Perched above a dizzying 600-metre gorge in the North Shewa zone, the Portuguese Bridge spans a spectacular waterfall where troop after troop of Gelada baboons graze on cliffside terraces.
Archways Over the Chasm
Built in the 16th or 17th century using lime mortar and river stones, this iconic bridge provided strategic passage over the raging Gur River during the rainy season. Today, the surrounding canyon offers some of the most dramatic panoramic vistas in Ethiopia.
Canyon Wildlife Encounters
The rocky plateaus surrounding the bridge are home to large colonies of endemic Gelada baboons, known as the 'bleeding-heart baboons'. Watch them forage peacefully along the vertiginous cliffs.
Visiting the Portuguese Bridge combines breathtaking rift scenery, ancient architecture, and intimate wildlife encounters just a short drive from Debre Libanos.
