Trekking in the Simien Mountains, Ethiopia

By Elsbeth Robson

Ethiopia might not seem the obvious destination for alpine pursuits, but it is part of highland Africa and has some tremendous mountains. Having previously climbed Mt Kenya, Mt Kilimanjaro and spent many happy years as an active member of the Malawi Mountain Club, I was keen to visit the Simien Mountains which lie in north-west Ethiopia when work took me to the nearby historic city of Gondar in March 2018 and September 2019.

The Simien Mountains National Park encompasses a jagged eroded escarpment of breathtaking beauty. This UNESCO world heritage site feels remote but is reasonably accessible and sparsely inhabited. Trekking at altitudes above 3000m is challenging – I just was r-e-a-l-l-y s-l-o-w moving uphill. There are plenty of boys offering mules to tired trekkers, but I’m proud that I declined and completed my six days of hiking without four footed assistance.

One of the highlights of hiking in the Simiens is the wildlife. I was delighted by our encounters with gelada monkeys, which are very commonplace. Troops of these special creatures from tiny babies clinging to their mothers to big males baring their sharp teeth are widespread in the park and seem quite habituated to people. It was very special to be able to get close for photographs and just to observe the geladas playing, grooming, feeding and fighting as they roam over quite long distances each day. The most amazing experience was to sit at sunset at the top of the cliff a short walk from our tents at Gich camp (3600m) and watch the baboon families tumbling over the edge to seek shelter for the night in rocky caves safe from predators. The sunset too was truly awesome, but the cold penetrated even my down jacket, thermals, hat and gloves. We also enjoyed sightings of dassies (rock hyrax), walia ibex and jackals, as well as the rarer Ethiopian or Simien wolf.

For those who like to take binoculars hiking the birds are impressive too. I am not a great bird watcher but my guide was an expert with an excellent reference book (in English) in his rucksack and we identified 22 different species in one day. Sitting having our packed lunch (tuna sandwiches for me and traditional injera for my guide and scout – all shared with nearby kids out herding) on a cliff top seeing vultures, ravens, eagles, kites and buzzards soaring above and below us was quite memorable. We were even lucky enough to spot a soaring lammergeyer. In late September the wildflowers too were plentiful after the rainy season and the waterfalls spectacular. The giant lobelias growing around Gich and Chennek camps were quite a sight.

Not so great was the amount of litter around the crowded campsites at Chennek, Gich and Sankaber, along with the lack of water and dirty latrines. In contrast the wonderful (albeit expensive) luxury eco-friendly Limolino Lodge (2800m) I would rate as one of the best in Africa with hiking from the door, lovely roaring fires to sit around in-doors and out, great dining and early morning yoga with inspirational sunrise views. Fabulous hospitality: I left after two nights feeling like a friend, not a customer, and satisfied with having hiked to a viewpoint visited by the young Princess Elizabeth more than sixty years ago and a high point on the escarpment known as Ras Amba (3120m).

My two short trips to the Simien Mountains did not permit getting to Ethiopia’s highest point of Ras Dashen (4533m). But the highest point reached in my 6 days of trekking in total was Inatye (4070m). Each day’s hiking was about 4 to 7 hours, with the longest day being over 9 hours but incorporating lots of rest stops at impressive viewpoints and pauses to take photos.

For AAC(UK) members looking for a less conventional hiking destination, then the Simien mountains are easily reached by Ethiopian Airlines (Heathrow-Addis-Gondar) and many tour companies offer 2 hiking packages that can be researched and booked online. A bonus with regard to trekking is that you don’t have to take all your own camping kit as it can be hired and porters with donkeys will carry luggage. But thanks to the generous luggage allowance on Ethiopian Airlines I was glad to have my own Wildcountry tent, Thermarest and down expedition sleeping bag (as well as essential earplugs, eyepatch and headtorch). I wish I’d packed a few more high energy bars, chocolate and tasty snacks as food provided on the budget 4-day trek was a bit basic at times despite the best efforts of the camp cook. Park entry fees are reasonable but every group (even a single hiker) has to pay for a scout and a guide to accompany them throughout the visit to the national park. So solo trips are not possible. Also back country or wild camping isn’t permitted so there can be quite a lot of tourists following the same trails and busy official campsites. I don’t know if any of the cliffs in the Simiens have been explored by climbers but a quick internet search suggests there have been a few expeditions by Western climbers exploring the tremendous potential of Ethiopian rock. Mountain biking is in its infancy in the country, but some enterprising local guides are offering escorted mountain bike tours. It is worth investing in a decent guidebook (my favourite is Bradt guides) and a map (try Stanfords for the best map of the national park).

Elsbeth Robson (elsbeth.robson@ gmail.com) is happy to share tips and advice on trips to the moun- tains of Lesotho and Malawi, as well as Ethiopia.

Hikers in the Simien Mountains Photos by Elsbeth Robson

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