Menz Guassa Trekking 5 days

Guassa Grass or Festuca Abyssinica is the Amharic name for this grass which occurs where drainage is good and the soil is deep. It grows on steep to moderately steep slopes up to an altitude of 3500m. Guassa grass has a close association with every member of the Guassa community, who regard it as their community “life blood”.

Day 1 Arrival in Addis Ababa and sightseeing

Upon your arrival at Bole International Airport, you will collect your checked bags, clear customs and pass through the arrivals hall where you will be met by our representative, who will assist you with your transfer to your hotel.

After a break in the afternoon, you will enjoy a half-day guided tour of Entoto mountain and the Ethnological Museum, with its artefacts and displays of the cultures and handicrafts of Ethiopia’s many ethnic groups. At the famous National Museum, with its cultural and archaeological relics, you will visit the famous “Lucy,” a 3.2 million-year-old female hominid who was discovered in Ethiopia’s Awash Valley in 1974. Time permitting: the open-air market of Addis, the Mercato, is the largest on the continent, and you will take a drive through it. You may also visit Ba’ata Church, also known as Menelik’s Mausoleum, one of the oldest church in Addis, built-in 1911. It houses beautiful paintings and the royal tombs of past emperors, including Emperor Haile Selassie.

Accommodation: Monarch Hotel or similar

You will cover approximately 70km and 4 hours’ drive

Day 2 Drive to Menze Guassa Area

Arrive at Guassa Community Lodge at Regreg around lunchtime, meet up with the guide and check-in. After a short rest, take a short trek to the nearby mountain top; this idyllic spot offers genuinely stunning views over the Guassa plateau and the chance to spot the Ethiopian wolf. Along the trail, your guide will describe the natural surroundings as well as the local history and conservation efforts. You will end back at ‘Regreg’, where you’ll be briefed about the upcoming treks.

Accommodation: Camping

You will drive 290 km and 6 hours’ drive time

Game viewing varies

Day 3 Trek to Atse-wiha

After an early breakfast, trek on foot or mule back for around five to six hours from Regreg to Atse-Wiha Camping ground, walking through an Afro-alpine meadow to “Lobelia Valley”, which is filled with thousands of these giant plants. The trail then winds its way into the moorland where visitors will experience the enormous highland flora as well as an impressive array of animal life including the endemic gelada and Ethiopian wolf. Have a picnic lunch in the majestic surroundings, and keep an eye out for a rare and the graceful bird of prey - the lammergeyer, or bearded vulture. This raptor considered the lord of the high plateau, can often be seen soaring in search of food. In the late afternoon, the mules are sent back to their base and you’ll set up camp at Atse-Wiha.

Accommodation: Camping

Game viewing varies

Day 4 Trek to Cheguarit Meda

This scenic trail to Cheguarit Meda (four to five hours) offers splendid views of the untouched juniper forest of yegana, which has now become rare in Ethiopia. These trails offer a variety of interesting attractions including endemic bird species and wildlife and scenic outlooks down to the lowlands. Before the final ascent towards the camp, discover a cluster of stone houses in the traditional Menz village at Tebab. The Menz people are famous for their two-story stone huts with thatched roofs, and their woven wool rugs and traditional blankets are considered to be some of Ethiopia’s finest weaving work. Before returning to camp, you’ll sip coffee with villagers. The evening will be most memorable as everyone gathers around a campfire to attend a traditional Menz dance ceremony!

Accommodation: Camping

Game viewing varies

Day 5 Short trekking and drive back to Addis Ababa

Enjoy a short trek to the main road, where there will be a vehicle waiting for you to drive back to Addis Ababa. Afternoon arrival at Addis, finally dinner with a live cultural dance performance in one of the best Ethiopian traditional restaurant. Then transfer to the airport for your departure.

Accommodation: -

You will drive 270 km and 6 hours’ drive time