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An update from Evaneos
Simien

Simien (Ethiopia)

Practical information about Simien

  • Nature Reserve / Wildlife Observation / Safari
  • Viewpoint
  • Hiking / Trekking
  • Mountain
  • Unesco World Heritage
  • Essential
5 / 5 - One review
How to get there
By 4x4 or transfer from Gondar or Debarq
When to go

From November to April

Minimum stay
2 to 3 days

Reviews of Simien

Camille Griffoulieres Travel writer
116 travel articles

Simien National Park is classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It extends across 220 km² and includes the highest peak in the country, Ras Dashen, which reaches an altitude of 4450m. Entrance formalities for the National Park are done at Debarq.

My suggestion:
Familiarise yourself with the Ethiopian Altiplano (at least the capital,Addis Ababa, located at an altitude of 2700 metres) before trying to hike in this National Park. 
Summary:

Plan to spend between 3 and 10 days trekking in Simien National Park and pack accordingly for hiking in the mountains. Avoid the rainy season which begins in May, as a dangerous risk going there. Personally, I loved trekking in this park. It's very impressive to climb so high, the scenery is spectacular and you always come across villagers on the mountain. The lack of oxygen does not go unnoticed, so expect to return exhausted!

But what a reward once up there, with a breathtaking view over the surrounding high plateaus. I was lucky enough to see ibex at a very close range on the path (a sort of mountain ibex) and colonies of gelada baboons with blonde hair. You can really get close to them without any risk; they're not aggressive and they're used to the humans which live up there. A real wildlife report on the summits of Africa!

I chose to do a 4-day hike from the camp at Sankaber to the Bawit peak (at 4,450 metres!), sleeping in a tent and accompanied by a guide, a scout, a cook, etc. 

Simien's gelada baboons