Simien Mountains National Park

Introducing Simien Mountains National Park

No matter how you look at them, the Simien Mountains will leave you speechless. For trekkers, silence is the result of their lungs screaming after slogging up a scree slope for 4200m. For animal-lovers, it’s the trepidation of sitting among 100 gelada baboons that zaps their vocabulary. For everyone with a heartbeat, it’s simply standing atop a panoramic precipice and overlooking the Abyssinian abyss that takes the breath away.

Be it a two-day stroll to Sankaber, a five-day jaunt to Chenek or ten-day trek to Ras Dashen (4543m), these mountains make a terrific break from the historical-circuit’s constant monument-bashing. Besides baboons, the park also hosts a variety of endemic mammals, birds and plants, including the beautiful, massively horned walia ibex. Unsurprisingly, the park is a World Heritage Site.

Camping equipment, guides, mandatory scouts, cooks, mules and mule-handlers are all easily arranged at park headquarters (0581 113482; admission Birr50, camp site Birr20, 5-seat vehicle Birr10; 8.30am-12.30pm & 1.30-5.30pm Mon-Fri, 8.30am-noon & 2-5pm Sat & Sun) in Debark. Note that all park fees cover 48 hours. All in, including food and rented camping and cooking equipment, Birr170 per person per day (in a group of two) should suffice.

While in Debark, sleep and eat at the Simien Park Hotel (0581 113481; tw Birr70, s/d/tw without bathroom Birr30/40/50). For a treat on the mountains, try the new luxury ecofriendly Simien Lodge (0116 189398, 0911 203937; www.simiens.com; dm US$15-20, d US$95-105, 4-person VIP tukul US$135-150) at Buyit Ras.

Two morning buses run between Debark and Gonder (Birr14, 3½ hours). For Shire (and Aksum) head to Gonder and hope the Gonder–Shire bus has an empty seat (Birr35, 7½ hours).

If you have limited time, 4WDs can be arranged in Gonder to drop you off at Debark (Birr450, two hours), Sankaber (Birr850, 3½ hours) or Chenek (Birr1000, five hours).

Last updated: 02-mar-2009