About us
A local company for Ethiopia and East Africa
Outstanding Simien Mountains Tours is a local, guide-led tour company rooted in the Ethiopian highlands. Born in the Simien, we now design journeys across all of Ethiopia — treks, history, volcanoes and cultures — and into East Africa's great safari grounds, always led by guides who grew up on these trails and know every ridge, river and market by name.
From the Simien escarpment to all of East Africa
Our company was born from a simple conviction: the best way to experience this part of the world is with people who live beside it. Our guides are highlanders themselves — comfortable at altitude, fluent in the local landscape, wildlife and customs, and genuinely proud to share their home.
We still specialise in guided trekking in the Simien Mountains National Park, from short day walks to multi-day traverses of the escarpment. From there we reach out across Ethiopia — Lalibela, Gondar, Axum, Lake Tana, the Danakil, Harar, the Bale highlands and the Omo Valley — and beyond into Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Kilimanjaro for travellers who want one trusted team for a grand journey.
We keep groups small, support local communities, and spend our days doing what we love: showing travellers the finest of the 'Roof of Africa' and the lands beyond it, at their own pace.
- 40
- Guided tours to choose from
- 100%
- Local, home-grown guides
- 4000m+
- Routes reaching the roof of Africa
- 18
- Destinations across Ethiopia & East Africa
We believe these lands are best experienced slowly and personally — at the pace of your own two feet, in the company of guides who call them home. Great travel here is not about ticking off viewpoints; it's about the moment a shepherd shares his coffee, the first sight of a gelada troop at dawn or a lion on the savanna, and coming home with a felt sense of a place and its people. Everything we do is in service of that.
Our philosophyTo offer authentic, well-organised, and responsible treks and cultural journeys across Ethiopia and East Africa, led by homegrown guides, so that every traveller leaves with a deeper connection to the mountains, the wildlife and the people who live here.
Why choose us
Four promises shape every journey we run, from a two-day nature walk to a multi-country safari.
Local by design
Our guides and support crew are from the places we travel. With us, your money supports the communities along the trail.
Safety first
Altitude, weather and terrain are respected. We plan routes carefully, carry sensible equipment, and adapt the pace to you.
Small groups
We keep groups intimate so the experience stays flexible, personal and respectful to the landscapes and wildlife we visit.
Responsible travel
We follow park rules, carry out what we carry in, and introduce you to the region's cultures and wildlife without disturbing them.
One team for the whole journey
Trekking, history, volcanoes, cultures and safaris — we plan, lead and support it all from first message to final goodbye.
Guided Trekking & Hiking
Multi-day guided treks across the great ranges of Ethiopia and East Africa — from the Simien escarpment to the Bale highlands and the foothills of Kilimanjaro.
- Licensed English-speaking guides
- Mule and porter support on highland routes
- Tents, sleeping kit and cooking crew provided
- Pacing matched to your fitness and experience
Cultural & Heritage Tours
Walk the ancient kingdoms of the north — rock-hewn churches, stele fields, royal castles — and the living cultures of the Omo Valley and Harar.
- Lalibela and the rock churches of Tigray
- Axum stele field and archaeological sites
- Omo Valley community encounters
- Local hosts, translators and cultural guides
Wildlife & Birding Safaris
Look for endemic wildlife — gelada, Walia ibex, Ethiopian wolf — and East Africa's savanna giants, with expert spotters and field guides.
- Gelada, Walia ibex and Ethiopian wolf hideouts
- Great Rift Valley lakes and bird-watching
- Masai Mara, Serengeti and Lake Nakuru safaris
- Quality spotting scopes and binoculars on tour
Photography Expeditions
Small-group itineraries timed for the best light and wildlife movement, built for photographers who want more than a holiday snapshot.
- Golden-hour planning on every route
- Highland landscapes and endemic wildlife
- Minimal-group departures for serious shooting
- Local knowledge of seasonal conditions
Custom Itineraries & Private Planning
Tell us what you dream of doing — we design a private itinerary around your dates, interests, budget and pace, anywhere we operate.
- Personal trip designer assigned from enquiry
- Private departures for families and couples
- Flexible start dates and durations
- Clear, itemised pricing before you commit
Airport Transfers & Ground Logistics
Reliable vehicles, drivers and 4x4s across our operating regions, with transfers arranged to match every flight.
- Airport pickup and drop-off (Addis Ababa and regionals)
- Well-maintained 4x4s with experienced drivers
- Driving crews for multi-day national routes
- Coordination across domestic legs and permits
One trusted team, coast to crater
From the Roof of Africa to the lowest point on the continent, and out across East Africa's great savannas.
.jpg)
The people behind the tours
Our strength is our people. Local guides and support crew who know the highlands, its wildlife and its hospitality from the inside.
Melese
Founder & CEO
Grew up at the foot of the Simien escarpment and founded the company on the trails he knows by heart. Leads the vision, the guiding standards and the treks themselves — fluent in highland wildlife, altitude planning and Amharic hospitality.
Yonas
Head of Technology & Marketing
Builds and maintains everything digital for the company — the website, bookings, IT and technical support — and leads the marketing that brings travellers to the highlands.
Sahlie
Trekking Guide
A highlander raised along the escarpment trails, skilled at altitude pacing and spotting wildlife — geladas, ibex and the birds of the moors — on multi-day treks.
Gebre
Trekking Guide
Knows the park's ridges and watering holes intimately. Specialises in long-distance treks, acclimatisation and leading camps under the highland skies.
Aman
Driver
A careful, experienced driver across Ethiopia's highland and lowland roads, from the escarpment switchbacks to the Danakil and the southern valleys.
Habtie
Chef
Keeps everyone well fed on the trail — from hearty highland camp meals and injera feasts to picnic spreads on long drives across the plains.
What guests remember
A few words from travellers who walked, wandered and wondered with us.
“The three days we spent crossing the Simien escarpment were the highlight of our entire trip to Ethiopia. Every viewpoint felt like the best yet — and the gelada baboons were unforgettable.”
“Our guide grew up in these mountains and it showed — patient, knowledgeable and full of stories. Camping above the cloud layer was pure magic.”
“Seamless from start to finish. The mix of highland trekking and the rock churches of Lalibela in one trip was exactly what we hoped for.”
Highland stories, new routes and travel ideas
Occasional emails about new tours, seasons and the journeys we're planning — never spam.
Travel with neighbours, not strangers
Whether it's the Simien highlands, the northern circuit, the Danakil or a safari across East Africa — tell us your dates and dreams, and we'll build the right journey around you.