Community Trek · Northern Highlands
Choke Mountains
A broad massif in the heart of Gojjam, rising from a 2,800-metre plateau to summits above 4,000 metres, whose moorland feeds more than fifty rivers flowing into the Blue Nile. Its community ecovillage was named one of UN Tourism's Best Tourism Villages in 2022.
Why We Go
The water tower of the Blue Nile, walked village to village with the families who live there.
Choke sits roughly between Bahir Dar and Debre Markos, about three hundred kilometres north-west of Addis Ababa, and it matters far beyond its size: researchers call it the water tower of the upper Blue Nile, with more than fifty major rivers and hundreds of smaller streams rising from its slopes.
Tourism here is run by the community rather than for it, on a fair-trade ecovillage model built around conserving both the mountain and the culture of the farming villages on its slopes. Walkers camp in the high villages, and the evening welcome is a genuine one — closer to a stay than a sightseeing route. Allow at least three days to reach the high moor and come back down unhurried.
It is the least developed trek we offer, with simple community campsites and very few other visitors. We pair it with Bahir Dar and Lake Tana for guests who have already walked the Simien and want somewhere no one else they know has been.
Highlights
- 01Afro-alpine moorland of giant lobelia, lady's mantle and tussock grass, almost untouched by other trekkers
- 02Camps in high farming villages, and an evening welcome from the families hosting you
- 03The headwaters of dozens of Blue Nile tributaries, springing from the moor itself
- 04Endemic and threatened birds, including the Abyssinian longclaw
Best combined with a stay of 3 – 5 days, travelling October – February.
Journeys Including Choke Mountains
Routes that pass through here
Plan This Destination
Build Choke Mountains into your journey
Nothing here is fixed. Tell us how long you have and what else you want to see, and a designer will draw the route — including the flights, the guides and the hours that matter.
Speak With a Designer
Speak to someone who has been there this season
Our designers travel these routes themselves. Ask about road conditions, festival dates or which lodge has the better view — you will get a straight answer.
Or call us directly on +1909-450-7246