MONT ZUQUALA

Located 27 km south-west of Debra Zeit, this mountain, whose crater rises 600 m above the plain, is the highest point in the Central Rift Valley (2,989 m above sea level), offering magnificent views of the surrounding area on a clear day. A rough 9 km track, difficult to negotiate in the rainy season, winds its way up the wooded slopes, home to colonies of colobus monkeys and numerous bird species, before reaching a very old monastery flanked by two more recent churches. Founded around the ^13th century by Saint Gabra Manfas Qeddus - who, according to legend, refused his mother's breast on a fasting day - on a site long occupied by hermits, the monastery is now home to a community of monks living in near-autarchy. A visit here reveals large frescoes depicting biblical scenes, as well as some very old manuscripts. 60 m below the summit lies a lake whose waters, declared sacred, are off-limits to bathers outside specific festivals; women are asked to keep a respectable distance... Every November 5th is the occasion for a great celebration. A colorful procession, followed by hundreds of devotees, makes its way to the shores of the lake, to the rhythm of religious music and dance. While it is sometimes possible to obtain a rather spartan shelter within the monastery, overnight camping in the surrounding area is possible with the monks' permission, to take advantage of this unspoilt environment.