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Simien Mountains National Park
The ancient game of chess also came to the mind of Rosita Forbes when, in 1925, she penned From Red Sea to Blue Nile - A Thousand Miles of Ethiopia: 'The most marvelous of all Abyssinian landscapes opened before us, as we looked across a gorge that was clouded amethyst to the peaks of Simien. A thousand thousand years ago, when the old gods "in Ethiopia, they must have played chess with those stupendous are present crags, saw bishops' miters cut in lapis castles with the ruby of approaching sunset on their turrets, an emerand knight where the forest crept up to. the rock, and, far away, a king, with sapphire, and guarded by a row of pawns. When the gods exchanged their games for shield and buckler to fight the new men clamoring at their gates,they turned the pieces of their chessboard mountains. In Simien they stand enchnted, till once again the world is pagan and the titans and the earth gods lean. down from the monstrous cloud  banks to wager a star or two on their spo rt.' these gigantic ' chesspieces' are actu­ally hard cores of volcanic outlets from the surrounding material has eroded away over the centuries - one of the most distinctive characteristics of these highlands, which constitute one of the major mountain massifs in Africa. The region includes many summits above metres (13,000 feet), and culminates in the highest point in Ethiopia, Ras Deshen, which, at 4,543 metres (14,901 ), is also is also the fourth highest mountain Africa. It is not a difficult mountain to climb and can be reached by traveling through the park. The park is 179 square kilometres (111 square miles) in area and lies between 1,900 and 4,430 metres (6,200 and 14,530 feet). It is in the Afro-alpine zone and the 'temperature regularly falls below freezing at night. Daytime temperatures range from 11.5" to 18°C (53° to 64°F). The rain­.fall averages 1,550 mm (60 inches) a year.

Getting there
Debark, the base from which to explore Simien Mountains National Park, is 850 kilometres (527 miles) from Addis Ababa, 101 kilometres (63 miles) from Gondar, and 256 kilometres (159 miles) from Axum and can be reached by road through Bahar Dar and Gondar. Visitors . can also fly to Gondar on one of Ethiopian Airlines' daily flights and arrange transport from there to Debark, either privately or by bus or taxi.
When to go
The best time to visit is the dry season, from December to March. Travel is difficult during the long rainy season between June and September, when several rivers may be flooded and difficult to cross, trails are slippery, and fog frequently obscures the view throughout the day. October, November, and Decem­ber are the coldest months.
Where to stay
The nearest hotel accommodation is in Gondar, as hotels in Debark are not geared to foreign tourists, with the possible exception of the Simien Hotel. A small, local hotel, it has a very amiable and cooperative management, excellent food, delicious coffee, cold beers, and is bug free. Within the park, facilities were limited in 1994 to camping, and all equipment must be brought in. Tourist rest houses, once available in the park, were unfortunately destroyed in the fighting that occurred in the early '90s, but it is hoped that in the near future these facilities will be restored.
Sightseeing
Although the dry-weather road up to Sankaber Camp and Ambaras was reha­bilitated in 1994, transport of the four­legged variety is by far the more reliable means of getting around for a more serious exploration of the park. If you have driven your own vehicle to Debark, leave it at the local police station (or at the Simien Hotel) for safe keeping while you take your tour of Simien. Then set about the business of renting pack and riding animals and hiring guides for the six-hour trip into the park. Make sure to examine each animal carefully before selecting it, and clarify the terms of your rental of animals and equipment before you depart.
Although it helps to enquire in Addis Ababa before you leave for Debark about recommended dealers and current prices, hiring guides, mules, and muleteers is done through the national park head  quarters in an efficient and honest manner­ alleviating stress-producing haggling 
Suitable clothing for extreme temperatures of hot and cold are needed as the diurnal swing is considerable, Waterproof clothing is also necessary, as are a hat and sunscreen lotion the sun at these altitudes can burn fiercely Water is available from  the various streams but should be treated . It is wise to remember that the main luggage is loaded on the pack animals for the day so requirements during the day should be carried in separate pack the nearest medical help is in Debark .
There are various campsites and tracks to follow and it is best to take the advice of guides
The topography of this small breathtaking. Climbing up from Debark on mules, through extensive farmland, the visitor is unaware of the dramatic scenery about to unfold The land forms various small plateau areas,and the edges of these plunge dramatically to the
lowlands to the north and eastThe edges of these gorges form the perfect habitat for the animal that this park was set up to protect - the Walia ibex.Generally the first stop is Sankaber  Camp, a trek that leads mainly through, cultivatedareas to the 3,230-metre (10,600. foot) campsite. From this point, you can  walk to the edge of the abyss, where you the get your first glimpse of  spectacular .  scenery. Much of the vegetation has been altered by humans over the years and few : trees will be seen in the area except the introduced eucalyptus. But in inaccessible ,  areas, such as the escarpment, natural habitats are preserved and plants such as  Hypericum revolutum (51.John's wort) and , heather (Erica arborea) will be seen as small a . The trees or bushes, and many smaller herbs . form carpets of colour. Among these are many species of Alchemilla, the tall spikes  of various Kniphofia species or 'red-hot the .  pokers', and carpets of small blue lobelia park is  flowers. Probably the easiest animal to see in this area is the gelada baboon, which is . . endemic to Ethiopia. These baboons are  grass eaters and Will be seen in family units in many areas, one male guarding his  harem of females and young ones. They are also known as the 'bleeding heart baboons' as there are red areas on the chest that show the sexual stat the animal. the kldipspringer may be spotted on rocky area its hooves specially adapted to the terrain The small grey duiker is present in protect it from its enemies area where there is enough cover to protect it from their enemies.
Though it is named after this area, the semien fox which is also referred to as the semien jackal or Ethiopian wolf is seen here nowIt is more common ;Bale Mountains National Park in theof the countryIts high-pitched call maybe heard at night, and its bright red coat is distinctive during the dayIt feeds on the many species of rodents found here.The animal most visitors wish to see isThe Walia ibex.The male of this member of the wild goat family has magnificent heavily ridged horns sweeping back over it’s soulders The Walia live on the crag of the steepEscarpment. their hooves clinging to the smallest ledge. birds of the area often provide spectacular aerobic displays off the sheer cliffs, using the air currents peculiar to the terrain.Lammergeyrs and Choughs, as well as Endemics such as the thick-billed-black-headed raven black headed siskin, white-collared pigeon, wattled ibis, white-billed starling, 'as, spot-breasted plover, and white-backed black tit. From Sankaber, the track leads through meadows, forests and some cultivated areas to Geech, a trip of about three to three­ and-a-half hours by mule. Geech, at 3,660 , metres (11,800 feet), is worth a stay of at least two days: there are several good look­ out spots where one may see Walia, gelada, and klipspringer, and breathtaking  views from nearby Gidgergot, K' adadit, Saha, and Emietgog  Just east of K'adadit . you have a chance to see the striking black­e animal most  and-white colobus monkeys in the low­ land forests if you have very good  binoculars. From Geech to the next stopping-off point, Ch'enek, the trek takes two-and-a­ half to four hours, and you may have to dismount and walk part of the way where the climb is steep. The Ch' enek campsite offers superb views, and there are many  places for seeing Walia ibex. There are also   caves to be explored, and this is the only place in the park where - if you are  extremely lucky  you can see rock hyrax, the small mammal that looks like an, ­overgrown guinea pig but is distantly of both. related to the elephant. After a stop at Ch'enek, the traveller ­usually returns to Sankaber (three to four hours) and from there to Debark (five to  six hours). But if arranged in advance, more extensive trips can be made to Buahit, at 4,437 metres (14,550 feet), which is outside the national park; Ras Dashen, Ethiopia's highest peak; and the lowlands ­Three game scout camps exist in the low lands at Dirni, Muchila, and Adermas, but a trip here is a real expedition and recomended only for more hardy travellers ­able to walk under tough conditions and  cope with rock climbing. A trip from  Ch' enek along the foot of the escarpment to the wolkafit pass and debark lasts about five to seven days.