Sample 3 day itinerary
I offer many tours of varying length, all of which offer a unique travel experience. Below is an example of one 3 day tour that I offer through the park. I also offer longer tours up to 10 days in length for the truly adventurous traveler.
Day 1
Gondar – Sankaber camp
(Camp in Sankaber)
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.
You 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. We will drive to the first area of the national park, where we start trekking.
The starting point will be flexible depend on your interest and time. You will be rewarded with marvelous escarpment and different plant species.
We will continue trekking to Sankaber camp where we camp the first night.
Day 2
Sankaber camp – Gich camp
After a breakfast, you will set off trekking to Gich. It is about 15km, 7 hours trek.
You will trek along the edge with stunning views over the foothills 800m below.
The trail passes most vegetated area in the park through low bush of Giant Heather, Abyssinian Rose, Oliveria and Globe Thistle.
You will most certainly encounter troops of the endemic gelada baboons and see them up-close.
You may also see Klipspringer, bushbuck, rockhyrax in the steep rocky and wooded slopes. Leopards live around here and you may have chance to spot leopard.
The highlight of the trek is Jinba waterfalls, an incredible 500m sheer drop, the longest fall in Ethiopia.
From the viewpoint opposite, you will see the different vultures such as Griffen Vulture, Hooded Vulture, Whitebacked Vulture, Lapped- faced vulture and Lammergayer along the cliff.
Lammergayer is one of the biggest bird prey in the world and feeds bone marrow. This area is best place for lammergayer to break the bone. This area is also good to see different small birds such as one of the Ethiopian endemic bird- Abysinian Catbird, Starlings, Sweafts and Swallows.
From the Jinba waterfalls, we will continue to Jinba river and have a picnic near more peaceful waterfall. Then we will head to Gich village.
Just before you reach Gich campsite, there is wonderful opportunity to visit one of the traditional village houses for traditional coffee and to experience the local living style( depends on your interest).
After we arrive at the campsite, you have some time for snack and then head out for a short optional sunset trek up about 185m above the camp to Kedadit. On this point (3,786m), you will look 360 degree around the Simien Mountains and to the lowland mountains. Then, we will come back to the camp for dinner.
Gich camp sunset on the top of Kedadit
Day 3
Gich Camp – Aynmeda Camp
In Gich campsite, the sunrise is earlier than the other campsites. After breakfast, we will climb to Mt. Imet Gogo (3926m), an incredible rocky promontory and the most spectacular view point in the Simien Mountains.
This is really breathtaking view that you will never forget. 300m gentle slope take you to the summit that grants 360 degree views over the Simien Mountain range.
It descends about 300m to the valley, which is the source of the Jinba river. The trekking route passes vegetated area through Festuca grassland, Lobelia plant, everlasting flower, Erica Arboria tree.
Then, we will head through the jangle to the Aynmeda camp, where your car is waiting for you. We will drive to Gondar.
