Skip to main content
Outstanding Simien Mountains Tours

Tours

Journeys across Ethiopia & East Africa

Simien highland treks, the northern historical circuit, the volcanic corners of the east, the cultures of the Omo Valley and safaris further afield. Filter to find the pace, duration and terrain that suits you.

21

tours · Easy

Day walks, scenic drives and gentle exploring — no trekking fitness required.

12

tours · Moderate

Multi-day treks at altitude at a measured pace, with camp support throughout.

5

tours · Challenging

Longer, higher traverses for confident hikers comfortable with very high altitude.

2

tours · Demanding

Summit pushes and expedition-style routes for experienced, acclimatised walkers.

1 / 2

Not sure which fits? Compare tours side by side or ask us to recommend one.

Tour spotlight

A country in one journey

Our most complete route — highlands, history, volcanoes and cultures in a single grand tour.

The broad highlands of Ethiopia that anchor the grand tour route
Featured package

From USD 2,800 per person

Indicative private price for a two-person booking sharing — your full quote is confirmed when you enquire.

Ethiopia Grand Tour — 14 Days

The complete Ethiopia

The definitive overland journey — northern castles and churches, the Simien trek, Danakil's volcanoes, Tigray's cliffs and Harar's alleys in one grand loop.

Location
Addis · Simien · Gondar · Lalibela · Danakil · Tigray · Harar
Group
Private
Duration
14 days / 13 nights
Type
Multi-Region Grand
Difficulty
Moderate
  • Trek the Simien escarpment with full support
  • Lalibela's rock churches & Gondar's castles
  • Camp at the Erta Ale lava lake, cross the salt flats
  • Climb to the church in the sky in Tigray
All tours

40 guided tours to choose from

Every tour has its own full detail page with day-by-day itinerary, what's included, difficulty notes and practical information.

Difficulty
Trip type
Trip length
Curated picks

Showing 40 tours

Morning light over the Simien Mountains escarpment during a four-day highland trek
Moderate
4 days / 3 nights
Simien Mountains National Park
Simien Mountains Trekking — 4 Days

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'.

From USD 800 per personView tour
A trekker walking the Simien escarpment with deep valleys below
Moderate
3 days / 2 nights
Simien Mountains National Park
Simien Mountains Classic Trek — 3 Days

The perfect short escape

A compact three-day trek packed with the Simien highlights — escarpment viewpoints, gelada baboons and the famous Imet Gogo panorama.

From USD 600 per personView tour
The broad highlands of northern Ethiopia before the journey south to Lalibela
Moderate
10 days / 9 nights
Simien Mountains · Gondar · Lalibela
Simien & Lalibela — 10 Days

Highlands and holy rock churches

The classic combination: trek the Simien escarpment, then Lalibela's rock-hewn churches — history and highlands in one unforgettable journey.

From USD 2,000 per personView tour
The landscapes and towns of the northern Ethiopian historical route
Easy
8 days / 7 nights
Gondar · Axum · Lalibela · Bahir Dar
Northern Ethiopia Historical Route — 8 Days

Castles, churches and Lake Tana

Journey the legendary northern circuit — Gondar's castles, the churches of Lalibela, the stelae of Axum and the monasteries of Lake Tana.

From USD 1,600 per personView tour
A highland scene in the Simien Mountains National Park on a two-day wildlife tour
Easy
2 days / 1 night
Simien Mountains National Park
Simien Wildlife & Waterfalls — 2 Days

Big views, big herds, two days

A rapid-fire two-day introduction to the Simien highlands — gelada baboons, steep escarpments and the thunder of Jinbar waterfall.

From USD 400 per personView tour
A broad panoramic view across the Simien escarpment under a dramatic sky
Challenging
5 days / 4 nights
Simien Mountains National Park
Ethiopian Highlands Panorama — 5 Days

A deeper, wider traverse

Five days crossing two major sections of the Simien escarpment for the broadest, wildest panoramas the park has to offer.

From USD 1,000 per personView tour
A guided day walk along the edge of the Simien escarpment
Easy
1 day
Simien Mountains National Park (from Gondar)
Simien Mountains Day Trip from Gondar

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.

From USD 200 per personView tour
The high Simien massif at dawn, approaching the Ras Dashen range
Demanding
7 days / 6 nights
Simien Mountains National Park & Ras Dashen
Ras Dashen Summit Trek — 7 Days

To the roof of Ethiopia at 4,543 metres

Ethiopia's highest peak. A demanding but exhilarating multi-day trek to the summit of Ras Dashen (4,543m) across the wild heart of the Simien Mountains.

From USD 1,400 per personView tour
A trekker walking the Simien escarpment with deep valleys below
Moderate
4 days / 3 nights
Simien Mountains National Park (lodge-based)
Simien Lodge-Based Trek — 4 Days

The highland traverse with a warm bed each night

Walk the best of the Simien escarpment by day, then return to comfortable lodge accommodation each evening — a gentler way to experience the Roof of Africa without camping.

From USD 800 per personView tour
The green hillsides and skyline of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital
Easy
1 day
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa City Day Tour — 1 Day

The capital in a day

Museums, markets, cathedrals and coffee — a guided full-day introduction to Ethiopia's vibrant capital before or after your main journey.

From USD 200 per personView tour
The volcanic and mineral landscape of the Danakil Depression at dusk
Moderate
4 days / 3 nights
Danakil Depression & Gheralta (Tigray)
Danakil & Tigray Discovery — 4 Days

Lava, salt and churches in the sky

Two of Ethiopia's most remarkable landscapes in one expedition-style journey — the volcanic Danakil Depression and the cliff churches of the Gheralta mountains.

From USD 800 per personView tour
The high Afro-alpine moorland of the Bale Mountains with giant lobelias
Challenging
6 days / 5 nights
Bale Mountains National Park
Bale Mountains Trek — 6 Days

Wolves, lobelias and the wild southern moorlands

A wild six-day trek across Africa's largest Afro-alpine moorland in search of the endangered Ethiopian wolf, giant lobelias and complete solitude.

From USD 1,200 per personView tour
The open highlands and rift valley scenery of southern Ethiopia
Easy
6 days / 5 nights
Arba Minch · Lake Chamo · Bale Mountains
Southern Rift Lakes & Bale — 6 Days

Rift valley gems and the wild south

Rift lakes, flamingoes and dramatic mountains — a southern journey from the cities of the lakes to the wilds of the Bale Mountains.

From USD 1,200 per personView tour
The Omo river valley and its homelands beneath a wide sky
Easy
7 days / 6 nights
Arba Minch · Jinka · Omo Valley
Omo Valley Cultural Journey — 7 Days

The cultural heart of Africa

A respectful, guided journey to the communities of the Omo Valley — Hamer, Karo, Mursi and Ari — with local guides who know the etiquette and traditions.

From USD 1,400 per personView tour
The ancient walled alleys and towers of Harar
Easy
4 days / 3 nights
Addis Ababa · Dire Dawa · Harar
Harar & Eastern Ethiopia — 4 Days

The walled old town of the east

A journey to the living old town of Harar — UNESCO alleyways, markets, coffee and the famous hyena men at dusk.

From USD 800 per personView tour
The broad highlands of Ethiopia that anchor the grand tour route
Moderate
14 days / 13 nights
Addis · Simien · Gondar · Lalibela · Danakil · Tigray · Harar
Ethiopia Grand Tour — 14 Days

The complete Ethiopia

The definitive overland journey — northern castles and churches, the Simien trek, Danakil's volcanoes, Tigray's cliffs and Harar's alleys in one grand loop.

From USD 2,800 per personView tour
Africa's great plains with Kilimanjaro rising from the horizon
Easy
9 days / 8 nights
Nairobi · Masai Mara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro
Kenya & Tanzania Great Rift Safari — 9 Days

Mara, Serengeti and the crater

The classic East African safari in one seamless journey — the Masai Mara, the Serengeti plains, the Ngorongoro crater and Africa's greatest wildlife spectacles.

From USD 1,800 per personView tour
Misty rainforest and a mountain gorilla in the highlands of East Africa
Moderate
6 days / 5 nights
Kigali · Bwindi · Volcanoes NP
Gorilla Trekking — Uganda & Rwanda — 6 Days

Meeting the mountain gorillas

Trek misty rainforest for close encounters with mountain gorillas — in Uganda's Bwindi and Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, on one seamless journey.

From USD 1,200 per personView tour
Kilimanjaro's snow-capped crown rising above the African plains
Demanding
7 days / 6 nights
Kilimanjaro National Park, Tanzania
Kilimanjaro Summit Climb — 7 Days

The roof of Africa at 5,895 metres

A fully supported ascent of Africa's highest mountain by the scenic Machame route — the classic, best-acclimatised way to reach Uhuru Peak.

From USD 1,400 per personView tour
The white sands and turquoise waters of the Zanzibar coast
Easy
5 days / 4 nights
Zanzibar, Tanzania
Zanzibar Beach Extension — 5 Days

Stone Town, spice and white sand

Wind down from safari or summit with the perfect island finish — Stone Town's lanes, spice tours and the powder-white beaches of the east coast.

From USD 1,000 per personView tour
The steep sandstone mesas and cliff churches of the Tigray highlands
Moderate
5 days / 4 nights
Axum · Wukro · Gheralta · Hawzen
Axum & Tigray Rock Churches — 5 Days

Stelae, sacred arklands and churches in the sky

From the ancient stelae of Axum to the cliff-clinging rock churches of Gheralta — a deep dive into the cradle of Ethiopian Orthodoxy.

From USD 1,000 per personView tour
Dark desert terrain of the Afar Depression at the edge of the Danakil
Moderate
3 days / 2 nights
Afar Region · Erta Ale · Dallol · Lake Asale
Danakil Volcano Overland — 3 Days

A night at Ethiopia's lava lake

The essential Danakil expedition in three days — Erta Ale's glowing lava lake, the rainbow pools of Dallol and the white salt flats.

From USD 600 per personView tour
Old stone architecture and lakeside views around Gondar and Lake Tana
Easy
3 days / 2 nights
Gondar · Bahir Dar · Lake Tana
Gondar, Bahir Dar & Lake Tana — 3 Days

Castles, monasteries and the Blue Nile

A relaxed three-day sweep through Gondar's imperial castles, the island monasteries of Lake Tana and the thunder of the Blue Nile Falls.

From USD 600 per personView tour
Rock-hewn architecture and pilgrims' tents in Lalibela
Easy
2 days / 1 night
Lalibela & surroundings
Lalibela & Yemrehanna Kristos — 2 Days

The rock churches, plus a hidden chapel in a cave

Two extraordinary days among Lalibela's rock-hewn churches, crowned by the cave-church of Yemrehanna Kristos with its forest of mummified pillars.

From USD 400 per personView tour
Golden light over the highland trails of the Simien Mountains
Easy
3 days / 2 nights
Simien Mountains National Park (lodge-based)
Simien Family Adventure — 3 Days

The Roof of Africa at a family-friendly pace

A gentle, flexible highland escape designed for families — easy walks, huge herds of gelada baboons and nights at a warm mountain lodge.

From USD 600 per personView tour
First light across the Simien massif at dawn
Challenging
5 days / 4 nights
Simien Mountains National Park
Simien Private Photography Trek — 5 Days

Golden-hour journeys with a camera-first itinerary

A private, pace-controlled trek designed around the light — sunrise viewpoints, wildlife moments and big-sky nights, guided by photographers.

From USD 1,000 per personView tour
Wide highland ridges under a dramatic northern sky
Challenging
12 days / 11 nights
Gondar · Simien · Bahir Dar · Axum · Gheralta · Lalibela · Danakil
Ethiopia Northern Comprehensive — 12 Days

Every wonder of the north in one journey

The complete northern odyssey — Simien trekking, Gondar, Tana, Axum, the Tigray cliff churches, Lalibela and the Danakil in one grand loop.

From USD 2,400 per personView tour
Mountain scenery of the Entoto highlands north of Addis Ababa
Easy
1 day
Debre Libanos & Entoto (north of Addis Ababa)
Addis & Debre Libanos Day Tour — 1 Day

Monastery, gorge waterfall and mountain views in a day

A guided day north of Addis to the cliffside monastery of Debre Libanos, its sacred waterfall and the deep Blue Nile gorge — then back for the night.

From USD 200 per personView tour
Traditional boats on the waters of Lake Tana
Easy
1 day
Bahir Dar · Lake Tana
Lake Tana Island Monasteries — Day Tour

Ancient monasteries by papyrus boat

A full day from Bahir Dar crossing Lake Tana by boat to centuries-old island monasteries with stunning wall paintings.

From USD 200 per personView tour
The colourful alleyways of the walled city of Harar
Easy
3 days / 2 nights
Addis Ababa · Dire Dawa · Harar
Harar & Eastern Ethiopia — 3 Days

The walled city of saints, coffee and hyenas

Three days in Ethiopia's eastern frontier — the walled old city of Harar, its hyena-feeding tradition and the cool trading town of Dire Dawa.

From USD 600 per personView tour
Acacia savanna and the Rift Valley wall above Awash
Easy
2 days / 1 night
Awash National Park · Dire Dawa
Awash National Park & Dire Dawa — 2 Days

Falls, wildlife and the railway city

The Rift's eastern park in a compact two days — Awash's waterfalls and baboons, then the colonial avenues and cafés of Dire Dawa.

From USD 400 per personView tour
Rolling moorland of the Bale highland plateau at altitude
Challenging
3 days / 2 nights
Bale Mountains National Park
Bale Mountains Highland Expedition — 3 Days

Wolves, wild horses and the Sanetti Plateau

A compact expedition to the roof of southern Ethiopia — the Sanetti Plateau at 4,000 metres, Ethiopian wolves and the giant moorland of the Bale massif.

From USD 600 per personView tour
A lakeside scene on the Ethiopian Rift Valley
Easy
3 days / 2 nights
Rift Valley lakes (Ziway · Langano · Chamo)
Rift Valley Lakes & Birdlife — 3 Days

Flamingos, fish eagles and forested crater lakes

Three easy days along Ethiopia's Rift Valley lake chain — Ziway, Langano and Chamo — packed with birds, boats and lakeside relaxation.

From USD 600 per personView tour
Traditional homes and dress in an Omo Valley village at golden hour
Easy
4 days / 3 nights
Jinka · Mago NP · Turmi · Omo River
Omo Valley & Mursi Mago — 4 Days

The river cultures of the lower Omo

Four days among the Omo valley's most distinctive peoples — the Hamer, the lip-plated Mursi and the painted Kara — by river, market and ceremony.

From USD 800 per personView tour
Wide southern Ethiopian landscapes from the highlands to the river
Moderate
10 days / 9 nights
Rift lakes · Bale · Omo Valley · Harar
Southern Ethiopia Grand Journey — 10 Days

Lakes, wolves and the river peoples

The definitive south — Rift lakes, the Bale highlands, the Omo valley and Harar woven into a single ten-day grand tour.

From USD 2,000 per personView tour
Acacia savanna of the Masai Mara with game on the plains
Easy
4 days / 3 nights
Nairobi · Masai Mara
Masai Mara Fly-in Safari — 4 Days

Big cats and the migration stage

A four-day fly-in safari to Kenya's Masai Mara — the great herds, the big cats and riverside camps on the savanna.

From USD 800 per personView tour
The wide Serengeti plains rolling to the horizon
Easy
5 days / 4 nights
Arusha · Ngorongoro · Serengeti
Tanzania Safari Classic — 5 Days

The crater and the endless plains

Tanzania's greatest hits — the Ngorongoro crater floor and the Serengeti plains — in a compact, well-priced five-day safari.

From USD 1,000 per personView tour
Misty volcanic forest and a mountain gorilla in Rwanda
Moderate
5 days / 4 nights
Kigali · Volcanoes NP · Nyungwe NP
Gorillas & Volcanoes — Rwanda, 5 Days

Gorillas, chimpanzees and the Land of a Thousand Hills

Two rainforests, two great apes — mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park and chimpanzees at Nyungwe, with Kigali's moving memorial as bookends.

From USD 1,000 per personView tour
Rainforest and rolling Uganda hills on the road to Bwindi
Moderate
8 days / 7 nights
Kampala · Murchison Falls · Queen Elizabeth · Bwindi
Uganda Wildlife & Gorillas — 8 Days

Murchison Falls, the Nile and the gorillas of Bwindi

The complete Pearl of Africa — boat safaris and giraffes at Murchison Falls, then gorilla trekking in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

From USD 1,600 per personView tour
Safari vehicles and game on the great plains of East Africa
Easy
12 days / 11 nights
Nairobi · Masai Mara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro · Lake Manyara
East Africa Grand Safari — 12 Days

Kenya, Tanzania and the great migration

The definitive East African safari — Masai Mara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro linked by private flight and vehicle, timed to the migration.

From USD 2,400 per personView tour
By region

Every tour, across three broad regions

The northern highlands, the southern and eastern extremes, and East Africa's safari grounds — find the corner of the world you want to explore.

Still deciding?

Three ways to find the right tour

Comparing, asking or building your own — every path leads to a trip tailored around you.

Compare tours side by side

Put two or more tours in a table and weigh duration, difficulty, price and highlights before you choose.

Open the comparator

Tell us what you picture

Rough idea or no idea at all — describe the trip you're dreaming of and we'll recommend the route, pace and season.

Ask us to recommend

Design your own journey

Combine any routes, add rest days, swap destinations — we build custom itineraries around your dates and group.

Start a custom plan
Best time to go

Match your tour to the season

See which routes suit the dry, shoulder and green seasons — and which tours are suggested for each window.

October – March

The classic travel window

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.

Best for: trekking, history, the Danakil & coast
Kind words

Travellers after their journeys

A few reflections from guests who walked, drove and sailed with our guides.

Why travel 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.”
Good to know

Answers before you have to ask

Altitude, difficulty, season and booking basics — the questions travellers ask us most, answered here.

The driest and most reliable months for trekking are October to March, when skies are clear and trails are at their best. The green season (June–September) is lush and beautiful but brings more rain. We can advise based on your dates and preferences.

Our guides and support crew are local to the regions we travel — the Ethiopian highlands and beyond. They grew up beside these trails, know the wildlife, weather and customs from the inside, and are licensed through the relevant park authorities and national agencies.

Both. Many travellers prefer a private tour, and many join our open small-group departures. We keep group sizes small so the experience stays personal and flexible.

We supply tents, sleeping mats, dining equipment and mule support to carry your luggage. You'll want your own comfortable sleeping bag and personal trekking gear; we can also help arrange hire of a sleeping bag.

Yes. While one person treks, a companion can relax at a lodge or take easy day walks — we can arrange them to meet up at the route's end. Let us know and we'll design around both of you.

Your journey starts here

Not sure which tour is right for you?

Tell us a little about your plans and we'll recommend the best route, pace and season for your trip.