The Simien Mountain National Park (SMNP) is situated on the north west side of the Simien Mountain range in northern Ethiopia, a spectacular natural monument it is an excellent place to explore on foot. This park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and it is easy to see why. Soaring peaks, emerald valleys, scattered hamlets, waterfalls, and endemic wildlife all add up to make this a truly special portion of the planet.
The breath-taking landscape is shaped by agriculture as well as nature. The steep slopes are farmed by the local population and it is their tracks that lead you up and down the mountains. Around 20,000 people live in isolated traditional communities throughout the range. When just walking here was a challenge for us, it was a marvel to see how the people who call it home make a life in such harsh conditions. With scarce natural resources most necessities are carried in on foot, watching the locals navigate the tough terrain (often shoeless) with their heavy loads was remarkable.
Many of the inhabitants depend upon pastoralism and the landscape is dotted with their sheep, goats and cattle who are shepherded over the ridges and valleys in search of enough food to sustain them. This job falls mainly to the children who seem old beyond their years and wield their whips with an experience that sends cracks echoing through the mountains.
We organised our expedition to this incredible mountain at the park office in Debark. Here we were introduced to our excellent scout Yasin (gun in hand) who was to guide us expertly through mist and sunshine. We also met Gisme who was responsible for the mule that would carry our equipment however on the first day rather than a mule he just turned up with his mate! Assuring us that carrying our things (camping stove, food and a small bag) would be no problem we all set off happily from Debark.
Day One
Merrily walking through the lowlands we both thought this was all a jolly adventure and felt especially pleased that our walking boots were getting some use after being dragged around Africa for five months. After a couple of hours of chatter and appreciating the surroundings we reached the foot of Sawre Hill, as the the assent began the mist closed in and the realities of trekking hit us full in the chest. Stopping every few minutes it was clear we were not going to impress Yasin with our stamina. Huffing, puffing and red in the face we could barely cheer when we reached the summit at 3100m. Whomever gave it the nickname ‘Heartbreak Hill’ was spot on!
Halfway through the day we had our first encounter with the endemic Gelada Baboons. When food was scarce the baboons moved out of the trees and now dominate the plains as grazing land dwellers. This led to the evolution of a unique characteristic; red chests rather than bottoms, giving them the more common name of Bleeding Heart Baboons. We saw them in their hundreds munching on the grass and roots that they love. They have little fear of humans and we were able to get within a foot to observe them at their never-ending luncheon. Like crazy old ladies in fur coats their concentration never leaves the task of picking and stuffing grass before shuffling on their bums to the next juicy patch!
The sound of the whole herd simultaneously plucking shoots creates a frantic rhythm punctuated by the odd rippling melody of chatter which together forms a distinctive Simien song. Getting so close to beasts with such huge fangs and evil orange eyes was an unbelievable experience. From the heavily furred protector of the herd to the playful babies tumbling together these animals were a pleasure to meet.
After our own lunch the mist lifted to reveal our first exceptional view of the mountains. We stood on the edge of a ridge that plummeted thousands of feet to a green valley below dotted with tin and thatched roofs. The Simien’s spread as far as the horizon and the different sized peaks made it look as if the gaps between an ancient giant’s toes had spared the height of some whist others were crushed underfoot. The patchwork of greens would have taken a painter a lifetime to mix.
As we continued on the view kept getting better and better but our struggle with the inclines did not! Nearing the end of the walking day our tired feet were unexpectedly drawn into dance. A young boy appeared playing a wild tune on an instrument made from a plastic bottle and a few pieces of string. He had the aura of a fairytale character, perhaps an old mischievous man banished to the mountains in the guise of a small boy destined to play the same song for 500 years. A rather surreal interlude in the afternoons trail but one that added to the magic of the mountains.
After seven hours of trekking we finally made it to our first camping lodge at Sankaber. Two minuets after we arrived the heavens opened and not only rain but hail started to fall. We knew how lucky we were to have just missed the deluge as a shivering and sodden couple arrived not long after. In high fashion waterproof wear we cooked pasta in a hut we had thought was a toilet and raised a Gin & Tonic to our dear friend Joe on what should have been his 24th birthday.
Absolutely knackered and with our friend in our hearts we went to bed in the communal lodge looking forward to getting the walking shoes back on in the morning.
Day Two
It had rained all night and the clouds were still low as we stepped into the fresh morning air. Our path took us along the craggy edge of the mountain however the views of the day before had been swallowed up by the seemingly impenetrable wall of mist. Again luck was on our side and as we reached the Jinbar Waterfall the clouds hurried away as if late for another peak to expose a tremendous sight… Standing on the opposite side of a deep ravine we watched the waterfall plunge with the power of the rainy season into the unknown. Roaring like a lion the sound of the falls filled the gorge and we stood in wonder at this unstoppable force of nature.
Day two had not got any easier and we had to force our protesting thigh muscles up yet another incline. We wound our way up a sparsely wooded slope that was shrouded with mist and draped in lichen, a scene that wouldn’t have been out of place outside the Beast’s castle! The rainfall from the night before meant the usual river crossing was too dangerous and we had to detour to another point. This change of route lead us through a boggy valley of lush farmland channelled with Shire-like streams. We wove our way through the grazing cattle looking forward to being at our next lodge in an hour and a half.
When we reached the second crossing the icy water that raced over the rocks was still to powerful and even Yasin could not forge a way across, no one else wanted to even try! Although we could see Gich on the other side we were forced to turn back and some how persuade our sore and swollen feet to take us to Sankabar! The rain set in and on went the water proofs as we headed back to where we had started.
This trekking business is a lark though so we wandered on in high spirits trying to decide who to ‘shag, marry or push off a cliff’ between Stalin, Mao, and Kim Jung Il. After six and a half hours of walking in a circle we very much enjoyed our tea and biscuits when we finally rested our weary feet.
Day Three
As we headed back to Debark the sun was shining over the magnificent mountains and although our feet hurt we were sad to say goodbye. It was however a relief to be finally (mainly) walking down hill and when we reached the top of Heartbreak hill we cheered (full of breath) at the descent!
The sun had brought all the farmers to their ploughs and the scene was picturesque as we stopped for lunch. There was miss-behaviour in the air as some oxen refused to budge and others tore of like maniacs leaving their masters with nothing else to do but give chase! It was an enjoyable spectacle to behold but during the lunch-break our feet seized up and we ended up hobbling the rest of the way home!
Tash even fell in a stream however we did make it back, bloody tired yet triumphant! Yasin had been a superb scout, pointing out wildlife and flora, showing us all the best views, protecting us from psycho hounds, sharing jokes and sweets and being ever patient with our appalling state of fitness. We could not have asked for a better scout or companion.
Trekking in the Simien mountains has been our favourite Ethiopian adventure. In an utterly incredible landscape it was a pleasure to meet the awesome wildlife and hard as nails mountain folk who live there. Our fitness was an embarrassment but we managed to complete our trek and although our toes were not completely intact the sense of achievement was worth it. It was good enough for Attenborough and it was certainly good enough for us! Our three days in the Simien’s were nothing short of spectacular.
Costs and Practicalities
Making a trip to this beautiful range is incredibly easy to organise and very affordable. If you want to trek in the cheapest possible way then arriving in Debark and organising your adventure at the park office is very simple and advanced booking is not normally necessary.
Park entrance fee – 90 birr (per person per day)
Compulsory scout – 75 birr (per day)
Mule – 60 birr (per day) – Check the condition of your mule as many are in a sorry state.
Mule Rider – 70 birr (per day)
Cooking equipment for two – 60 birr (per day) – fuel not included – 20-25 birr (per litre). Stocking up on food before you reach Debark will be much cheaper and offer you more variety.
Community lodges – 80 birr (per person per night) It is also possible to rent camping equipment (you might not want to in rainy season) and hire a guide on top of the scout though this is not a requirement.
Note: In the rainy season swollen rivers may make it impossible to get to Gich and the Imet Gogo viewpoint. As it rains everyday this is a very likely possibility. We were not warned of this and our planned four day hike became three – no refund is offered on park entrance fees. Â
