Simien Mountains

Escarpments and deep gorges on the Ethiopian Highlands, with close-up views of gelada baboons and walia ibex, and multi-day treks to Ras Dashen.

The Simien Mountains lie in northern Ethiopia's Amhara Region, about 100 km from the historic city of Gondar. They are a landscape of cliffs and pinnacles formed by millions of years of erosion of a volcanic plateau, averaging more than 3,000 m above sea level, with Ras Dashen the highest peak at 4,550 m. The range was inscribed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site in 1978. It is home to gelada baboons, walia ibex and the Ethiopian wolf, and lammergeiers often soar over the cliffs. Visits start from Debark, at the park's western gate. A day trip by car can reach the Buyit Ras viewpoint, Sankaber and the Jinbar Waterfall. With two or three days you can stay at Gich camp and see the escarpment viewpoints at Imet Gogo, Saha and Kedadit. With four to seven days you can cross Inatye peak and Chenek and climb Bwahit peak or Ras Dashen. The best season is the dry season from Oct to Mar, and the landscape is greenest in Sep–Oct, just after the rains. At higher elevations nights are often below 0°C, so bring warm clothing. Entry requires buying a ticket at the park office in Debark and hiring an armed scout, and trekking usually also requires a guide and mule handlers. Gondar has an airport, and the drive from Gondar to Debark takes about 2–3 hours. The security situation in the Amhara Region has been changeable in recent years, so before departure be sure to check the latest advisories from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia.

Top sights

• Simien Mountains National Park – One of Africa's highland roofs, with kilometre-high cliffs and jagged peaks, home to gelada baboons grazing on clifftop meadows, as well as…
• Geech Camp & Imet Gogo – The most spectacular viewpoint in the Simien Mountains: a headland at 3,926 metres with cliffs on three sides and peaks and deep valleys st…
• Debark – The gateway town to Simien Mountains National Park, where the park office handles tickets and arranges scouts and guides.
• Sankaber Camp – The most common destination for day trips in the Simien Mountains, where troops of gelada baboons graze on the cliff-edge meadows and can b…
• Jinbar Waterfall – The Jinbar River plunges from a cliff near Sankaber, dropping about 500 m into a deep gorge.
• Chenek Camp – A camp on the eastern side of the Simien Mountains, surrounded by cliffs where the endangered Walia ibex are often seen. It is also the sta…
• Mount Bwahit – Ethiopia's third-highest peak at about 4,430 m. It can be done as a day round trip from Chenek, and the summit offers views of Ras Dashen.
• Ras Dashen – Ethiopia's highest peak at 4,550 m, and the ultimate goal of multi-day treks in the Simien Mountains.
• Buyit Ras Viewpoint / Simien Lodge – The first cliff-edge viewpoint inside the park and the site of Simien Lodge, where gelada baboons often graze on the meadow.
• Limalimo Pass & Adi Arkay Escarpment Road – A switchback mountain road north of Debark that drops more than a kilometer along the Simien escarpment, a classic stretch for views of the…
• Ambaras Village – An Amhara highland farming village preserved inside the park, where you can see traditional round huts, terraced fields, and herding life.
• Kedadit Viewpoint – A cliff-top viewing platform west of Geech Camp that overlooks deep valleys and distant plains. It is especially beautiful at sunset.
• Saha Viewpoint – A cliff viewpoint north of Geech Camp, overlooking waterfalls in a valley more than a kilometer deep and layers of ridges.
• Inatye Peak – A high peak on the route between Geech and Chenek, with a nearly 360-degree view from its cliffside summit. It is one of the most beautiful…

Where to eat

• Simien Lodge Restaurant – A lodge restaurant inside the national park, at an altitude of about 3,260 meters. It claims to serve “Africa's highest…
• Limalimo Lodge Restaurant – A cliffside community eco-lodge where freshly made Ethiopian-European fusion set meals come with open mountain views. I…