13 Days Ethiopia Hiking
Day One: Arrival in Addis Ababa
On arrival at Jorge Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, the guide from Afrikan Wildlife Safaris will welcome you and transfer you to the hotel for the overnight. Given enough time after your arrival, you may go for the city tour. You can visit the Ethnographical Museum and the church of the Holy Trinity.
Day Two: Fly to Gondar
After your breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport to fly to Gondar. The town of Gondar was the imperial capital of Ethiopia for 200 years. Gondar’s most famous monuments are its exceptionally well preserved 17th century castles. The largest and best is that of King Fasilidas. It is a stone-built construction with round turrets and wooden balconies. This whole complex of buildings is unique in Ethiopia and unlike anything found elsewhere in Africa. On arrival, as well as visiting the castle ruins and King Fasilidas baths, we will also make a visit to the Debre Berhan Selassie Church famed for its ceiling frescoes of many angel faces.
Day Three: Simien Mountains National Park
This morning after your breakfast, drive to Debark, the village base for hiking in the Simien Mountains. The range lies north of Gondar and many of the peaks rise above 4,000m with the highest being Mount Ras Dashen at 4,543m. The mountains are criss-crossed with tracks made by the local people travelling from village to village or moving their animals to fresh pastures. We start our trek with a walk to our first camp Sankaber. The campsite is a great spot for sunset, there is a toilet to use. Today’s walk is expected to take around two-and-a-half hours. During the trek we may spend each night in a different place. The circuits walked will vary depending on local conditions and on the group’s ability.
Day Four: Trek to Geech Camp
Today, we trek today to Geech camp via Sankaber. We may find some baboons and red-hot poker plants en route. The gelada baboon is endemic to Ethiopia and has adapted to living on the nearly vertical cliff faces. We may also see the Jinbar river waterfalls today that plummet into Geech Abyss. The Abyss is a vast canyon cut into the main wall of the escarpment. Geech is a simple campsite on the plateau with spring water taps, toilets and cold water showers. Today’s 12 kilometre walk is expected to take around six hours.
Day Five: Optional hike to Imet Gogo for acclimatization.
This is a day with an optional acclimatisation hike to the viewpoint of Imet Gogo (3,926m). From the viewpoint there are spectacular views of the lowlands and across the Simien range with rock spires and mesas prominent . Look out for the elusive simien fox, it is not really a fox but a member of the dog family restricted to Ethiopia. Today’s optional 10 kilometre circular walk is expected to take around four hours.
Day Six: Trek to Chenek Camp
An early start with the aim to trek to Chenek camp today on a good trail via Inatye (4,070m) and along the escarpment. This walk traverses the Jinbar river and provides us with fantastic views. You may like to take the opportunity to freshen-up in the nearby stream south of camp. The campsite set among Giant Lobelia is basic with toilets and cold water showers avaialble. Today’s 13 kilometre walk is expected to take around eight hours.
Day Seven: Trek to Ambikwa
After breakfast, we will trek to Ambikwa with a stop at a spectacular viewpoint (4,200m) north of Bwahit where, on clear days, we can see across the Mesheha river to Ras Dashen peak. We then descend steeply and pass through the village of Chiro Leba to follow a stream bed until we reach the large Mesheha River. We’ll cross the river and follow a path up the east side of the valley to Ambikwa village, (3,200m) where the camp sits next to a small church, it is basic with a stream nearby for washing in. Today’s 17 kilometre walk is expected to take around 10 to 12 hours.
Day Eight: Ascend to Ras Dashen
We will start before sunrise and we follow the main valley up and climb steeply via Mizma village houses to reach a ridge crest and open grassy slopes (3,700m) on ascenting of Ethiopia’s highest mountain. Next we traverse around ridges and climb more. Look out for the giant lobelia, by far the most spectacular plant of this region with flower stalks up to 8m high. Eventually we enter Ras Dashen. The last section involves some steep scrambling and climbing to a fine viewpoint at 4,543m. We’ll spend the rest of the day hiking back to our camp. Today’s 21 kilometre walk is expected to take around10 to 12 hours.
Day Nine: Arkwasiye
On this day, we will cross again the Mesheha River as we make our way to Arkwasiye and our campsite there (3,700m). Today trek has a different feel to it as we walk through the fields and meet local children. Arkwasiye is a basic remote campsite with fantastic views but no toilet facilities. Today’s 15 kilometre walk is expected to take around six hours.
Day Ten: Walk to Roadhead, then Drive to Gonder
Today, we have an early start this morning for our trek. we will walk from Arkwasiye to the roadhead where our vehicle will be waiting. From there drive to Gondar passing by Chenek (3,620 m). We leave with a packed lunch before our drive to Gondar. The drive takes four to five hours and about a third of the road is unmade. On arrival we check into our hotel for the night. Today’s four kilometre walk is expected to take around two hours.
Day Eleven: Fly to Lalibela
After breakfast, you will fly to Lalibela for a two-night stay in this remarkable historic sites. Lalibela, the New Jerusalem, is thought to have been constructed some 800 years ago by King Lalibela as his capital city. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The churches stand in two main groups on either side of a stream, known locally as ‘The River Jordan’. There are 11 rock-cut churches, and we will visit several. The most impressive of the churches is Bet Giorgis, which is carved in the form of a Greek cross and approached through a passage in the rock. Between them, these rock-cut churches are one of the great wonders of the world.
Day Twelve: Trek From Mule to Ashatan Maryam Church
Ashatan Maryam is located among the mountains that encircle Lalibela and there are several more isolated churches. Using mules, we go for some two hours to Ashatan Maryam Church with stunning views over Lalibela. Reached by steep shale paths, it will be necessary to dismount in places due to the terrain. Good footwear is a must. Vertigo sufferers or people with a low level of fitness may choose not to partake in the mule trek, your guide can advise you. Then in the afternoon, we return to Lalibela, allowing more time to explore the rock-cut churches.
Day Thirteen: Fly from Lalibela to Addis
This morning, you will fly from Lalibela to Addis Ababa. Then you connect to your international flight back home.