Hightlight
- National Park
The Simien Mountains offer a dramatic, vertical landscape that has earned them the nickname ‘The Grand Canyon of Africa.’ Massive plateaus are separated by precipitous drops of over a thousand meters, creating jagged peaks and deep, shadowed valleys that stretch as far as the eye can see. This high-altitude wilderness is the only home of the gelada monkey, famously known as the ‘bleeding-heart baboon,’ which can be seen in massive, peaceful troops grazing on the mountain grass. The air is thin and cold, often filled with the calls of the rare Walia ibex echoing across the cliffs. Trekking through this UNESCO World Heritage site is a journey through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery on the continent.
- Where it is: Northern Ethiopia, in the Amhara Region.
- What you can expect to see: Gelada monkeys (bleeding-heart baboons), Walia ibex, and jagged peaks like Ras Dashen.
- How much it is to get in: ~$15 USD for foreigners.
- What people say: Trekkers call it ‘The Grand Canyon of Africa’ due to its sheer precipices and vast vistas.
- Interesting fact: It is one of the few places in Africa where snow and ice are regularly seen on the highest peaks.
