Northern Ethiopia Trek to the Simien Mountains

Embark on a remarkable journey through northern Ethiopia, created in partnership with Tesfa Tours and designed as a true cultural immersion. This community-based trek offers the chance to stay in remote villages, explore expansive landscapes, and connect with local life in a meaningful way.

Accompanied by Sum Sum, a trusted photography guide and fluent English speaker, you will trek with someone whose experience includes working alongside photographers and media outlets such as Steve McCurry, Hans Silvester, BBC, and National Geographic. His knowledge of light, location, and portraiture makes this an inspiring trip for anyone eager to capture powerful images.

The itinerary begins with a few days in Lalibela, one of Ethiopia’s most sacred sites, known for its network of 11 rock-hewn churches carved into the bedrock in the late 12th century by Saint-King Lalibela. You will also enjoy a sightseeing tour of Addis Ababa and visit the National Museum.

From there, the trek continues through the Wollo region and the basalt mountains around Lalibela, with daily walks of 3–4 hours. Along the way, you will encounter striking lowland scenery, deep gorges, local communities, and wildlife, with excellent opportunities for photography throughout.

Accommodation is simple, clean, and rustic. You will stay with local communities in lodges and sleeping huts, including places with 360-degree valley views and guesthouses near cliffside settings. Each site has a toilet, including composting and urine-separating facilities, as well as a shower warmed by the sun. Double occupancy sleeping huts are available. Meals feature local cuisine such as enajra, vegetable wots, and coffee or tea.

This trek is rooted in community tourism. The lodges are owned and operated by village committees, who welcome guests, manage the properties, and prepare locally sourced meals. Tesfa Tours works with villagers and development agencies to support sustainable tourism in Tigray’s highlands, where travel is still largely on foot or by donkey.

For those seeking more, an extension to the Omo Valley is available after the trek. This region is among the world’s last great tribal areas and offers a very different side of Ethiopia. You may visit Dus, a Kara village on the Omo River known for decorative body chalk painting, and experience the Turmi market, where the Hamer people sell honey, snuff, foodstuffs, and local goods.

The Omo Valley extension is led by Tizbt Sum Sum, who has guided photography tours for nine years and speaks English plus six tribal dialects. His deep understanding of tribal culture, history, and traditions adds further depth to this unique experience.

From portraiture and daily life to landscapes and cultural encounters, this is a journey that blends trekking, photography, and immersion in Ethiopia’s living heritage.