Ethiopia & East Africa · office in Gondar · Open daily · 8:00 - 18:00 (East Africa Time)
Experiences
Purpose-built itineraries for capturing Ethiopia at its best light — gold-hour starts, dramatic escarpment and savanna compositions, and a local team that knows the locations.
Ethiopia rewards photographers with sculpted escarpments in the Simien and Bale highlands, the sculpted sandstone towers of Gheralta, the alien Danakil landscapes, and skies that change by the minute. This experience is built around being in the right place at the right light.
We plan early starts and strategically placed stops at the best viewpoint outlooks, and our guides know where the light falls best through the day.
No special equipment is required — shoot on a phone or a full frame — and we can build itineraries around sunrise, sunset and starlit high-altitude nights.
The highlands are a year-round destination — each season changes the light, the trails and the wildlife. Tap a season to see what to expect.
Best for: trekking, history, the Danakil & coast
Clear skies across the highlands and northern circuit, a cooler Danakil, and a good window for East African summits and beaches.
Expect settled, sunny weather across most of Ethiopia — crisp mountain mornings in the Simien and Bale highlands, dependable roads on the historical circuit, and drier conditions in the Omo Valley. The Danakil is at its least punishing in these months. In East Africa this window suits Kilimanjaro climbs and Zanzibar's beach season.
Months shown are general guidance — routes adapt to the season.
A taster of the Roof of Africa in a single day
A full-day drive and walk into the Simien escarpment from Gondar — waterfalls, gelada viewpoints and the sheer scale of the highlands, without an overnight.
The classic escarpment traverse
Four days across the heart of the Simien Mountains: escarpments, Afromontane forests, gelada herds and dawn on the 'Roof of Africa'.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the crown of the Ethiopian highlands — the 'Roof of Africa' — where sheer escarpments fall thousands of metres.
Planning depth straight from the trails — written by the local guides who run this experience every season.
Ethiopia rewards travellers year-round, but each season paints the country differently. Here's what to expect every month, from dry-season treks to green-season lakes.
Words from travellers who shaped a journey around Highland Photography.
“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.”
“As a solo traveller I was a little nervous about altitude, but the careful pacing and encouragement made all the difference. I'd recommend them to any traveller.”
6 stories from travellers
Highland Photography can be a standalone add-on or the centerpiece of a custom tour. Tell us your time and interests and we'll weave it in.
Tell us when you'd like to travel and what you're dreaming of. We'll help you build the right itinerary, answer your questions, and organise every detail.
