GUNUNG · Ethiopia

Mount Choqa

ጮቄ ተራራ (Ch'ok'e Terara / Choke)

Information

Elevation: 4.100 m
Country: Ethiopia (ET)
Location / Range: Pegunungan Choke, Dataran Tinggi Gojjam — Region Amhara (antara Bahir Dar & Debre Markos, selatan Danau Tana)
Mountain type: Massif dataran tinggi basaltik — gunung berapi perisai Miosen yang tererosi dalam (tidak aktif); puncak tertinggi rangkaian Choke
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: 10.7167, 37.8500
Difficulty: Sedang — trekking ketinggian multi-hari (min. 3 hari) melintasi padang alpin; non-teknis tetapi terpencil, ketinggian >4.000 m, minim fasilitas
Best Season: Musim kering; pertengahan Januari populer (bertepatan festival Timkat/Timqat di kawasan); hindari musim hujan Juni–September
Permits & Rules: Tidak ada tiket taman nasional formal; akses lewat komunitas Gojjam. Umumnya diatur operator/pemandu lokal dari Debre Markos, Dembecha, atau Mulu Village (eco-lodge)
Hazards: Ketinggian >4.000 m, suhu dingin & embun beku, medan moorland berbatu terbuka, terpencil dengan sedikit fasilitas medis, kabut/navigasi

Description

Mount Choqa (Ch'ok'e Terara, popularly 'Choke Mountain', ~4,100 m; some sources cite the range's high point up to ~4,184 m) is a basaltic highland massif in Gojjam, Amhara Region, south of Lake Tana between Bahir Dar and Debre Markos. Geologically it is a deeply eroded Miocene shield volcano. Choke is known as the 'water tower of the upper Blue Nile' (Abay): its watersheds are the source of more than 60 rivers and 270 springs and are estimated to contribute over 10% of the Nile's water. The massif rises from a ~2,800 m plateau to alpine summits above 4,000 m, then drops steeply toward the Blue Nile gorge — below 1,000 m within less than 70 km — producing an extreme ecological gradient. Its vegetation includes moorland with Giant Lobelia, Alchemilla and Erica arborea, plus relict Juniperus procera, Hagenia abyssinica and Hypericum revolutum; slopes are cultivated up to ~3,000 m. Fauna includes gelada in surrounding areas, leopard, colobus monkey, and endemic/near-threatened birds such as the Abyssinian Longclaw. Choke is a growing high-altitude trekking destination, usually approached from Mulu Village or Debre Markos.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Via Debre Markos (sisi selatan)

Sedang; trek ketinggian multi-hari

3+ hari (tergantung itinerari)

An approach from the town of Debre Markos, about 40 km south of the summit. A convenient logistics base for hikers arriving from the Addis Ababa corridor, before continuing into the Choke area for a high-altitude trek across the Gojjam highlands that form the Blue Nile's water tower.

Source

Via Mulu Village (eco-lodge, sisi barat daya)

Sedang; trek ketinggian multi-hari, non-teknis tetapi terpencil

Minimal 3 hari (bisa lebih sesuai rencana)

The most common entry route into the Choke massif. The Choke Mountains Eco Village (Mulu Village) lies on the southwestern side, reached via the Dembecha–Feresbet road. From here hikers climb from a ~2,800 m plateau to alpine moorland above 4,000 m, crossing Giant Lobelia moorland and the headwaters of many rivers. A minimum of 3 days is recommended; guides and logistics are usually arranged by local operators. Mid-January is popular, coinciding with the region's Timkat festival.

Route Segments

1

Mulu Village → plateau

2.800 mdpl

Eco-lodge di barat daya via jalan Dembecha–Feresbet; awal pendakian
2

Plateau → padang alpin

Moorland Giant Lobelia, mata air & hulu sungai
3

Padang alpin → puncak Choke

4.100 mdpl

Puncak alpin di atas 4.000 m

Source

Climbing Experiences

Trekking Choke is a multi-day high-altitude adventure (usually a minimum of 3 days, up to 6-day tours) across the alpine 'water tower of the Blue Nile'. Popular entry points are Mulu Village (with an eco-lodge) on the southwestern side via the Dembecha–Feresbet road, or Debre Markos (~40 km south of the summit). Accounts emphasise moorland landscapes with Giant Lobelia, springs and the headwaters of dozens of rivers, the highland farming culture of Gojjam, and a best window around mid-January (coinciding with Timkat). Sources include local-operator itineraries, traveller forums and regional coverage.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.