13 Days Trekking in Semien Mountain

Arrive at Addis Ababa Bole international airport and meet with our staff to transfer to your Hotel.

Morning visits the national museum, where we will see the 3.2 million-year-old remains of “Lucy’s skeleton discovered in 1974. You will also visit the Ethnological Museum at Addis Ababa University, Holy Trinity Cathedrals, and Mount Entoto which rises up to an altitude of 3200 meters and offers a panoramic view of the metropolis. Overnight hotel.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport to fly to Gondar, Established by king Fasiladas in 1636. The town was the capital of Ethiopia in the 17th century. Upon arrival at Gondar Airport, departure for Debark town 100 Km from Gondar, where the headquarter of Semien Mountains National Park is found. Here we pay the entrance fees and a scout and a local guide will accompany us. Then we continue driving to Sankaber, 3200 meters above sea level, 30 Km from the town Debark, the first campsite of the National Park. On this drive you will gain your first impression of the scale and beauty of this highland region, the extraordinary scenery, enjoying the endemic Gelada Baboons and the bone breaker giant bird Lammergeyer roaring around. Overnight Camping at Sankaber.

This day is the day that we arrange all the trekking staff including mules and Muleteers for packing and transport of camping gears and all foodstuffs for the trek. It is this day that we start trekking in the national park. We walk from Sankaber to Geech. After about 1 and a half hours walk we see the Jinnbar River and falls, we will cross the river later in the day. After crossing the river, we ascend for about two hours to Geech, which is full of Giant Lobelias. The scenery is wonderful, and heard of the endemic Gelada Baboon can be seen on our way. Overnight Camping at Geech Campsite 3600m.

This day we will be walking to the best viewpoints in the National park. First, we walk to Imetgogo, the view here enables one to look 360 degrees in all directions this is one of the best views in the National Park. After a short stay here continues to walk to Seha, the other terrific viewpoint in the National Park. We will have our picnic lunch and we continue to the last viewpoint, Quedadit. After some stay, we walk back to the Geech campsite. The walk this day is not hard. It is the day that we will be walking in the best part of the national park. If we are lucky we might have the chance to see mammals like the Semien wolf, Walia Ibex, and Klipspringers. Overnight Camping at Geech (3600m).

We trek to Chenek, we will be walking through the Giant lobelia trees, and under these trees, and African field Rats are common. After picnic lunch we walk on the edge of Elate escarpments (4000m. above sea level), which is another breathtaking view in the National Park, finally, we descend to Chenek, which is the best place to see the endemic Walia Ibex and more Gelada Baboon.

Overnight Camping at Chenek 3600 meters above sea level.

Today is the longest trekking day so far. From Chenek at 3650 m, the path to Ambiquo campsite crosses over the Bwahit Ras. Leaving Chenek we are faced with a two – hour ascent to the top of the pass at 4200 m, where we enjoy views that open up to the east over Mesheha Valley to the Dashen mountain range. Looking back we find ourselves under the cover of the impressive rock formations of Imet Gogo. From Bwahit Ras the path leads steeply down and across the Mesheha Valley. Here we notice an increase in temperature as we descend down to the Mesheha River at 2800 m, before climbing slightly to reach Ambiquo campsite at an altitude of 3100 m. Overnight camping at Ambiquo.

Today is the summit day, so we leave from our campsite around 04:00 AM morning the path winds its way over eight kilometers and ascends up 1400 m to Ras Dashen. It begins by climbing steeply through barley fields and fallow land before clearing the vegetation zone and reaching the mountain steppe, at around 3700 m. From there it flattens out, as it traverses ridges in the shadow of Ras Dashen. Just below Dashen Pass at around 4250 m, an impressive moraine can be seen. A moraine consists of material transported by a glacier and before being deposited. This moraine was formed 20,000 to 14,000 years ago in the last Ice Age when the Semien Mountain tops had small ice caps. The final stretch to the summit involves an exciting climb and scramble up and over large boulders, before reaching the summit. From the top of Ras Dashen at an altitude of 4543 m, we are sure to be mesmerized by the far-ranging views which span more than 10,000 square kilometers. To the west the steep faces of peaks in the national park are visible, whilst the Tekeze Valley is visible to the north and the east. Returning from the summit we retrace our steps along the same path back to our camp at Ambiquo.

From Ambiquo the path takes us back down to the Mesheha River (2800 m). Our destination tonight is Arkwaziye, which is situated at an altitude of 3600 m and located on the northern reach of the Mesheha River. A great day to take in more incredible views of the Simien Mountains, this campsite is one of the most beautiful located campsites in the National Park. overnight camping.

We have to leave the higher plateau and village of Arkwaziye 3600 m, cross several substantial ridges and valleys, and then climb down the near-vertical Devil’s staircase with 900-meter descent. There ward for this effort is Lamo, one of the most beautiful locations in the Semien. Our overall height loss will be around 1600m. Altitude at Lamo approx. 2000m.

We set from our campsite for Mekarebia. Look northeast across the valley to the circle of mountains around AmbaTon and you will see the view illustrated on Ethiopian Airlines tickets. Today you should allow around eight hours for a day of ridge and valley treks through some spectacularly beautiful scenery to Multi, where we camp at much the same altitude as Lamo. Altitude undulating approx 1900m.

Walk down to the market town of Adi Arkay. From Hawaza located at around 6500ft/2000m. With wonderful views to Amba Ton and the high escarpments of the Semien Plateau, walk to Adi Arkay 1600m. Altitude dropping to Adi Arkay 1600m from 1900m. After a celebratory drink in a cafe, say goodbye to your muleteers and camp staff, and meet the vehicles for a five-hour drive to Gondar again we stop at Debark to say Goodbye to our park guide and Scout, proceed to Gondar for welcome showers, dinner, and overnight at the Hotel

Morning, transfer to Gondar airport to fly to Addis Ababa. The afternoon will be leisure, evening transfer to Bole international airport to fly back home.