Day 1: Gondar – Debark – Sankaber Camp (3,200m)
Begin your adventure with a pickup from your hotel in Gondar around 7:30 AM. Drive to Debark in a 4x4, taking in the sights of rural Ethiopia. At Debark, sign in at the park headquarters, pick up your guide and scout, and head into the mountains.
The road continues to the first camp at Sankaber, but you’ll be dropped off on the way for a leisurely 3-hour acclimatisation hike. Enjoy stunning views as you walk along the ridge. Stop for a picnic lunch and after a short but demanding climb to Sankaber, be greeted with a tray of fresh coffee, tea, and snacks.
Day 2: Sankaber (3,200m) – Geech Camp (3,600m)
After breakfast, set off trekking along the ridge with stunning views over the foothills 800m below. For the first two hours, pass through low bush of Giant Heather, soft drink apple, Abyssinian rose, St John’s Wort, and Globe thistle.
The highlight of the trek from Sankaber to Geech is Genbar Falls, an incredible 500m sheer drop. Watch falcons, augur buzzards, and lammergeier bearded vultures soar on the thermals below. From the Genbar falls, the trail passes drier, dustier land, broken by lunch at a more peaceful waterfall.
Keep an eye out for klipspringer and bush buck in the steep rocky and wooded slopes, and troops of Gelada Baboons roaming the fields for roots. Just before reaching Geech camp, visit a traditional village house for home-roasted coffee and injera. Geech Camp is set on a grassy plateau with stunning sunset views.
Day 3: Geech (3,600m) – Imet Gogo (3,926m) Innatye (4070m) - Chennek (3,600m)
After breakfast, trek for 2 hours along the grass plateau past countless bizarre outsized Giant Lobelia plants. The destination is Imet Gogo, an incredible rocky promontory that grants 360-degree views over the Simien Range.
At an altitude of 3,926m, see West back along the ridge towards Sankaber and Geech and South East across a deep gully towards the tomorrow’s ridge walk to Inatye and Cheneck Camp. The views here are arguably the best in the Simien Mountains and the drop is terrifying.
From Imet Gogo, detour SE towards Inatye. The path drops into a forest of Giant Hazel before following the ridge on open grassland. The climb to Inatye (4,070m) rewards with stunning views. After a picnic lunch, the path follows mostly downhill through open grassland and giant lobelia towards Chenek with a number of stunning viewpoints along the way. Chenek camp is superb for wildlife with both Gelada Baboons and Wallia Ibex common here.
Day 4: Chennek (3600m) – Gonder (Buahit climb optional)
After breakfast, begin the journey back to Gonder by 4x4, getting back in the early afternoon. Those feeling brave can opt to tackle Buahit before leaving camp. You'll need to be up early for the 3-4 hour return to this spectacular summit at 4430m.
