Photo of our staff during annual training session
SimienEcoTours
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2014)
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $1,389 to $6,076 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
IT
Email Sonia e Gianni | 50-65 years of age
Amazing experience! The Tour operator really have done a beautifull holliday, we’re two, well done!!
Good service, comunication, Good guide Elias. We’re Italian sorry for our bed English ! Ti was greate!
IT
Email Piercarlo Versiglia | 65+ years of age
An amazing experience
Was not just a travel, was a real amazing experience . Thanks to Lorenzo and Marco that are super professionals.What is more they are focused on partecipants and security
DE
Email Mciael Blanc | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
It is easy to travel with SimienEcoTours, because the planning was perfect and was realized
Our guide Joshua was very qualified, empathic and caring. It was easy to discuss with him our requests for modification. As a proud Ethiopian, he represented his country excellently and it accessible to us.
The local guides we met had an excellent knowledge of what they showed to us but their english was for us as non-native speaker sometimes difficult. Joshua several times tried to help us.
The hotels they choosed for us were all ok, very friendly staff and good facilities (such as pool, sauna)
Culturally, historically and archeologically an extremely interesting country, but it is necessary, especially for elder clients to plan in between a little bit time for relax.
A must for people with cultural and geological interests in Africa, not for interests in fauna and flora.
IT
Email Loredana | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
fantastic
I wanted to go to Ethiopia with my dog, and the agency's professionalism allowed me to make my dream come true. It was a wonderful experience: I saw beautiful places, met fantastic people, and above all, I had 24-hour assistance from my guide, Girum. The hotels were all excellent, obviously compared to Ethiopian standards. The food was excellent, and for car transfers, the drivers were always excellent, especially Gigi.
DE
Email Matthias R. Koch | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Three fascinating weeks of nature and culture
Back from a three-week solo trip through Ethiopia, filled with fantastic memories...
Although planned relatively last minute (just under three weeks from the initial idea to departure), Franziska from Simien Eco Tours managed to perfectly blend nature, culture, and my main requirement of "no stress" into the tour plan. She even accommodated a slight change of plans because the hippos weren't where they were supposed to be...
So, after arriving in Addis Ababa early in the morning, I didn't immediately catch the next flight – even though Addis isn't exactly the place for relaxing. I took a stroll, lazed around a bit, and then, refreshed, traveled to Lalibela the next day. The unforgettable experience of Orthodox Easter, including participating in the age-old ceremonies, wrapped in a white robe, among thousands of worshippers, was probably my most memorable moment.
So, after arriving in Addis Ababa early in the morning, I didn't immediately catch the next flight – even though Addis isn't exactly known for its tranquility. On the journey to the Simien Mountains, the air became noticeably thin (lodge at 3300m) and cool. A morning hike led to a close encounter with a large troop of baboons (my guide: "No problem, you can go slowly closer" - why was the local guide armed again? Oh yes, potential leopards...) and a fantastic view of the mountains.
We continued by car to Lake Tana - an extensive boat trip, just the right prelude for me, a native of Lake Constance, to an impressive visit to one of the many monasteries on the islands.
The strenuous drive to Tis Abaye was more than compensated for by the hike to the Blue Nile Falls. Here, too, it became clear that the common practice in Ethiopia of hiring a local guide at every location makes for interesting stories. Here, too, the guide seemed to know everyone we met and always had a friendly word for us.
The drive through the Great Rift Valley to Hawassa and a hike along the rift rim to the hot springs really brought home just how ancient this land is...
Arba Minch then became my "no-stress" base for several days of interesting excursions on Lake Abaya and to the Dorze and Konso villages. Thanks to the local guides, the experience was relaxed, fun, and full of warmth – and in the afternoons, I enjoyed a few laps in the decadent tourist pool ;) ...
Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, never felt unsafe, and always felt well taken care of. Throughout the entire journey, I had an exceptionally attentive ("you have to drink more!!"), knowledgeable, and friendly guide. Even the significant impact of the Iranian crisis was handled well thanks to the perfect organization by Simien Eco Tours. Even bringing binoculars (think carefully about whether you really want them) was made possible through the patient efforts of Marco at customs and my guide on every single domestic flight.
Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, never felt unsafe, and always felt well looked after. My sincere thanks to the whole team and here's the sixth star "*", because I could only give five.
(automatic translation from German)
CH
Email Carlo | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Exploring Ethiopia beside the usual paths
I wanted to combine a business trip with a private tour in Ethiopia, together with a friend. The roundtrip of 5 days was fully organised by SimienEcoTours. We had a choice of various options. All was perfectly organised, starting from preliminary documentation, domestic flights, hotels and local guides. As a very experienced traveller, I was exited about the way we travelled through Ethiopia. The local guides were simply great in terms of knowledge and responding to our individual wishes, all this made our trip unforgettable. Atfter this visit, I have put Ethiopia on my personal "bucket-list" to go back and for sure, I will travel with SimienEcoTours again.
DE
Email Eduard | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Professional, experienced and they really care for their customers.
Really felt taken good care of from driving to guiding to food, everything was excellent. Loved the wildlife and scenery and Tefi my guide in the mountains could spot even the well camouflaged ibex.
Lalibela and Gonder were awesome too and the accomodation choices (Maribela Hotel/Lalibela and Chateau du Lodge/Gonder) lovely.
Enjoyed every minute of my trip! Thanks so much to Haile, my driver who made that possible and Marco for organizing it.
PS: Love the fact that the company is trying to be sustainable and helps the locals.
AE
Email Myriam & Erick | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent Service!
We have loved this trip in Ethiopia (itinerary: Lalibella, Afar / Dalol) as organized by Simien Eco Tours! A fantastic trip, organized by Lorenzo, and guided locally by Yirga and his team (driver, cook...).
During the prep, Lorenzo has been very attentive to all our wishes and requests, and has designed the itinerary as we wanted, despite the local constraints, + with lots of additional suggestions! Fully personalized: lodging, meals, itinerary/visits... We have been in constant contact, also during the trip itself (via Whatsapp), Lorenzo ensuring the trip was going to our satisfaction.
Locally, Yirga has been very caring, mindful of all our requests! Ultra flexible (e.g. when we wanted to go earlier to St Georges church, return to Lake Asalé etc.). And made us live unforgettable moments, e.g. in Lalibella (sunday mass), immersive experience in Hamed Ela village, nights under the stars (Lake Asalé, volcano...). All these, despite travel conditions that may pause challenges. He also loaned us a local SIM card so that we could keep in touch with our relatives home, and we've enjoyed a few local beers nicely together
CH
Email Marie | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Wonderful trip with SimienEco Tours
We have just returned from 18 days in Ethiopia where we had an unforgettable stay thanks to the agency SimienEco Tours.
Marco Degasper had prepared an itinerary for us that combined cultural visits to the orthodox churches of Lake Tana and Lalibella with a very varied nature. The grandiose landscapes in the Bale Mountains, the beauty of the lakes and the Wenchi crater, the lush vegetation and the coffee culture with the visit of villages in Yergalem were the highlights of our exploration south of Addis Ababa.
Marco, very responsive and professional, immediately understood our wishes and directed us towards a trip adapted to our family with 3 teenagers including our intellectually disabled daughter.
This trip would not have been as perfect without our wonderful guide Milan. Marco had the concern to find us a young woman, passionate about her country and anxious to transmit to us as much as possible the history, the traditions, and all the richness of Ethiopia. Her kindness, her sensitivity, her special attention to each of us and especially to our daughter made our stay unforgettable.
We still have so much to discover in this country with its incredible resources. We will come back very soon and will not fail to ask Marco for the organisation and our precious Milan to guide us.
Email Aminatta | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Professional and well organised.
I traveled to the Danakil Desert/Depression with a friend in February/March. We are both experienced travellers and agreed this was one of the best trips we had undertaken. I had it on my horizon for two years, but because of the security situation in Tigray, it had not been possible to go. I took a lot of soundings before the trip and Marco was very helpful in answering our queries via WhatsApp. Our guide, Kedemkachew Asegad (251 94 409 7799) was knowledgeable, well-organised and considerate of our needs - we were two women travelling. The Afar is not an easy place to travel and visitors to Ethiopia certainly could not do it without a guide. Lots of negotiations with the locals. Kede took care of all of that. I'd like to give a shout out to our cook Fentahun, who could make delicious meals out of whatever was available. Bekele and Wondem, the drivers, were helpful and professional. Seyed, who provided security, made us all feel very safe. Some of the highlights of the trip were the Dallol hydrothermal system, the salt mountains and Gaete Ale, the active volcano. Just be warned that this is not an easy trip - we slept under canvas one night and in the open air two nights. There is no accommodation to speak of, bathrooms etc. And temperatures reach 43 degrees centigrade. Worth the discomfort though. Many thanks to Marco and the team!