Wildlife · Birding · Private
Northern Endemics Birding
The Simien's highland specialities — thick-billed raven, wattled ibis, lammergeier — with a specialist guide and no detours.
The Journey
6 nights, designed around the hours that matter
Our Rift Valley trip covers the south. This one is built for the northern highlands, where the Simien alone holds around two hundred species, including five Ethiopian endemics and a dozen near-endemics. An ornithologist travels with you from Gondar, and the days are shaped around birds rather than sightseeing.
Who this is for
Active travellers comfortable with 7 Days that include real walking, altitude and early starts.
What this is not
Guests who prefer purely vehicle-based sightseeing, low elevation, or no trail days at all.
Tailor-made journey
Priced to your plans
Quoted individually once we know your dates, lodges and group size.
- Duration
- 7 Days · 6 nights
- Best season
- Oct – Apr
- Group size
- 2 – 6 guests
- Style
- Wildlife · Birding · Private
Final pricing depends on season, room category and group size. No deposit is taken until the itinerary is right.
Day by Day
The itinerary, as it usually runs
A working draft rather than a fixed schedule — we move days around for weather, festivals and how you are feeling.
Day 1
Arrive Addis Ababa
Private transfer and a briefing with your bird guide on the northern target list — thick-billed raven, wattled ibis, spot-breasted plover, white-collared pigeon and lammergeier among the priorities.
Day 2
Gondar
A morning flight north, then an afternoon on the wooded edges of the castle grounds and the town's church compounds for urban highland species before the park.
Day 3
Debark to Sankaber
Park formalities at Debark, then the first escarpment walk toward Sankaber: gelada on the cliffs, thick-billed ravens overhead, and wattled ibis on the grassland.
Day 4
Sankaber to Geech
A full day along the rim via Jinbar Falls into Geech territory — spot-breasted plover and white-collared pigeon on the high grassland, lammergeier on the updrafts.
Day 5
Imet Gogo & Chenek
The viewpoints around Imet Gogo and on to Chenek for cliff-edge raptors and any remaining highland specialities still needed for the list.
Day 6
Back to Addis Ababa
A final dawn session on the rim, the drive down to Gondar, and an afternoon flight south.
Day 7
Departure
A checklist review over breakfast before your departure — or extend two days onto the Guassa Plateau for Ankober serin and blue-winged goose.
What Is Included
- A specialist bird guide throughout
- Return flights Addis Ababa – Gondar
- Private 4x4 transfers and all Simien park fees and scouts
- Six nights in total: Addis on arrival, Gondar, three on the Simien rim, and Addis again before departure
- Full board in the mountains, breakfast in Gondar and Addis
- A species checklist and daily sightings log
Not Included
- International flights and Ethiopian visa fees
- Travel insurance (required)
- Personal optics and field guides
- The optional Guassa extension
Enquire
Make Northern Endemics Birding yours
Send us your dates and we will confirm availability, quote precisely, and suggest the two or three changes we would make if it were our own trip.
Runs Oct – Apr · 2 – 6 guests · priced to your plans
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Speak With a Designer
Questions before you enquire?
Altitude, road time, how hard the walking really is, whether the children will cope. Ask us anything — a designer will answer honestly.
Or call us directly on +1909-450-7246