Simian Mountains Trek

After the culture vulture site of Lalibela it was time for some a personal challenge and to do some trekking in the Simian Mountains and to scale one of Ethiopia's tallest mountains, Mount Bwahit at 4,437m (the tallest is Mount Dashen at 4,550m which requires some scrambling and ropes). Some of the spectacular vistas to be seen in the national park.

 The other view.

 The great draw here are the monkeys and I had hardly stepped off the minibus that got us into the park than there they were, minding their own business and eating grass, which makes up to 95% of their diet.

 Unlike baboons, the monkeys show off their sexual majority with bright red flashes on their chests (and not their bums like baboons).

 And they were unafraid of us and we could get really close but the low cloud made getting good photos difficult.

 And they were always at it! I ignored the first few couplings but couldn't resist just one photo.

 We were so high that the clouds were below us.

 Some of the cliffs facing one of the arms of the rift valley were over a kilometre tall and gave great views across the valley below, but I never got to close to the edge!

 And it was cold where we were despite the closeness to the equator but it was rainy season and the cloud cover kept the heat out and the damp in.

 But at least it was bright which made it feel warmer.

 On the second day we came across a waterfall, the tallest in Ethiopia which flows all the year round.

 A full frontal view.

 And then we trekked further into the interior and came across some giant lobelia plants. A view of the transition between the trees and the lobelias.

 Suddenly the floor of the valley was covered in lobelias.

 And they are large!

 And then it was tie for the summit attempt, seen as a low bump on the horizon.

 And at last I was at the top with the rest of Ethiopia below me except for the tallest mountain somewhere behind me obscured by the low cloud.