Simien Mountains National Park » Venture Ethiopia - Tours and Travel

Simien Mountains National Park

The Simien Mountains National Park is the only area in Ethiopia to have been designated as a Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO. This highland area in the northern part of Ethiopia includes many summits over 4000 metres, the highest being Ras Dashen (4543m).  The park was originally established in 1969 by Clive Nicol, before being designated by UNESCO in 1978.

Massive erosion over the years on the Ethiopian plateau has created one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world, with jagged mountain peaks, deep valleys and sharp precipices dropping some 1,500 m. The dramatic escarpments and free-standing pinnacles which are characteristic of the Simien Mountains range are comparable in terms of spectacle to the Grand Canyon.

In addition, the park is of global significance for biodiversity conservation, as it is home to some extremely rare and globally threatened species such as the Gelada baboon, the Ethiopian wolf and the Walia ibex, a wild mountain goat found nowhere else in the world.

Simiens map shrunk

Map of Simien Mountains National Park