Also known as roof of Africa "(the Roof of Africa) because of its high altitude. Simien massif is the highest plateau in northern Ethiopia. Its highest point is the Ras Dashen at 4550m. The high plateaux range in altitude from 3,000 to 4,500m and, although living conditions are difficult, they are populated by countless villages and hamlets, and are cultivated up to around 3,600m. Snow falls regularly during the rainy season, between May and September.
Map of Simien National Park
It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978 because it is home to extremely rare animals such as the Baboon Gelada (pictured below), the Simien foxon Abyssinian wolf or the Walia Ibexa kind of ibex that is only found in this area.
The landscapes are very spectacular because of the erosion, offering vertiginous peaks of more than 1500 m of difference in level and incredible points of view.
The highlight of the Simien massif, and Ethiopia, is the Ras Dashen at an altitude of around 4550m.
Population of Simien. The mountains of Simien are far from being deserted since 250 000 people live there! We crossed hamlets up to 3700 m high! There are few big villages in Simien. Indeed, the totality of the population lives from a subsistence agriculture intended to provide for the needs of the family. Surpluses, which are not very important when they exist, are sold in the local markets. Food agriculture requires very scattered dwellings, from 2 to 5 huts, around which the fields are cultivated or the animals are grazed, thus forming a mosaic of small systems living essentially in autarky. This is how the smallest plateau, the smallest terrace or the smallest promontory is inhabited and cultivated.
The children of Simien. With an average of 7 children per family, Ethiopia is a very young country like any country in full demographic boom. In the city as in the countryside, children are omnipresent. In Simien, they are the sentinels of the field. Indeed, they are the ones in charge of guarding the herds! They also carry out many missions such as fetching water from the source. This difficult task is often done by young girls... In short, children are everywhere and the mountain resounds with their cries all the time, giving a nice atmosphere to the hikes. We also often see them selling local handicrafts, cold drinks or coffee.
Music from Simien. Ethiopian traditional music is rich and varied. In the highlands, the musical culture is carried by the AzmarisHe is an itinerant musician reminiscent of our ancient minstrels. He plays a very rudimentary instrument, a kind of lute with 1 string and 1 bow, called Masenqo (pronounced "Massineko").
Visit the Simien - tourism. As is often the case, the best way to discover the Simien National Park is by hiking and trekking. Local agencies, the National Park and European tour operators offer an abundant, varied and high-quality range of activities. Trekking in Simien does not require very high physical or technical standards. The key to success lies more in acclimatising to the high altitude, as the classic trekking circuits range from 3,000 to 4,500 metres. This is why most of the tours on offer include visits to Addis Ababa, Lake Tana (source of the Blue Nile), Gondar or Lalibella during the first 3 or 4 days of your stay in Ethiopia. In fact, as soon as you arrive in Addis Ababa, at an altitude of 2,500 m, acclimatisation can begin. Some tours are also available in 4×4 all-terrain vehicles, with a track running right through the Park. Other groups explore the park on mountain bikes, as the plateau terrain and earthy soil are ideal for mountain biking. mountain bike.
Online resources :
- site of the Simien National Park
- page dedicated to the Park on the UNESCO website
- page dedicated to the Simien on Wikipedia
- page dedicated to Ethiopia on Allibert-Trekking.