Kaffa Biospher

The largest and most reachable of three UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserves in Ethiopia’s western highlands, the 7,600km2 Kafa Biosphere Reserve is the sole home of many coffee varieties that still grow wild in the region. The reserve incorporates large tracts of montane rainforest, an important reserve of sustainable forest products such as forest cardamom, forest pepper, and honey. The biosphere reserve’s main tourist center is Bonga, a pleasant forest-fringed town that will soon open the Bonga International Coffee Museum, and has as a tourist office offers guided day and overnight walks to a stunning natural rock formation known God’s Bridge, and the Mother Coffee Tree, the world’s oldest living plant of its type. Wildlife likely to be seen in the region includes the black-and-white colobus monkey, while a wonderful diversity of highland forest and grassland birds includes 11 species endemic to Ethiopia.

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