The Semien Mountains, in northern Ethiopia, north east of Gondar in Amhara region, are part of the Ethiopian Highlands. They are a World Heritage Site and include the Simien Mountains National Park. The mountains consist of plateaus separated by valleys and rising to pinnacles. Simien Mountains National Park is amazing for hiking. The hikes are satisfying, the views amazing, and the wildlife once-in-a-lifetime. We thought we might see a few geladas in the distance – oh no, we were surrounded, by hundreds of them!
There was a downside, and that is the campsites. They were very busy with a trail running group, but that didn’t excuse the long-drop toilets being absolutely overflowing with waste, clearly from many many months of dis-use.
Overview
Simien Mountains, Simien also spelled Semien or Simēn, mountains in northern Ethiopia, northeast of Gonder. In the range is Ras Dejen (or Dashen), the highest peak in Ethiopia at 14,872 feet (4,533 metres). The region is the site of Simien Mountains National Park, which is home to a number of very rare species that include the walia ibex, found nowhere else in the world. The park was one of the first locations to be recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.
