Ethiopia: The Semien Mountains

We were able to organise a 2-day 1-night hiking/camping trip from Gondar, through our guide Grum (please contact us for his details). You can visit the mountains in a day trip, but you don’t really get a full experience without staying at least one night. We wanted to experience the breathtaking vistas and see some of the unique wildlife.

We set off from our accommodation and were met in Gondar centre by a 4×4 with a driver and chef. They also had a tent and sleeping bags for us. When we reached Debark we visited the national park office where we paid our park fees and picked up a guide and a scout (both are mandatory for any trip to the Semien Mountains).

After heading into the park we very soon spotted a group of the famous Gelada Baboons, stopping to watch them for a while. We were handed our packed lunches and we set off with our guide and scout walking along the ridges in the direction of the first camp Sankaber (3250m).

The altitude really hit us. We walked for around 5-6 hours and it was tough – the air is thin so even the slightest incline caused us to gasp for air. However, the reward of the stunning views and the various birds, antelopes and more Geladas was more than worth the effort. Our guide was excellent and patient and we also enjoyed the company of our scout. We reached camp exhausted but happy in the evening and found our tent pitched and a table and chairs laid out with hot drinks. The campsite is very basic. The toilet situation was probably the worst I have ever experienced – a hut with a tin door and a hole in the ground (if you can go there you can go anywhere). Our tent was small, but we had everything we needed. The real surprise came at dinnertime. Our chef produced a delicious three course meal for us, using a camp fire and a single burner camping stove from within a round tin roofed hut. After dinner we sat around the fire for a while before crashing out under the starlit sky.

In the morning we packed up and after a hearty breakfast we drove to the furthest camp in the park Chenek (3600m). Here we went for another hike which was equally spectacular, and we were lucky enough to see the rare Walia Ibex. We then headed back to Gondar.

Lessons Learned and Anecdotes….

• Your scout will carry a gun, and will stay with you at all times, when you’re walking and also at camp. Our scout slept in a bush next to our tent. This was a little odd, but he was a really nice guy and we were assured that they are there to protect the wildlife and nature as much as to protect you.
• If you are not used to using a squat toilet make sure you get your head around it (not like that!) before you head here 😊 – I was a quick learner, mostly so I could get out of that hut as quickly as possible.
• Don’t underestimate the altitude.