A Short Walk in the Simien Mountains

Organised by Wild Frontiers it seemed like an ideal trip away from a cold winter in England to see some of the culture and countryside of one of the oldest civilisations in the world. The trip was scheduled to start on a Friday overnight flight to Addis Ababa and then start straight in to Museums, churches and local culture. This seemed a trifle tough for us and we arranged to go a early and have a restful day overcoming our jet lag in the sunshine.

We were met at the airport and transferred to our hotel, The Addis Ababa Ghion Hotel. This is set in the most wonderful parkland and the hotel, although quite adequate, does not quite match the setting. 

Having rested a while and lunched at the hotel we arranged for a local taxi driver to take us to explore the Mercado, a bustling market which claims to be the largest in Africa. We wandered amongst the colourful drapery, food and spice areas, and came across an interesting stall full of local musical instruments.

Ann at a stall selling some white stuff that is used to preserve and prepare raw meat. I could not catch the name despite asking several times.

Spices

Local instruments

These were not tourist gimmicks but made to be used. Some being made out of quite utililitarian recycled materials!

Made from cans

The taxi driver and a mate that he had enlisted kept most of the hassle away from us but there were a few of the innevitable beggars but some were earning there keep like this disabled little chap, although not very musical he warranted a contribution. 

The following day we transferred to the Hilton Hotel where we met with the rest of our tour party. A very friendly group of six experienced travellers.

A Hilton like any other

We were then entertained to a traditional lunch of ingera and spiced curry sauces. The ingera is rather rudely referred to as carpet underlay but is in fact a rather tasteless pancake made from Teff which is a cereal grain local to Ethiopia. The sauce can be meat or vegetable based and is fairly highly spiced. Tour group at lunch

It was noticeable that our local guide avoided the ingera for a plate of raw meat.

That afternoons sightseeing was to take us to the museum to see Lucy, a 3.5 million year old humanoid skeleton (or a copy as the real one is in Texas at the moment), back to the market to drive by some decidedly more shabby areas of the Mercado than we had previously seen, although I did spot an interesting tool store, and then on to the octagonal St George cathedral where as we left a service was just starting with the "congregation" approaching only as far as their rank would allow.

Sunday saw us transfer by air to our slightly more rudimentary hotel in Lalibela

Focker F50 at lalibela 

Hotel Yemereha at Lalibella

Here the food was more conventionally served and it was explained that the following day was going to be a trek up the local mountain to see the first two of 13 rock hewn churches that we were to experience.

It was quite a significant trek up to the Achetan Mariam monestry. This picture was taken about half way up with the monestary up near the peak of the ridge.

Susie, Stephany and Peter

Charles in the lead

The final traverse

The approach to the monastery

 Leave our shoes outside

and we are there.

Every church has its own design of cross and these were willingly displayed for us by the priests

Here we are at the summit level outside the churches admiring the view which was largely lost in the haze. Ann and Rick

The local kids were hugely proud of their schoolwork and here are some lads who stopped on their way to school to show the teachers among our party their excercise books. 

This was an example of maths, all written in English and to a high standard for their age.

After lunch, back at the hotel, we started on the next six of the staggeringly impressive Rock Hewn Churches

protected by UNESCO provided roofs.

The original decoration inside has largely been lost but in a few places a hint of the original carved and painted splendour remained.

and everywhere was adorned with brightly coloured pictures of the scriptures

St George

The last of the churches built, and the most impressive, is that of St George. The first view of this cross shaped edifice in its hole in the ground quite takes one breath away.

It is difficult to get a good picture because of its location at the bottom of a pit but it is a sizeable structure.

The following morning took us to five more churches, some monolithic, some cavelike but all extraordinarily interesting.

Large and small and in places beautifully carved out of solid rock.

That afternoon we transferred by air to Gondor to visit a compound of five castles

and also the small church of Debre Berehan Selassie, which is most beautifully decorated inside.

Debre Berehan Selassie

Angels in the roof.

We visited King Fasilidas bath, now used for mass baptisms, some other sights, and for those with any energy left we made it to a Tej bar in the evening. Tej is the local honey wine. No actual tej, but a beer and Tom's shoulder dancing made up for it.

Tour leader Tom

The following morning, I've lost track of the days now, was a long and dusty bus trip from Gondor to the start of the trek in the Simien Mountains.

The driver insisted that we kept the windows open so that the dust that got in could blow out again, hmmmmm.

A stop for a drink and some souvenirs

A stop for a push, where we had to get out and walk 

A stop for lunch. Where Joanna has real Attenborough moment sitting among the gelada baboons.

Despite appearances the baboon is not in the slightest interested in either Susie or her sandwich.

She is busy teaching the young how to find grubs.

After an introductory walk of several hours we camped that night at a site which was still reachable by road and hence it was a bit crowded. The following morning we set off along the escarpment of the Simien mountains and were rewarded with stunning views.

The path went along

and down,

and it had some tricky moments 

to get to the viewpoints.

The waterfall was dry!

but the scenery was awesome.

The Lammergeyers were waiting.

The panorama much to large for a simple camera to capture.

Dinner was eyed up.

Lunch was by a stream that was supposed to feed the waterfall, and the only water seen on the trek.

A transport breakdown being repaired by the ever resourceful Tom

Across volcanic terrain,

to Geech village where some enterprising youngsters were selling Coke and Fanta to the thirsty.

And we talk to more school children

The campsite was quite isolated with only one other small party.

The chef had prepared the dinner

and there was even a campfire to ward off the chill.
The night sky was wonderful with the milky way clearly visible. But it took a moment to find ones way about as the pole star was so low on the horizon

An early start on our last day trekking

birthday girl Helen in the middle of the party

and in a Yucca field.

we passed yet more stunning views

to reach the Immet Gogo summit at 3900m.

To the jubilation of some, 

a sense of achievement of others,

and the relief of the park guide.

The way down

Joanna Stephany

gave us a last chance for pictures before we left the mountain

Say goodbye to our guards

and backup transport.

And return to a G&T on the terrace at the hotel in Gondor and a final night back in a comfy bed.

On Saturday  we flew back to Addis, had use of day rooms in the Hilton, spent the last of our Bir on souvenirs, had another excellent ethnic meal with very good local entertainment. See following video clip:-

addis video clip.wmv

Before we were shoveled back on to the plane for the UK.

Nobody did everything, everyone caught some sort of ailment, but a brilliant, if very exhausting trip.

The best was the charming companionship among the group.

This is just a small selection of the pics. If you want copies in full resolution just send and e-mail.