Simien Mountains, Ethiopia
The rugged scenery of Ethiopia’s Simien Mountains provides some of the best walking in Africa. With spectacular peaks and Ras Dejen being the highest at 4543m there are unforgettable views, sweeping gorges and high plateaux. There are also some notable historic sites in the Simien Mountains such as the early churches at Lalibela and the castles at Gondar which was the seventeenth century capital of Ethiopia. Axum is another historical centre and popular as a place to visit as part of a walk in the area.
There are several different types of trek through these mountains, may combining sights with visits to rural villages and the mountain ranges themselves. In the Simien Mountains trekkers sometimes see wildlife native to Ethiopia including ibex and the lammergeyer. Occasionally rarer creatures have been sighted including the Simien fox and Gelada baboon.
When walking in this area it is impossible not to notice the extreme poverty of the Amhar people in the villages who are sometimes without medical or educational supplies, but are very hospitable to visitors. For trekkers there are options of circular routes o longer walks, each one with its own merits and rewards.
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