Wolkite Town

Wolkite Town it is the administrative town of the Gurage zone which lies 155 kms from Addis Ababa on the main western route of the country that runs from Addis Ababa via jimma road. There are various fascinating Natural as well as historical & cultural attractions around the town. Which include the recently established Gibe National park, historically known mosques (Aebret and qatbare mosques) and monasteries (Mehur Eyesus & Enner Emanuel monasteries) the Gurage people   amazing villages and yearly celebrated “meskel” ceremony?

This town offers various infrastructural facilities including 24 hours electric power supply, regular & mobile telephone internet access, Banking, insurance, fuel stations, Hospital and several health Centers. One can arrives this town with 3 hours drive from Addis Ababa by 4 wheel drive car as well by public transportation( Bus, or minibus) .There are various tourist service rendering institution   to eat and stay. Above all the main indicated institution for visitors in their best services is.

Butajira Town

This pleasant and rapidly growing town in the region is located with in 135kms distance from Addis Ababa on the highway route of Hosanna and Wolita Sodo road .The town has a number of tourist service rendering institutions for visitors. In addition to there are also infrastructural facilities including electric power, water supply, fuel station, regular & mobile telephone, Internet accesses, & health centers. In & around the town there are amazing tourist attraction sites which include the known UNESCO world heritage Tiya stelae site, the grand Butajira mosque and famous meder kebdabo monastery. This pleasant town can be easily and quickly arrived with 2 hours drive by 4 wheel drive car or by regular public transport from Addis Ababa. Among many others the most Remarked tourist service rendering institutions are

- Tiya Stelae

History testifies/reveals that the Ethiopian orthodox Tewahido Church is the oldest Christian church in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a unique church in Africa that it has developed its own religious tradition in which much of Ethiopian history, social life and ethics are deeply rooted. The church has been the repository of the country before Christianity. Each of its monasteries and churches has been not only a place of worship but also a museum, In this regard; muhur eyessus monastery is one of the best examples in the region.

- Muhure Eyesus monastery

- Mederekebed Abo monastery

There are different historical religious sites of the Muslim communities in the Region. These include the earliest Tongola Quba mosque of Kaffa, the Alkeso and Haji Alye Mousques of Silte, the Qatbare, Aberaet & Zebemola Mosques of Gurage Zone. All these mosques are ancient and actual religious domestic tourism sites.

The recent Nur-Ahmed of Alaba, Mosques of Butajera and Dila are the well-known actual religious tourism sites & recent in their architectural design. There are also many traditional worship sites in the different zones of the Regional State.

- Alkeso Mosque

- Aberaet Mosque

- Gibe Sheleko National Park

Administrative Map of Gurage Zone

Saja Town  it is recently established  administrative town of Yem Special wereda which lies 277 kms from Addis Ababa via wolkite main road And KM from Hawassa  through Butajia  Zibidar and wolkite. There are various fascinating Natural as well as historical & cultural attractions around the town. Which includes historically known church fofa medahenialem and angari palace, zofkar & Melissa stelae in adition to this there’s cultural medical plant collection ceremony every October 17 (Ethiopian calender) of the year.

This town offers various infrastructural facilities including 24 hours electric power supply, regular & mobile telephone internet access, Banking, insurance, fuel stations, health Centers. One can arrives this town by public transportation( Bus, or minibus) .There is  tourist service rendering institution   to eat and stay. 

-Zofkar Stelae

- Melisa Stelae

Administrative Map of Yem

Bonga Town is one of the oldest town in the region. Nowadays this town is the administration center of the Kaffa zone. This green side town lies on the main route from Addis Ababa to Mizan Tefri through Jimma at a distance of 450kms from Addis Ababa & 725kms from Hawassa.The town is situated in vicinity of famous &  amazing tourist attraction including:

 - The coffee biosphere /which is recognized by UNESCO/

 - Historically known monasteries & mosque /Tongola mosque ,Andercha Medahnialem & Baha giorgis churches/

 - Makira- the place where coffee Arabica was discovered.

 - Gurgurtto- natural bridge.

 - Barta &Ellelo water falls.

 - Dadiben hot spring.

 - The Kaffa coffee museum.

 - The cultural dressing, music& dancing style of the Kaffa people.

 - Open market place of Bonga /Saturday/, Gojeb /Sunday/& Gimebo Monday. /

This pleasant town can be arrived by catching daily regular public buses from Addis Ababa & Jimma . The town also Offers 24 hours hydro electric power , pure water & fuel supply, Banking & insurance,  regular telephone , mobile & internet access & healthy service. There are also several tourist service providing organization. Above all the best recommended to stay & eat are.

Kafa zone is south west of the region. It is far 475 k.m from Addis Ababa, lays a land of abundant honey, milk, spices & famous in the world Arabica coffee. However, kafa zone risks losing its pristine evergreen forest &the incredible number of plant & animal species that live there. But now, after decades of deforestation, fragmentation by small growers &corporate farmers, new local & global initiatives are being put in place to protect & renew kafa's invaluable resources from extinction, providing hope for recovery.

To stop the spate of destruction in the area have led to 760,114 hectares of land being registered as the kafa coffee biosphere reserve by UNESCO, approved in June 2010, becoming Ethiopia’s first& the coffee biosphere reserve of the world.

Biosphere are area designated under UNESCO’S man &biosphere program to test different approaches to integrated management of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal & marine resources & biodiversity. They are sites for experimenting with &learning about sustainable development. The registered area is divided in to three-core zones, undisturbed evergreen natural forest, protected for long by communities as places, buffer zone, agro-forestery areas where locals practice farming with significant forest cover still existing& transition zone, totally degraded land occupied by farmers growing cereals crops& mechanized farms such as coffee &tea estates.

- The birth place of coffee

- Barta water fall

- Andracha Medahanialem Monastery

The Most notable and the respected Mosques in their age of  establishment & religious relics in the region include:

Tongola Mosque

This Oldest & the most respected mosque is found in keffa zone in Decha worda. It lies close to Bonga town with about 9 kms distance to the right turn to the road o Decha woreda .Bonga town situated 450 kms from Addis Ababa via Jimma city. This famous mosque counted over 600 years old.The mosque was established by religions man named Shike Seid Ibne Abduselam who came from Saudi Arabian .In 1616E.C.In the mosque there are remarkable religious relics (hand written “Kitabes( holy book” & Swards).The burial place of the known religious leader is also found in the mosque compound. Still religious thoughts have been given in the mosque and twice ayear in ‘Rebial awal” and “Rejeb” arbaic months a big “Mowlid “ceremony is celebrated. 

Tongola Mosque

Administrative Map of Kefa Zone

MizanTefri it is the administrative as well as the commercial center of Benchi-maji zone.It Is rapidly growing town in the western part of the region.  This town lies with a distance of 570kms Addis Ababa through Jimma High way route. This pleasant town surrounded by various amazing tourist attraction sites, some of these are

- Omo national park

- Ussika hot spring

- The Dembi artificial lake & waterfalls

- The Bebeka vast  spice & coffee plantation

- The fascinating ethnic  & cultural attractions

{Surma, Bench, Menit, Sheko, &Dize ethnic people}

The town also efficiently delivers various services &facilities for gusts including

- 24 hours hydro electric power supply

- Digital telephone , Mobil & in ternate access

-  Banking & insurance

-  pure water & fuel supply

-  healthy facilities

-  Fuel Station

One can arrive this enjoyable town by public buses from Addis Ababa &Jimma.

 Although, there are a number of tourist service providing institutions, the most recommended for visitors to stay & eat are

- Omo National Park

Masha Town Is an administrative town of Sheka zone which is located in south west of Ethiopia with a distance of 676 kms from Addis Ababa via Jimma & Bonga town. It is also about 305kms from Jimma via Bonga town.

Attractions- this town can described as green side town since it is surrounded by an evergreen forest. The surrounding attraction include-

-  An amazing evergreen forest which is full of scenic & attractive water fall, hot springs , bird life & wild life.

-  Shekesheko waterfall &cave- This amazing water fall &cave site is found 8kms from Masha town on main road with 40 minute walk by foot to the left

-  The amazing cultures of Shekicho, Sheko, Mezenger & kaficho people.

-  Abune Hara monastery.

Access-There is daily regular public transport services directly from Addis Ababa through Metu& from Teppi.

Tourist service delivery organization-the most recommended organization to eat & stay in Masha include:

- Sheka Forest Biosphere Reserve

- ShekSheko water fall & cave

Abune Hara Monastry

Abune Hara Monastry is found in sheka zone Gecha town. It’s located at 664KM from Addis Ababa and 55 KM from Tepi town.the monastery is established in 1873 E.C and it owns many historical antiquities that a lot to do with the orthodox religion. When you visit Abune Hara monastery you can vist the beauty of natural forest on your way to the monastery, it will give you great satisfaction.

Old Abune Hara monastry

New Abune Hara Monastry

Administrative Map of Bench Maji Zone
 

Ameya is one of growing tourist destination town in the region. It is the administrative center of konta special wereda. It is located in a distance of  445kms from Addis Ababa through jima & 460km from Hawassa through wolayeta sodo, tercha, cheda  road.

 There are several fascinating attractions around the town including chebera churchura national park, shekola national caves, ameya Saturday open air livestock (oxen) market day & four small creator lakes (Keriballa, Bahe, Bulo, Shita) and agare Michael church. The basic infrastructure facilities such as Hydro electric power, Regular & mobile telephone, pure water supply and health services. This pleasant town is accessible in different directions one gets there public transportation from tercha and from Jimma 

- Chebera Chuchura Park (CCNP)

Administrative Map of Konta Special Woreda

Tercha is a newly born & quickly growing administrative town of Dawero zone. It is located 510 kms, 284 kms & 110kms from Addis Ababa, Hawassa & Wolaita Sodo towns respectively. It is rapidly growing town that formed in 1999e.c. Although it is founded very recently, basic facilities are fulfilling such as 24hours hydro electric power, telephone services (regular & mobile), pure water supply & healthy services. This town also serves as benching mark for visiting several amazing attractions around it. This includes:

• - The amazing Dawero people cultural dancing & instruments particularly the longest bamboo made flute known as Dinkye & Hitstsya
• - Kawo Halala fort (Halala kelp)-is historical defense wall which built by king Halala.
• - The biodiversity richen Chebera Churchura national park (African elephant & herd Buffalos).
• - The religiously historical & old churches such as Tocha medahialem & st. Michael.

Access:- this town can arrived by regularly  traveled public transport means from Hawassa, wolyta Sodo, &Jimma 

Tourist service delivery institution- the main recommended institution for gusts (visitors) in the town includes.

- Kawo halalla Defense wall (Halalakela)
 

- Chebera Chuchura Park (CCNP)

Administrative Map of DawroWoreda