Limalimo Lodge, Simien Mountains, Ethiopia

Limalimo Lodge is one of Africa's great mountain lodges and the finest place to stay in Ethiopia's Simien Mountains. Opened in 2015, it stands on the very edge of the Simien escarpment, where the highlands drop away into a vast landscape of jagged peaks, gorges and pinnacles. Built from rammed earth and thatch, with just 12 rooms and huge picture windows, it is an eco-lodge with real style, and troops of gelada monkeys graze on the slopes around it.

Location: Simien Mountains, Ethiopia

The Simien Mountains, in northern Ethiopia, are one of the most dramatic ranges in Africa: a high plateau broken by sheer cliffs, deep gorges and volcanic pinnacles, protected as a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are home to wildlife found almost nowhere else, including the gelada, Walia ibex and Ethiopian wolf.

Limalimo stands on a 10-hectare site on the edge of the escarpment, about ten minutes' drive from Debark, the gateway town to the national park. Most visitors fly to Gondar, the old royal city, and continue by road, combining the Simiens with Gondar's castles and the rock churches of Lalibela.

Rooms at Limalimo Lodge

There are 12 en-suite rooms in separate chalets spread across the property, each with high ceilings, warm earthen tones, a private balcony and a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows facing the mountains. The design mixes traditional Ethiopian craft and materials with clean, contemporary lines, so the rooms feel both rooted in place and quietly luxurious.

Facilities at Limalimo Lodge

The restaurant and bar sit at the top of the hill, with a terrace looking over the escarpment, and serve Ethiopian and international dishes made with local ingredients where possible; stays are usually full board. Evenings are spent around the fire pit under some of the clearest skies in Africa, and yoga and massages are offered.

The lodge was conceived by local guides and built by people from the Simien area, and it uses local materials, renewable energy and reused wastewater, with most of its staff from nearby communities. Private guides lead half-day and full-day treks into the national park, and multi-day camping treks with cooks and porters can be arranged, as can a traditional coffee ceremony in the village of Limalimo.

The mountain moment

The defining moment is sitting on a bench on the escarpment edge in the early morning as a troop of gelada monkeys moves across the grass beside you, with the peaks and gorges of the Simiens stretching away into the haze below.

In the evening, watch the sun set over the mountains from the terrace, then gather around the fire pit as the stars come out.

Why Limalimo is one of the best mountain hotels

Limalimo earns its place for its setting, its design and its spirit. It is one of the few genuinely stylish places to stay in the mountains of Ethiopia, and it shows how a lodge can be built by and for the community around it.

For more of Africa's great mountain lodges, see The Highlands in Tanzania, Bisate Lodge in Rwanda and our guide to the best mountain hotels in Africa.

When to go to Limalimo Lodge

The best time to visit the Simien Mountains is the dry season, from around October to March, when skies are clear and trekking is easiest; October, just after the rains, is especially green, with wildflowers on the plateau. The rainy season, from around June to September, brings mist and heavy downpours, though also dramatic skies and fewer visitors. Nights are cold at this altitude all year, so pack warm layers. Check current travel advice for Ethiopia before you book.

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