5/5 Favour Tour and T. 1 year ago on Google
Lake Wonchi (Haroo
Wenchi)
Best
World
Tourism
Village
in
2021
Wonchi
lake
is
a
picturesque
crater
lake
which
is
located
on
the
mountain
range
between
the
town
of
Ambo
and
Woliso.
The
lake
is
the
beautiful
legacy
of
a
once
powerful
volcano
erupting
in
the
Tertiary
period
of
the
Cenozoic
Era.
The
volcano
erupted
about
1000
years
ago
and
left
asymmetric
caldera
of
rock
which
is
now
covered
in
lush
green
vegetation.
The
whole
crater
contains
a
large
lake
with
small
islands,
hot
mineral
springs,
waterfalls
and
beautiful
valleys
and
farmland.
Due
to
its
unique
topography,
the
Lake
is
also
a
habitat
for
varieties
of
animal
and
plant
species,
some
aquatic
birds
and
it
is
a
splendid
area
for
a
number
of
indigenous
forest
reserves,
including
Egynia
Abyssinica
(Kosso-
plant
used
in
traditional
medicine
as
a
vermifuge)
and
Erica
Arborea
(Hasta).
An
old
monastery
with
a
church
known
as
Wonchi
Cherkos
is
positioned
on
one
of
the
lake
islands
making
the
spot
more
enticing
and
mesmerizing.
The
monastery
is
believed
to
have
been
constructed
in
13
Century
by
St.
Tekle
Haymanot
and
reconstructed
by
Emperor
Zara
Yaqob
in
15th
Century
.It
hosts
a
large
church
bell,
called
the
“Gondar
bell”,
because
it
is
said
to
have
belonged
to
Emperor
Fasilidas
who
reigned
in
Gondar.
It
is
possible
to
spend
a
whole
day
in
Wonchi
crater
exploring
the
traditional
Oromo
villages,
lake,
monastery
island
and
forests
by
a
combination
of
horseback,
boat
and
walking.
It’s
also
possible
to
visit lake
Dendi ;
a
bell
shaped
lake
20
Km
away
from
Wenchi
or
Visit
the
peaceful
Guder
Falls
before
returning
to
Addis
Ababa.
The
Office
of
Prime
Minister
Abiy
Ahmed
with
its
newest
development
project,
('Dine
for
Ethiopia')
has
given
due
attention
to
develop
the
destination
and
increase
Tourist
flow
to
the
area.
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