Travel Guide Dila

Altitude: 1,570 m. Population: 100,000. Distance from Addis Ababa: 363 km. 45 km south of Aposto, the town of Dila marks the beginning of Gedeo territory. This Cushitic population of some 700,000 lives mainly from enset and coffee cultivation, of which the Yirgacheffe coffee is particularly famous. In addition to the market, where you can admire parasols made from false banana leaves, a local specialty, Dila is best known for being one of the major centers of megalithism in Ethiopia. Last but not least, St Gabriel's Church, which dominates the town from the top of Chichu Hill, is the site of a major annual pilgrimage on January 28, attracting worshippers from all over the surrounding region.