Gondar –Sankabar (3-4 hours)

Semien Mountains - Transfer to the airport in Addis and fly to the historic town of Gondar. We will pick you up at Gondar Airport or your hotel and drive along a well-paved road from Gondar to the park headquarters in Debark. The 100 km journey will take about two hours. At the headquarters, we will arrange our park permits and pick up our scout. After that, we will drive for another hour before starting our first introductory walk. This initial hike is an easy one along the northern edge of the escarpment, offering nice viewpoints over the foothills and plains of northern Ethiopia. You will encounter gelada baboons along this hike and spend the night at Sankaber.

Trek Geech

Semien Mountains - Sankaber to Gich (3600 m), 5-6 hrs. We follow the northern escarpment eastward before descending slightly into the Kaba Valley. After that, we climb up before reaching Gich Abyss and continue over a narrow ridge to a cliff where we have a spectacular view of the abyss towards the Simien foothills. We also find a large waterfall here, where the Jinbar River plunges 500 m into the abyss. We proceed for about two hours and have lunch at the Jinbar River. After lunch, we walk through fields of barley before arriving at the idyllic village of Gich. Here, we can enjoy a traditional coffee ceremony in one of the huts and learn more about local farm life. From Gich village, it is a short walk to Gich camp, which is a good area to look for lammergeyer and thick-billed raven. After a relaxing afternoon, we will take a short hike up to Kedadit to enjoy the sunset and the gorgeous shaded landscapes down to the cliffside towards the eastern direction, then return to the camp for dinner.

Trek Chenek

Semien Mountains - Gich to Chennek (3600 m), 7-8 hrs. From Gich camp, we stroll through endless fields of Giant Lobelia before reaching the towering cliffs of Imet-Gogo (3926 m). Here, we will spend some time absorbing the superb views over the mountain valleys below and the strangely shaped domes in the distance, which we will see up close at the end of the trip. After that, we descend into the Jinbahir River Valley. This gives us a very different perspective of Imet-Gogo and the volcanic landscape, where it looks like big chunks of mountains have been blown away. The trail follows the edge of the escarpment, which is completely vertical here for several hundred meters. We climb to a summit of 4070 m where we will have lunch. After lunch, we descend to Chennek for about two hours along a steep trail. From Chennek camp, there are spectacular views in all directions. Sit down on a bench at the escarpment and try to spot Walia Ibex in the late afternoon or early morning. Sometimes, Walia Ibex visit the edges of the campsite.

Gondar to Addis Ababa

Gondar - Back to Gondar. Overnight stay at a hotel in Gondar. Early in the morning at 8:30/9:00, pick up from the hotel and start visiting the main attractions of the city. In the morning, visit the oldest and most impressive Gonderine structure, the magnificent castle compound including the two-storied palace of Emperor Fasiladas and the emperor’s bath where Orthodox Christians celebrate Ethiopian Epiphany on the 19th of January. In the afternoon, visit the fantastically decorated Debre Brehan Silassie Church (Light of Trinity). If time permits, also visit the ruined palace of Queen Mintiwab at Qusquam, where the Scottish explorer James Bruce used to reside for some time. Then transfer to your designated place. On this tour, you can purchase souvenirs and you will be transferred to Gondar Airport for your flight back to Addis Ababa. End of the tour!

• Hotel pickup and transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle
• Professional and local guide fees included
• All camping equipment provided
• Includes lunch, dinner, and breakfast

• International and Domestic flights fees
• Alcoholic Drinks

Travelers embark on an unforgettable journey through the remote beauty of the magnificent Simien region. Often likened to the Grand Canyon for its breathtaking scenery, the Simien Mountains National Park stands as one of Africa’s prominent highlands. Among its peaks is Ras Dashen, which, at 4,533 meters, is Ethiopia’s tallest peak. The Park, a World Heritage Site, boasts wildlife unique to the area, including the scarlet-chested Gelada Baboon, the Waliya Ibex, and the Simien Fox. The mountains also host a variety of plant life and over fifty bird species throughout their adventure.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.