Simien Mountains Trekking Itinerary (4 Days / 3 Nights Camping)

In the morning, take a flight from Addis Ababa to Gondar, where you will meet your driver and guide. From Gondar, drive to the Simien Mountains National Park headquarters in Debark, a journey of about two hours. After arranging the necessary park permits and meeting your local scout, cook, and mule handlers, continue driving into the park toward Sankaber Camp. Along the way, enjoy your first encounters with the spectacular escarpments and the endemic Gelada baboons that inhabit the highlands. In the afternoon, take a short acclimatization hike near the campsite to admire sweeping views of the surrounding cliffs and valleys before settling in for dinner and your first night under the stars.

After breakfast, begin your trek from Sankaber to Geech Camp, a journey that takes around five to six hours. The trail offers breathtaking views of the rugged Simien landscape, with deep valleys carved by the Jinbar River. Stop to admire the Jinbar Waterfall, one of the park’s most impressive natural sights, cascading dramatically into the gorge below. Continue trekking through Afro-alpine meadows dotted with giant lobelias and keep an eye out for wildlife such as klipspringers and more Gelada troops. Arrive at Geech Camp in the late afternoon, where you’ll relax and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the highlands before dinner.

Today’s trek is one of the most scenic in the Simien Mountains. After an early breakfast, set out toward Imet Gogo, a viewpoint at 3,926 meters that offers panoramic vistas of the jagged peaks and dramatic escarpments that define this UNESCO World Heritage Site. From Imet Gogo, continue hiking via the viewpoints of Seha and Kedadit, eventually reaching Chennek Camp. This area is known for its population of Walia ibex, Ethiopia’s endemic mountain goat, which can often be spotted grazing on the cliffs. Spend the evening enjoying the magnificent sunset over the mountains before resting for the night in preparation for the next day’s climb.

Rise before dawn for an early start to your ascent of Ras Dashen, Ethiopia’s highest peak at 4,550 meters. The trek is challenging but rewarding, leading through Afro-alpine terrain and past small highland villages where herders tend their flocks. From the summit, take in spectacular views that stretch across the Ethiopian highlands and, on a clear day, into Eritrea. After spending some time at the peak, descend back to Chennek Camp for lunch and a short rest before driving back to Gondar, a journey of about four to five hours. Depending on your schedule, either stay overnight in Gondar or take an evening flight back to Addis Ababa, concluding your unforgettable Simien Mountains adventure.