I was born December 27th 1980 in a very small village called Mecheka, which is located inside the Simien Mountains National Park, about 40 kilometres from the park headquarters in the town of Debark. Being a shepherd from the ages of 5 to 9 years old, I quickly gained an intimate knowledge the mountains before starting school in Debark, where I attended primary and secondary school for ten years.

I am very grateful and thankful to my father in particular, because he encouraged me to go to school and undertake my education. After I left school, I enrolled in a tourism programme which had been set up and commissioned by the National Park authorities and the Regional Bureau of Tourism commission. The programme focused on qualifying people as tour guides in every tourist destination in Ethiopia, and in particular the Simien Mountains. I had to take an entrance exam which was prepared by the National Park and the Bureau of Tourism, and after passing the exam I had the opportunity to become a tour guide.

I also undertook several training programs, including tourism management, mammals and birds identification, Ethiopian wildlife conservation, ecology in the Simien Mountains, botany, tour and trekking arrangements, first aid, map reading and orientation, and the history of Ethiopia.

I am a professional guide, fluent in English. I have 13 years of experience guiding trekking parties within the mountains. I am trained to the highest level in this industry. Please allow me the privilege of showing you the “Roof of East Africa”!