Trekking holiday in the Simien Mountains, Ethiopia

Planet

During this trip we camp for seven nights in the Simien Mountains, discovering and isolated this stunning region on foot. While we immerse ourselves in the nature it's also an energy efficient, wildlife-friendly and generally less wasteful way to experience Ethiopia's wild areas. We pitch tents in designated camping areas within the National park that are manged by local rangers who stay in huts at the camp grounds.

We recommend that all customers to take a reusable and filter water bottle and water purification tablets with them which helps to reduce the number of plastic bottles provided and used locally. Within the national parks there are fresh water sources which are used to refill bottles and at each campsite jerry cans of clean water are provided for customers to re-fill. For environmental reasons, we also do not encourage the boiling of water due to fuel and power shortages in Ethiopia.

As a travel company we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key, and so all staff, Tour Leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage.

People

When in trekking in the Simien Mountains National Park we employ a trusted and experienced guide, cook and camp assistants to accompany the tour leader and group. They will educate groups about the wildlife within the national park, sharing their knowledge and helping to spot and identifying the wildlife and plants. This distributes jobs to the communities living within and surrounding the national parks.

Alongside trekking we also visit some of Ethiopia's cultural centres on this trip, the castles of Gondar and rock cut churches in Lalibela. Our entry fees contribute to the preservation of many of these important places, and we have local guides to take the group around the sights.

As a company we have valuable and longstanding partnerships with UK charities Toilet Twinning and Send a Cow, plus many smaller initiatives and projects around the world. We’re members of the UK travel industry body AITO because we believe it’s important to share our knowledge and experience, as well as learn from other operators.