Day Trip Simien Mountains National Park

Overview

Available languages

English

8 hours

Mobile ticket

Begin your full-day Ethiopian trekking adventure from the old, once-capital city of Gondar. Get picked up from your hotel and drive two hours to Debark, the entrance of Simien Mountains National Park. Upon arrival, get all the formalities and permits figured and meet your guide and the national park scouts who will assist you throughout the day.

Then, drive 13 miles to the first area of the park and the starting point of your hike. Begin trekking on a three-hour trail all the way up to Michibi, where you will see the endemic gelada baboon and many varieties of plants and birds. Enjoy the spectacular view of the Simien Mountains from above. End the wonderful day with drop-off to your hotel in Gondar.

Additional Info

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What To Expect

Simien Mountains National Park

We will meet you in the morning at Gondar Airport or your hotel in Gondar. Drive from Gondar to Debark, which is the headquarter town for the national park. We will stop here to get a permission to enter to the park and meet the scout. We will have tea and coffee break and visit the local market if we have time. The local market is open every day, and every Wednesday and Saturday is the big market day. From Debark town, we will drive to the park gate, which is about 16km from the town. Then, we are heading about 10km to Sankaber camp, which is the first camping site in the national park. From Sankaber camp, we will trek for about 3 hours. You will trek along the edge with stunning views over the foothills 800m below. You will most certainly encounter troops of the endemic gelada baboons and see them up-close. Jinba waterfalls, an incredible 500m sheer drop, the longest fall in Ethiopia. we get back to the main road Kavamesk) where the car stops to drive us to Gondar

6 hours • Admission Included

The 20-minute walk from the roadside to the lookout across the chasm to Jinbar Waterfall is well worth taking. The views are vertiginous and they're at their best in the rainy season when water cascades down a sheer cliff across the other side of the valley. Sankaber is the first campsite on most Simien treks, and is a wonderful introduction to the park. The drive from Debark (the entrance town to the Simien Mountains) concludes at Buit Ras near the Simien Lodge. From here, you will begin the trek to Sankaber camp. The route from Buit Ras to Sankaber is relatively mild and works well as an acclimatization hike, although there are some steeper ascents as you are climbing to around 3200 metres. Sankaber is surrounded by Giant Heath trees (Erica Arboreal) and escarpment edges. The camp is situated on the escarpment edge and has stunning views. Gelada Monkeys often play on the grounds here, and there are a few great viewpoints around the camp that you can explore as you get acclimatised.

2 hours • Admission Not Applicable

What‘s Included

Government tax

Bottled water

Lunch

Air-conditioned vehicle

Scout/Park Ranger

Airport/Departure Tax

Guide

National Park fee

Personal interest

Pickup points

Gondar Airport

Gonder Ethiopia

Options