Travel Guide Debre Libanos

At the time of writing this guide, all places south of Senafe were forbidden to access foreigners because of their very close proximity with the ultra sensitive border with Ethiopia.If things changed, the monastery of Debre Libanos would be a site to see absolutely! It is the oldest monastery in Eritrea (il of the th century) and, unlike other monasteries which are generally perched at the top of a mountain, Debre Libanos lies at the bottom of a captured valley. Joining is in itself an adventure: First of all, we have to go to the very remote village of Hamm, which is perched on a high plateau, about 2 hours walk from the village of Haaz, located 24 km southwest of Senafe (the 4 x 4 on this part of the road is imperative). The trip from Haaz to Hamm is very beautiful, offering spectacular views of Ethiopia, between valleys and mountains. Once in Haam, the descent to the monastery is more than steep and lasts for about minutes. As elsewhere in the country, the entrance of the monastery is prohibited for women; and since the monastery is still used today, men will not be able to visit all parts. On the other side of the valley, approximately one hour's walk is the place where mommifiés bodies are preserved (approximately in total) from the th century. Access to this collection is allowed for women. In order to avoid hurry, it is prudent to schedule a full day to make this trip.