A Day in Zuqualla

Zuqualla is an extinct volcano towering over the Great East African Rift Valley near Debre Zeit (Bishoftu). Mount Zuqualla has become a tourism hotspot lately though it has been a pilgrimage destination for so long thanks to its main attraction – the Zuqualla Abo church. This church sits at the peak, surrounded by small settlements. There is a crater lake, where the church gets holy water, open for brief visits. Cheena Hiking organized a day trip to this sacred site and added yet another memorable trip to the collection.

Enthusiastic hikers taking on Mount Zuqualla (2023)

We left the city early via the Goro exit to the expressway, which got us to Debre Zeit in little time. We took a turn off the main road and stopped by a quiet area for a coffee break. The paved roads were new beyond this point, so the ride was smooth and had a clear, distant view of the mighty Zuqualla. We were then in very close range to the foot of the volcano, where we had to make a right turn onto a narrow, off-road path lined with gravel. We then started to gain altitude on a windy road that led to a small village where our guide waited for us.

Beginning the ascent up Mount Zuqualla (2023)

This was where our legs would take over as we embarked on our hike uphill. Even though it wasn’t so late, the sun was brutal. We marched on, making some stops to wait for each other. There was a small church on our way, but things became harder afterward. Our trail had less forest coverage, so the blazing overhead sun made this challenging hike even more difficult. The view became better as we progressed up the slopes.

Hiking the foothill of Mount Zuqualla (2023)

We knew we had arrived once we saw another village where they were mourning someone's death. The people were sympathetic and welcomed us openly. We made it to the top, and it was a world of its own up here. The church was the central figure around which life revolves around here. There was a museum under construction and Sunday school lessons underway when we arrived. We paid some tourist fees and went past a gate down into the crater.

Approaching the church and village on the Zuqualla summit (2023)

Once we arrived at the scene, we witnessed a magical view of the clear crater lake surrounded by lush forests and clear skies above. The beauty was breathtaking, and the climate was drastically different. The air was noticeably cooler and more humid up here. The lake is holy water blessed by a devout man who prayed over the water for years. No one is allowed in or too close to the lake for this reason. We walked around the lake and enjoyed the sights readying up for the long way back down.

Panoramic view of the Zuqualla crater lake (2023)

We said our goodbyes to the clergy and locals. They offered us some snacks for the way, and we headed downhill to our starting point without much of a break. The way back was easier and took way less time to complete. We returned to the village, where we started our hike and had lunch on the bus. We took pictures with the locals, then said goodbye, and left. We reached Addis on schedule and completed our trip.

Resting at the Zuqualla monastery (2023)