Ethiopia Northern & Simien Mountains Itinerary

Introduction

• Trek Through Stunning Scenery, Remote Villages And Abundant Wildlife In The Simien Mountains National Park.
• Summit Ethiopia’s Highest Mountain With Excellent Acclimatization And A Well-Paced Itinerary To Maximize Your Chance Of Success.
• Visit The Rock-Hewn Churches Of Lalibela And ‘Africa’s Camelot’ At Gondar.
• Enjoy The Best Service, Guiding, Equipment And Accommodation Throughout.

Day 1: Arrive Addis Ababa

A Warm Welcome To The Capital Of Ethiopia, And Transfer To Your Hotel.

Day 2: Addis Ababa

Explore The City Of Addis Ababa, Founded In 1886. Visit The National Museum, Home To The Fossilized Hominid ‘Lucy’; St. George And Holy Trinity Cathedrals; And, For Those Keen To See An Authentic African Market, A Walk Through The Largest In Africa, Mercato.

Day 3: Addis Ababa – Bahir Dar

In This Day You Have An Option Either Using Public Land Transportation Or Taking A Short Flight To Bahir Dar (The Shores Of Lake Tana, The Source Of The Blue Nile), Where Life Revolves Around The Lake And You Will Find The Local Fishermen At Work In Traditional Papyrus Reed Boats. An Afternoon Hike Takes You To The Beautiful Tis Isat Falls, Also Known As The Blue Nile Falls.

Day 4: Bahir Dar

A Full Day Of Exploration (And Contemplation) As You Cruise From South To North On Lake Tana. Visit A Selection Of The Remote Island Monasteries Such As Ura Kidane Mehret With Its Beautiful Frescoes, And Narga Selassie In Its Stunning Island Setting Where Time Has Stood Still. Once On The Northern Lake Shores, Visit The Church Of Debre Sina And Back To Our Hotel.

Day 5: Bahir Dar – Gondar

A Short Drive Through Public Transportation For About Three Hours To The Old Mountain Capital Of Gondar For About 3 Hrs And Have Relaxing Afternoon.

Day 6: Gondar

Gondar Has A Rich History With Its Beautiful And Strategic Mountain Setting, The 17th-Century Capital Was Once The Crossroads Of Several Major Caravan Routes, And Was Also Occupied By The Italians During World War II. The Art Deco Buildings Surrounding The Royal Enclosure With Its Medieval Castles And Churches Are A Reminder Of This Heritage. This Afternoon, Explore Gondar’s Castles And The Church Of Debre Berhan Selassie With Its Iconic Ceiling Of Painted Angels.

Day 7: Gondar – Sankaber (3250 M), 3-4 Hours

Early Morning We Drive From Gondar To The Park Headquarters In Debark. The 100 Km Journey Will Take Around Two Hours. At The Headquarters We Will Arrange Our Permits To The Park And Pick Up Our Scout. After That We Will Drive For Another Hour Before We Start Our First Day Introductory Walk. This First Hike Is An Easy One Along The Northern Edge Of The Escarpment With Nice View Points Over The Foothills And Plains Of Northern Ethiopia. You Will Encounter Gelada Baboon Along This Hike.

Day 8: Sankaber – Geech (3600 M), 5-6 Hours

Today We Follow The Northern Escarpment Eastward. The Trail Passes Most Of The Time Close To The Cliff Edge With Stunning Views Into The Valleys Below. We Will Also Pass A Beautiful Waterfall, Jinbar Falls, Before Arriving At Geech Village. Geech Camp Is Set On A Beautiful Meadow Full Of Everlasting Flowers (So Called Because Of Their Longevity).

Day 9: Geech – Imet Gogo (3925 M) – Siha Gorge – Kedadit (3760 M) – Geech, 6-7 Hours

This Is A Great Day Walking Along The Escarpment Edge With Stunning Views. We Start Early In The Morning To Reach Imet Gogo In About Two Hours, The First Viewpoint Of The Day, Offering Stunning Panoramic Views Over The Simien Mountains. After That, We Will Continue To Siha Gorge And Kedadit Before Returning To Geech Camp.

Day 10: Geech – Chenek (3620 M), 7-8 Hours

The Longest Trekking Day Of The Trip But With Excellent Views Throughout. We Descend Into The Jinbar Valley And Then Climb Up The Other Side To The Village Of Chenek. The Scenery Is Dramatic And If You’re Lucky You May See Walia Ibex On The Cliffs Or Lammergeyers Soaring Above.

Day 11: Chenek – Ambiko (3200 M), 8-9 Hours

We Start Early To Cross The Bwahit Pass (4200 M) With Views To Ras Dashen, Ethiopia’s Highest Peak. Then Descend Steeply Through The Valley To Reach Ambiko Village. Overnight At Camp.

Day 12: Ambiko – Ras Dashen (4543 M) – Ambiko, 9-10 Hours

Summit Day! We Leave Before Sunrise To Climb Ras Dashen, Ethiopia’s Highest Mountain. The Trail Is Long But Not Technically Difficult. After Enjoying The Summit Views, We Return To Ambiko Camp For Overnight.

Day 13: Ambiko – Sona (3500 M), 7-8 Hours

We Begin Descending From The High Simien Plateau, Passing Through Beautiful Valleys And Villages. Camp At Sona With A Magnificent View Over The Lowlands.

Day 14: Sona – Mekarebya (2000 M), 6-7 Hours

Descend Steeply To The Lowlands. The Climate Becomes Warmer, Vegetation Changes Dramatically, And Villages Become More Frequent. Overnight At Camp Near The Village Of Mekarebya.

Day 15: Mekarebya – Mulit (2100 M), 5-6 Hours

We Follow The River With Many Beautiful Swimming Spots Along The Way. It’s A Relaxed Day Compared To The Previous Ones, With Scenic Views And Cultural Interaction With Local People. Overnight At Camp In Mulit.

Day 16: Mulit – Adi Arkay – Drive To Gondar

Morning Trek To Adi Arkay, Where Our Vehicle Will Be Waiting To Drive Back To Gondar. Arrival In Gondar And Overnight At Hotel.

Day 17: Gondar – Lalibela

Fly Or Drive To Lalibela, The Eighth Wonder Of The World, Famous For Its Monolithic Rock-Hewn Churches. Visit The First Group Of Churches, Including Bete Medhane Alem, Bete Maryam, Bete Meskel, And Others. Overnight In Lalibela.

Day 18: Lalibela – Addis Ababa

The End Of The Northern Visit Will Be Flight Back To Our Capital Town Addis Ababa. Evening Farewell Dinner And End Of The Tour.