Report & Photos by Margret Kirsten
Why Ethiopia????
1. My nephew, Marcel, is a manager on one of the Dutch Flower Farms, 60km north of Addis Ababa. 2. I had just enough air miles which had to be used up or I was to loose them. 3. On a previous visit to Ethiopia I had seen the magnificent peaks of the Simien mountains, which is a World Heritage Site, and I was curious what it would be like to walk in these mountains.
I have had a very safe trip which was most interesting and varied. The first few days I spent at my nephews farm house which is 3 km from the farm, organising our 6 day mountain walk, (food etc. we did our own cooking in the mountains) Also enjoying the sun and getting a little more acclimatised, now 2500m altitude.
The first weekend we spent at Lake Langano, one of the Great Rift Valley lakes, with brilliant weather. The resort is very westernised and pleasant. Visited mostly by people who are employed by the various Embassies, the UN, Airline Crew and the likes. It has cottage accommodation in a lovely setting and a good restaurant. Swimming in and boating on the lake is safe and was very enjoyable.
On the way there and on the way back we saw several caravans of camels. These camels came from Somalia and their destination is Egypt all on foot. The Somalians get a permit from the Ethiopian government to walk through Ethiopia to the Sudan and continue their way to Egypt, which is several thousand kms. and takes most of 4 months, they go every year during the dry season. once there they get sold.
The following Monday we flew from Addis Ababa to Gondar and boarded a booked 4x4 taxi to Debark (107km away) altitude 2800m. from where one starts all walks. We arranged for our entrance fee and 6 day walking tickets, guide, scout, mules and mule men, at the parks office in readiness for the start next morning. Overnighted in The Simien Hotel, supposed to be the best but is primitive for our standards and had no water and mostly no lights. I was not amused.
1st day, 27km, goes at first through farmland, up and down hill and very eroded, small mountain villages to an altitude of 3220m, Sankaber Camp, from where we already had lovely views and gradually there was more forest.
Each group, (we were just 2 people) has to have a guide and a scout, the scout carries an AK 47 to protect animals and tourists who may cause damage to plants/trees etc. (I think it is also to provide a job, who knows). Ethiopia is known for the grossly deforestation over the years which causes the erosion, whilst Sudan and Egypt benefit from this as the soil runs down the rivers and Ethiopia will and up having less and less farmland.
Each person has a pack mule and mule man, who got our camping gear and 18 x 2L bottles of drinking water to the next overnight places. So for us it was another 4 people. We only carried a daypack with enough water, food, med. kit, jersey etc. for the day. There is practically no water on the way and certainly not for drinking. Also the dry season was coming to an end and the few rivers very low.
The following days we walked more in forests and had open views over magnificent mountains and deep valleys. It was early spring and not many flowers were out yet. So far each day, since my arrival, had been brilliant and sunny, how lucky we were. We encountered many herds of Gelada baboons ( nearly every day). Also called ' The Bleeding Heart Baboon' . They live in and outside the park. In fact also close to Marcel's farm. We could photograph them at very close range. On the 2nd day we walked 13km with many up and down hills and views second to none to Gich camp.
On the 3rd day we saw Ethiopian Wolfs, the park counts only about 40 of these Wolfs and were already rare in these mountains when the park was established in 1990. They are very shy and we were very, very lucky to see them, no other people we met had seen them. That day we reached a high point, Imet Gogo, at an altitude of 3926m, from here you have THE best views of the mountains and valleys and we were lucky that we had nearly clear, sunny weather although a little hazy.
We continued and reached an altitude of 4070m on that day before descending to 3600m and having walked 20km when we reached the overnight camping at Chennek camp, where we stayed 2 nights. Here we saw Walya Ibex and again many Gelada Baboons.
Since it had rained during the night, it looked as if the weather was changing and the morning did not look good for going too far, we had some hail and rain that day but Marcel, however, decided to go to the second highest peak of Ethiopia, Bwahit Summit 4430m, with the guide and scout. They had walked so fast that they were back 4 hrs. later and said it was freezing cold on top with very little view. Unfortunately it gave Marcel a sore knee which bothered him for the rest of the trip but he never complained till the last day when we had to bandage it. (I was glad I did not waste my energies on going to the top)
I remained around the area the that day and took short walks to the various view sites. Certainly the most beautiful camping spot in the mountains. Being well above the tree line we were surrounded by giant Lobelia measuring up to 10m in height. That day I was chaperoned by a brother of our guide named, Milky, who never left my side. During the night it rained again.
The following day it was down via another route and we were invited to a coffee ceremony at the scout's home, since we were passing close by. Really very, very rural and primitive, the scout's wife had also prepared injeera and spicey beans in sauce, (the basic food of Ethiopia) we all ate some although I am not too fond of it but had to be polite and grateful. I have tried it a few times before. The scout also insisted that he showed us the school and the 'laboratory' which was VERY important to him although it looked as if it had not been used for a long time before we continued our way down.
Marcel was now walking in front of me and suddenly he screamed with pain and the right-hand shoulder dropped remarkably with his arm dangling. It gave me a hell of a fright but he said; " Don't worry my arm he jump out of the socket I can put it back". I did not know that this occurs from time to time
Then we carried on to where we camped the first night, Sankaber. Today was 22km. It was weekend and a lot of tourists had arrived also had a some rain that evening which made the campsite quite muddy.
The last day was more up and down hill and back through eroded farmland areas again and finally in Debark (27km) and the Simien hotel again for the night. We thanked all the 'staff' and paid them their well deserved tips, then looked forward to a hot shower. Unfortunately, again .....no water........and after negotiating we got 2 buckets of warm water. That was heaven. In the mountains, each day we had a water tap from an underground spring, a little distance from the camp, ablution is very poor as are the toilets which have no chemicals in them and one is not allowed to throw toilet paper down the toilet but in a basket next to it!!!! ....(Sissssss) We ran out of drinking water and used the spring water but 'doctored' it well one cannot take a chance.
Food wise, I had taken some foodstuff from S.A. such as tinned meat, smash, chocolate as these things are scarce in Ethiopia. One can have a cook on the walking trip but we decided to do it ourselves. We did notice how much food was wasted by cooks who cook for a group. Cooking is done in large, open sided rondavels with concrete sites to sit on, no table, the centre is mostly used for a fire after every one has had dinner. We cooked on a, hired, paraffin stove and managed very well.
This is no hike for sissies and demands good fitness. I have enjoyed it very much, although it was rough and tough, the beautiful scenery and wonderful experience made up for it.
We took the same taxi back to Gondar again (in rain) and stayed in a hotel where I was also 18 months ago, visited the various sites with Marcel for the rest of the day (in rain) since he had not been there yet. Then flew the following morning back to Addis Ababa and to the farm again for another few days (where it also rained) before flying back to good old S.A. We have been extremely lucky not to have had to walk in rain. I felt sorry for the folks who were on the way up, how disappointing if you have no views.
Glad to be home again with home comforts!
