Time to explore the city's many wide tree lined streets, museums and “mercato”. This colourful market is the largest in eastern Africa and has an array of fascinating goods and curios, providing a perfect place for exploration and people watching. Addis Ababa is the third highest capital in the world and the altitude may fatigue you easily... so take it easy today. (Another point to note is that, being relatively close to the equator, there is almost twelve hours of constant daylight no matter what time of year you are here. With the sun rising at 6.30am and setting at 6.45pm, most of our days start early so as to be at our hotel or campsite by sunset).

We depart on the first flight of the day from Addis Ababa to Bahir Dar with Ethiopian Airlines. In the afternoon we take time to explore the surrounds and the amazing network of 37 islands scattered over the 3000 square km of Lake Tana. We take a 3 hour boat trip out to the island monastery, named “Ura Kidane Mehret” floating past the papyrus canoes that are still used by the locals as transportation.

If time permits we will also visit another monastery called - “Betre Mariam”. (If this monastery is visited we will be out, on the lake, for approx 4 hours.) Some 20 of these islands shelter historical churches and monasteries, ornately decorated with beautiful mural paintings and holding many treasures. There are some that even exclude women from entering the monasteries, holding onto traditional beliefs. On these islands the priests will sometimes bring the treasures to the shore to show you.

This morning we will visit the Tissisat Falls (Blue Nile Falls or “Smoke of Fire”). Lake Tana, Ethiopia’s largest lake is the source of the Blue
Nile River and feeder of the volume of water cascading over the falls. The Blue Nile Falls are 400m wide when in flood and fall over a sheer
chasm more than 45m in height. The early morning light is the ideal time to gain the best panoramic views and sometimes rainbows
appear over the horizon at this time of day.

We have an early start for the 3-4 hour drive, to Gondar, the old capital of Ethiopia. Gondar has now become one of Ethiopia’s largest and most impressive cities, with its walled Royal Enclosure. This enclosure lies at Gondar's centre and contains several well preserved castles and other buildings. We take time this afternoon to tour these castles and churches, becoming immersed in this historical “old” capital and stock up on all our food supplies in anticipation of the trek ahead.

After an early breakfast we drive from Gondar to Debark, to start our 10 day trek in the Simien Mountains National Park. The Simien Mountains is an area of highland country in the northern part of Ethiopia, consisting of several major plateaus, divided by large river valleys. The word means “north” in Amharic, Ethiopia’s official language. The region includes many summits over 4000m, the highest being Ras Dejen, at 4620m, the fourth highest mountain in Africa.
The Simiens dramatic topography is a result of the erosion of basalt lavas which have been calculated to be nearly 3000m thick. The rocks
beneath the lava spread were horizontal layers of sandstone and limestone. Weaknesses and cracks developed, opening the way for points of erosion. The cracks in the hard, resistant basalt once begun were widened and deepened by floods that poured into them, creating deep trenches and leaving hard cores of volcanic outlets from which the surrounding material has eroded away.
The locals use a network of tracks which are ideal for us to use as our walking trails, as they take us through small villages and the terraced fields of the lower valleys, to the beautiful alpine meadows and rugged wilderness of the high peaks. Our experienced guide is very familiar with the peaks and valleys and is able to introduce us to areas seldom visited by many travellers and even by the locals themselves.
After doing any last minute shopping in Debark we will drive out on a rough road to Sankabar. From here we shall take a short walk to assist the acclimatisation process along the escarpment. We shall get our first impressive views over the dramatic Simien mountain range.

At Sankabar we shall pack up our gear and shall meet our muleteers before commencing the trek to Geech. We traverse along the escarpment before dropping down to get views of the spectacular Geech Abyss. From here we ascend through terraced farmland to the village of Geech where glimpses of the whole Simien chain become possible. Expect to arrive about 4.00pm.

From Geech we take an optional 2 hour hike up to the summit of Imetgogo. It is possible to see the lowlands and gain an awesome perspective of this incredible mountain range. There are also options to take a circuit walk to Gidar Got and Saha. Today is a good day to take things steadily which will help the acclimatisation process, whilst enjoying one of the most dramatic trekking days imaginable.
The easiest animal to see in this area is the gelada baboon, unique to Ethiopia and also known as the bleeding heart baboon, or lion
monkey. Klipspringers and grey duikers may also be seen in this area but it is usually only a glimpse as they nimbly spring across the rock
face. The heavily ridged horn of the Walia Ibex, another of Ethiopia’s endemic species, should also make an appearance on the crags of the steep escarpments.

From Geech we trek along the whole escarpment to Chenek, which is bounded by a semi circular ring of cliffs: it is about 7-9 hours of undulating walking, with some steep ups and downs on a very seldom used track. The Chenek campsite offers superb views and again there are many places to see the Walia Ibex. Geladas are seldom found far from cliffs. Like the Walia, they are well adapted to living on nearly vertical faces and at the first site of danger will plunge over the edge where danger cannot follow. The Simien Fox or Abyssinian wolf, though named after this area, is now rarely seen, though you may hear its high pitched call at night. The Simiens are also noted for cliff-nesting birds of prey, in particular the large and powerful lammergeyer (nearly 3m wing span), which are frequently seen performing
aerial acrobatics above us.

This morning we leave for Ambiquo at the foot of Ras Dashen. We go half way up Bohait Peak, the second highest mountain in the chain, for an incredible outlook of our campsite below. After about 1.5 hours of uphill we will reach a viewpoint, which looks across the vast valley of the Meshwa River and we will also get our first sighting of Ras Dashen, 4620m, the highest point in a wall of cliffs and peaks on the skyline at the far side of the valley. We then take the path down and across the Meshwa River before steeply climbing to the village of Ambiquo, where we will camp for the night.

Today's optional climb to the highest point in Ethiopia, the summit of Ras Dashen at 4600m, requires a dawn start. We climb slowly and
steadily through giant lobelia forests for about 5-6 hours, before a steep scramble for 20 minutes to the summit. On the summit we will rest, to take in the spectacular panorama before us. In clear weather there is the possibility of maybe even seeing as far as Eritrea. From the top we take the downward scramble, which will take about 3-4 hours, back to our campsite at Ambiquo.

Today traverses much of the farming country in the High Simiens as we trek through the upper catchments of the Mesheha River. It is a
rewarding days trekking where we will get plenty of contact with the locals in the fields, on the trails and in the villages. At the village of Arkwasie, we cross the divide in to the catchments of the Ansiya Wenz River. We make camp on the edge of the plateau, looking across the Gorge to the spectacular cliffs of Imetgogo and other summits.

Today we trek where only the hardiest travellers venture, dropping over the edge of the plateau and descending steeply over 1000m, to the more rugged Ansiya Wenz Valley and lowlands. Looking back up towards the escarpment you can see exactly where you have been over the last 5 days. Very few trekkers head down into the lowlands, but once you are down there you'll be glad you found something way off the beaten track.

The day is filled with plenty of opportunities to interact with locals and learn a little about their lifestyles. Our last night of the trek will be a very special evening set amongst rock pinnacles and in a splendid setting, listening to the traditional music of the Masenko and joining the fun loving locals in a dance or two.

From Hawaza to Adi Arkai and the main road it is about 2 hours downhill, where we board our private bus and return to Gondar.

We recommend that you book the first flight of the day as the flight schedule from Gondar to Addis Ababa varies. Please DO NOT plan to fly out of Addis on this day unless it is an evening flight. After your domestic flight you will be transferred to your Hotel in Addis Ababa where the trip concludes.