Menagesha Forest

The closest tract of significant indigenous forest to Addis Ababa, 20km west of the capital, Menagesha incorporates 25 square kilometres of juniper, African redwood and yellowwood trees, as well as Mount Wechecha, an extinct volcano that rises to 3385m above sealvel. The forest can be explored along a network of hiking and 4×4 trails (ranging from a few hundred meters to almost 10 km in length) that fan out from the forestry headquarters 15 km from the small town of Sebeta.

Wildlife includes the striking guereza monkey, endemic Menelik’s bushbuck and bold Anubis baboon, all frequently seen by hikers, and predators include leopard and serval cat. Menagesha is also a particularly important site for endemic forest birds such as the yellow-fronted parrot, Abyssinian woodpecker and Abyssinian catbird, as well as the colourful Narina trogon and white-cheeked turaco, which are also likely to be seen.