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SIMEN MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
The Simiens will literally take your breath away, since much of this mountain massif lies above 3,000m. However, brave hearts are richly rewarded by its vistas and unusual wildlife. Sometimes referred to as ‘Africa’s Grand Canyon’, millions of years’ erosion have carved the landscape into a sharp-edged intricacy of steep gorges, rocky monoliths and sheer cliffs that now form one of the very first UNESCO World Heritage Sites ever declared. It’s on the high plateau that you’re likely to glimpse a rare Simen fox (also known as the Ethiopian wolf) as you cross the unique Afro-alpine landscape with its high altitude and wetlands. Along the edge of the escarpment you see troops of gelada baboons, using the inaccessible cliffs as refuge from predators at night. These intelligent primates were once found across Africa, but are now only found in pockets on the Ethiopian Highlands. Unafraid of people, you observe these grass-eating primates up close as they munch their way across a meadow, babies playing while they forage relentlessly.
You can spot the Walia Ibex, one of only a few hundred of these light-footed mountain goats that remain in the world. The bearded vulture and the tawny eagle are two of the most impressive of the region’s 130 bird species. Your guide arranges day hikes depending on your time, energy level and what you’d like to see. To hike in the Simen Mountains you need a permit and must be accompanied by a local guide and a scout are a given for all hikers, and they all are friendly and only enhance your experience with their knowledge. We regret that we no longer include multi-day hikes in the Simiens in our itineraries.
