ethiopian life.

How long is the drive to Debre Libanos?

The drive north from Addis Ababa to Debre Libanos is approximately 110 kilometers and takes about two hours. The return drive to the city takes you back around 5:30 p.m., so the full day on the road is roughly eight hours with stops included.