Mount Zuqualla

Zuqualla rises to about 2,900 metres from the Rift floor south of Bishoftu, an isolated extinct volcano whose slopes carry one of the better patches of dry highland forest in the region, with colobus monkeys and a good bird list, and whose crater holds a lake around a kilometre across. On the rim stands the monastery of Zuqualla Maryam, founded by tradition in the fourth century by Abbo, a saint whose shrine draws pilgrims; two annual pilgrimages, in March and October, bring very large numbers up the mountain on foot. The track to the rim is rough and steep and needs a four-wheel drive, or several hours on foot. From the top the view runs across the Rift valley on a clear day.

What you actually see

• The crater lake - water filling the summit crater.
• Zuqualla Maryam - the rim monastery and its shrine.
• Highland forest - colobus monkeys and birds on the slopes.
• Rift valley views - the plain below on clear days.

When to go

October to March for the track. The two pilgrimages, around March and October, fill the mountain and are the most interesting and the most crowded times. Rains from June to September make the track impassable.

Honest expectations

The track up is genuinely rough and a capable vehicle with a driver who knows it is needed. Walking up takes several hours. Women may face restrictions at parts of the monastery. During pilgrimages the mountain is extremely crowded and litter is a problem. No facilities on the rim.

Nearby

Bishoftu lies north; Addis Ababa is beyond it.