Simien Mountains

The Simien Mountains are located in northern Ethiopia's highlands. With its amazing rock-hewn cathedrals and ancient castles, this treasure of a region transports you back in time. These breathtaking mountains appear to have been hand-shaped by nature and are home to a rich cultural legacy. They now entice visitors to learn about old holy sites and to admire the craggy peaks and apparently limitless panoramas.

The Simien Mountains also contain a distinct but endangered ecology, filled with uncommon and odd creatures like the Gelada baboon, Walia ibex, and Ethiopian wolf, a wild goat found nowhere else in the world.

Millions of years of erosion have created a jaw-dropping landscape, the Simien Mountain range is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is appropriately recognized as God's playground.

Surreal Afro-Alpine vegetation clings to the 3,600m-high rocky slopes. Treks with native guides, whether single or multi-day, provide an insight into life on the "roof of Africa."

• Location: North Gondar Zone of the Amhara Region, northern Ethiopia