HIKING & TREKKING

Kafa Biosphere Reserve offers superb trekking and hiking opportunities in its enchanting environment. A combination of mountains and hills with varying altitudes provides options for both demanding and leisurely hiking. Relatively close to Bonga town and further afield, a wealth of forests, wetlands, waterfalls, and landscapes with an abundant wildlife exist. The remoteness of this region ensures grand mountain scenery, a personal experience with nature, and untold adventures with local communities.

Several mountain ranges in Kafa Biosphere Reserve cater to a variety of trekkers and hikers. Dominant mountains include the Gurgura Mountains, Shonga, Yatana, and Gola Mountains, Gera Hill, and the Koma and Saja Summits. These main ridges range between 1,700 and 2,500 meters.

Day hikes provide a taste of wild Ethiopia. Longer treks with pack mules or horses offer opportunities to travel off the beaten track to some of the most beautiful spots in Ethiopia. The tourist office in Bonga offers to arrange guides for both short and long treks. Signposted trails link areas of interest, such as hot springs, wild coffee growing areas, and indigenous villages. Observation towers provide excellent opportunities to view wildlife or feel the cooling spray of a waterfall. The clear demarcation of paths and the accompaniment of a local guide make hiking an exhilarating and rewarding way to see Kafa. 

Extreme temperatures are rare in this climate, which provides good weather for hiking or trekking. The drier season is most suitable for trekking between October and March. The temperate highlands regulate an average temperature of 20 degrees Celsius year-round.