Description

Short trip to the Semien Mountains National Park

This morning, you depart Addis Abeba very early and fly to Gonder (approx.1 hour). From here, you drive from Gonder to Debark (approx.2 hrs, 100km), where the Simien Mountains National Park headquarters are located. After picking up the rest of your trekking crew, your national park scouts, food supplies and your camping equipment in debark, you will drive on a rough road towards Sankaber camp. From Sankaber camp, we take a short acclimatisation trek to view the stunning escarpment and beyond.

Overnight camping

Day 2 Trek to Geech campsite 3600m approx. 7 hrs

The Simien Mountains consist of many high altitude plateau formed by volcanic activity and lava flows, the northern and western flanks of which were subsequently eroded by large rivers forming an incredible landscape of rugged peaks and valleys. Your experienced trek leader and national park scouts are very familiar with this area and will introduce you to some remote areas with in these Mountains. If you are lucky, you may find some gelada baboons playing on the slopes. Today we head along some spectacular trails past the Geech abyss and we continue for 2-3 hrs uphill to Geech camp.

Overnight camping

Day 3 to Chenek 3620m approx. 8-9 hrs trek

From Geech, we take an optional ascent to the summit of Imet Gogo (3926m). This walk to Imet Gogo is a relatively easy one allowing us to enjoy some truly dramatic views the best in the park with 360 degree view of the area. From Imet Gogo, the vast expanse of low lands is revealed below us, and we gain some perspective of this incredible mountain range. We continue on our trek through open grasslands and giant lobelias, along the edge of the escarpment to Chenek. This is a relative long day walk with a few steep ups and downs. You stop for lunch at Inatiye (4070m) where again you have some magnificent views of the lowlands. Chenek itself is one of your most beautiful campsites, with your tents clustered among the giant lobelias and superb views of the escarpment. This is one of the best areas to see the endemic Walia ibex, a large mountain goat unique to Ethiopia, with distinctively patterned fore-legs and large, ridged horns. Gelada baboons are also common around Chenek. Like the walia, they are seldom found far from cliffs and are well adapted to living on nearly vertical faces. At the first site of danger they will plunge over the edge where danger cannot follow. The simian fox or Abyssinian wolf, though named after this area, is now rarely seen, though you may hear its high pitched call at night. These mountains are also noted for cliff-nesting birds of prey, in particular the large and powerful lammergeyer (bearded vulture). These birds have a wing span of almost 3meters and are frequently seen performing aerial acrobatics above us.

Overnight camping

Day 4 drive back to Gonder approx. 5 hrs

From our campsite, we will drive back to Gonder and make short visit to the royal enclosure. This fortress, surrounded by a wall, is a UNESCO world heritage site. The oldest and most impressive structure in the compound is the two story palace of emperor Fasiledes, built of solid basalt stones.

Overnight Goha hotel

Day 5 fly back to adiss Abeba

This morning we check in to the airport and fly back to Addis Abeba. Our trip will end up by being dropped to your hotel or to the airport

Meeting location

As per your flight arrival time or time you would like to start the tour, we will meet you at the airport with a sign of your name after you get out of the terminal building or we will pick you up from where you are in Adisss Abeba, any hotel or any other location.

End location

Customers would be left at their hotel in Adiss Abeba, the airport or any place in the city where they would like.