For hikers and birders, Menagesha Forest Park located around 45 km west of Addis Ababa is an ideal place. The park is dominated by the 'African Pencil Cedar', locally known as Tidtrees.Some of the old trees are as tall as over 50 meters and as thick as eight meters. The state forest covers a total area of some 3,500 hectares. Menagesha protects the most substantial remaining patch of indigenous forest of the country and is home to 38 mammals and 186 bird species (according to a study from 2001).
To get to the Menagesha Forest Park,
Option 1) drive the New Ambo Road from Addis and take the turnoff (T1) in Holeta.
Option 2) Alternatively, you can take the Jimma Road south from Addis and, after the village of Sebeta, turn (at T2) onto the 'Menegesha Suba Forest Road'.
Caution: You are best off with a 4WD - or a solid mountain bike and extra good stamina.
There is an entrance fee to the park, to be paid at the Forest Office
(In 2017: 50 ETB per adult, 25 ETB for children, 20 per vehicle plus tax).
The cache is located at the park's second campsite, which can be accessed by car (or foot, of course), approximately 3 km from the forest office. This place features several fireplaces which makes it a nice base for exploring the forest or a daytrip destination for a picnic or bbq.
Note by the owner (July 2019):
After four years in Ethiopia, my time in the 'Land of Origins' came to an end in July 2019. I have done my best to widen and maintain the net of geocaches in the country, but now need to call on my fellow cachers for help: If you venture out to search for this cache, please take a replacement container with you, just in case the original is gone. - Sundowner74 |