Ethiopia (November-December 2013)
Trek from Korem to Tenta via Muja and Magdala,
Rock-Hewn Churches of Tigray, Monday Market in Bati, Gambela
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My main goal for this trip was a two-week trek
from Korem (a town located on the road between
Addis Ababa and Mekele, just south of Lake Hashenge) to Tenta, via the
small town of Muja and the historical site of Magdala (see first
map below). Prior to this trek I visited four rock-hewn
churches in Tigray near the town of Wukro, north of
Tigray′s capital Mekele: Mikael Imba, Mikael Melehayzenghi, Abuna Yemata Guh, and Debre Maryam Korkor (see second map below). I had already visited the
later two in 1973 (see here) and it is interesting to compare the photos
taken during those two 40-year-apart trips Following the trek I stopped in Bati, a small town located at the junction between the
Ethiopian highlands and the Afar depression (Danakil desert), in order to see
the Monday market. This ethnically diverse and vibrant market attracts Afars (Danakils) from the east,
Oromos from the south, and Amharas
from the west (Ethiopian highlands). Then I returned to Addis Ababa and flew
to Gambela in western Ethiopia, near the border
with South Sudan, for a short visit. |
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Trek from Korem to Tenta via Muja and Magdala:
The map on the right shows 41 waypoints along the
trek between Korem and Tenta.
These waypoints indicate the locations of our 12 campsites, as well as of
other features (villages, markets, river crossings, ...).
Click here to see the waypoints in Google Earth. Click the links below to see photos of the various
parts of the trek: A car arranged by Solomon Berhe (see below) drove me from Tenta
to Bati. On the way we stopped at Gishen Maryam (also called Gishen
Debre Kerbe), one of the
most revered monasteries in Ethiopia (waypoint 42 in the map). It is the site
of a major religious festival (Meskel, Finding of
the True Cross) at the end of September. A legend says that it hides a piece
of the cross on which Jesus was crucified. An actual fact, however, is that
the monastery has been built on top of a cross-shaped amba
(flat-topped mountain), as can be seen in the aerial picture below. |
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Rock-Hewn Churches of Tigray:
The map on the right shows the location of the
four rock-hewn churches that I visited during this trip: Mikael Imba, Mikael Melehayzenghi, Abuna Yemata Guh, and Debre Maryam Korkor. When I traveled in this region in 1973, there were
very few roads and I had to hike all the way from Wukro
to Abuna Yemata Guh. Now, access to most churches requires no or little
hiking. On this trip, however, I chose to hike from Abuna
Yemata Guh to Debre Maryam Korkor. This is a
very pleasant 3-hour hike with gorgeous views over the Gheralta
mountain and a short rock-climbing challenge (a couple of hard moves, perhaps
5.7, without protection) along the way. Click the links below to see photos of the
churches and their surroundings: |
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Monday Market in Bati:
Click the links below to see photos of the market: |
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Gambela:
Click the link below to see photos of the Gambela area: -
Gambela |
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Solomon Berhe:
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Solomon Berhe did arrange most of the logistics
for this trip (transportation, support team). He also provided a considerable
amount of information about the trek itinerary. Solomon had already helped me
for two previous trips in April-May 2012 and in March 2013. He provides superior services, not
only on key issues (such as reliability and punctuality), but also on all
kinds of small details that make me comfortable. For example, following his
instructions, his drivers never exceed 80km/h, even (especially?) on
asphalted roads. This is much appreciated in a country where roads are
notoriously dangerous. Even more important, Solomon is not just a tour
company owner and manager. As a bird watcher himself, he travels extensively
across all regions of Ethiopia, where he develops numerous local connections.
So, he has first-hand experience of the joy and sometimes hardship of outdoor
adventures. |
Support team during the trek:
The
support team arranged by Solomon for the trek consisted of Gebru, Gebrehiwet,
and Dirar. All of them are from northern Tigray: Gebru and Gebrehiwet are
from Adwa and Dirar from Axum. Gebru (Solomon′s brother) was the team
leader and Gebrehiwet was the cook. Dirar was the only member of the team to
speak English. Gebru and Gebrehiwet
had already trekked with me for one month in April 2012. Although they do not speak English
and I do not speak Amharic, we understand each other quite well, and a
genuine friendship has developed between us. |
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Gebru |
Gebrehiwet |
Dirar |
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