Name: HIGHLY recommend Taz Wagnew
Item: Simien Mountains
Rating: 5
Author: Kaitlyn

HIGHLY recommend Taz Wagnew

Simien Mountains

February 26, 2020

The hike was a medium difficulty level, for me. The view and experience were truly fascinating. I was able to meet several types of travelers, from all over the world. Each night, we had a bon fire, and everyone would gather around. Everyone traded stories and riddles from Spain, Ethiopia, New Zealand, Germany, to any other country you could imagine.

The staff was terrific, and felt more like friends. It’s hard to consider them staff after how wonderful they treated us and personable they were.

This is a great trip and you seriously don’t have to worry about anything! Everything is covered! The tent and sleeping bag are provided, your bags are safely transported, and food is prepared. All you do is enjoy the hike and take in the wonderful view.

I highly highly highly recommend this hiking trip to anyone who enjoys nature and a good time! The overall cost for me was $230 (USD). I booked as a single person, so they just threw me into a random group.

Also, bring extra cash for tipping the guide, guard, chef, and driver. I did not know this before hand, so I was not able to properly tip. The average tip is $15 (USD) each, but I only had enough to tip $10 (USD) each. This made me feel terrible, because they were all phenomenal.

Here is the contact Information of the man that organized it all for me. If you decide to do this trip, I strongly encourage you to use him. He is also on What’s App.

Great trek with Taz and crew!

Taz, Simiens

February 9, 2020

A group of 5 of us spent 3 days and 2 nights trekking with Taz and his crew. It was a wonderful experience that I would highly recommend! Everything was arranged, we just had to show up with our personal belongings. It was very easy and quick to communicate with Taz via whatsapp or email, he is very helpful and responsive. They provided transportation to and from Gondar, all of our tents/camping gear, porters and mules to carry our stuff, wonderful food and all the water we needed. Taz was very knowledgeable about the area and the entire crew was friendly and accommodating. I would recommend Taz and company to anyone looking to trek in the Simien mountains!

Amazing & Impressive

Taz, Simiens

January 9, 2020

We undertook a wonderful three week journey throught the north of Ethiopia with a brilliant tour guide. We would like to recommend this guide to you to take him into the next edition of your really good guidebook on Ethiopia.
Tazbew Wagnew Beyene (aged 28) was born in the Simien Mountains. After a few Email exchanges we agreed to travel for three weeks with him (Addis, Tigray/ Hawzien, Axum, Lalibelia, Simien Mountains Trekking, Gonder, Dahir Bar, Addis). He had some very good reviews on Tripadvisor and was also well known at the National Park Authority in Debark.
We experienced a friendly and caring guide, who attended to all our needs and who‘s English was very good. Everywhere we went he had a good network with his colleagues which guaranteed a very well organised and extremely smooth journey. All prices for hotels, flights, transportation and meals were reasonable. We especially enjoyed his open and pleasant nature. We had conversations on all aspects of living in Ethopia, which allowed us to get insight into the situation of modern but also historical Ethiopia.
There is no large organisation or foreign investor behind Tazbew so that the money is going to stay in the country which seems important to us, especially as Ethiopia is currently undergoing complex changes and developments.
Contact: Tazbew Wagnew Beyene
Mail: taz.simien@gmail.com
Phone: +2519331817
We would be very happy if other travellers could also gain from Tazbews experiences and enthusiasm for his country.

A great experience with a fantastic guide

Taz, Simiens

November 12, 2019

We took part in a four day trek to the spectacular Simien mountains as part of a small group which we arranged before arriving in country. Taz met us at our hotel in Gondar to brief us on the hike the day before and ensured that all was arranged to get us to Debark and the start of the trek. He even arranged our transport on to Axum afterwards.

ur guide for the trek was excellent, ensuring that we were well looked after. In particular, when one of our group gotaltitude sickness, Rehan arranged for him to be evacuated in the middle of the night and accompanied him down the mountain himself. We’re very glad we booked our trip with Taz and would recommend you contact him if considering a teip to the Simien mountains.

A must see

Taz, Simien

September 23, 2015

Again I can recommend best tour organizer and it’s lovely owner Taz. He’s a very special young man who you can trust; he’s reliable and honest and knows the area like the back of his hand. He loves his country and will organize your trip and show you his part of it with consideration and care.

Visited September 2015

My husband and I (both 60) booked a short camping/hiking trip in the Simien National Park through Taz in Gondar. It was all very well coordinated and organised. Although it was just the two of us, we had a guide, a scout, a cook (who also seemed to be cooking for other groups), and we also took up the option of a mule and mule handler as we thought the altitude and my husband’s lung infection might warrant this. Our guide was a young man called Taz. He was endlessly patient and attentive to our needs, well informed and spoke good, if accented, English. The hike was fantastic, with amazing scenery. We did wonder, after the first couple of minutes of climbing a steep incline at the start of the hike, if we would make it through the effects of altitude. However, we did get used to it, and got on fine over the next three days. We were taking diamox to help acclimatise to the altitude. Some other hikers who were not taking this seemed to be suffering. We did the hike between 24-26 December 2014, and the weather was beautiful during the day: warm (but not hot) and very dry. The nights were absolutely freezing and even with all our clothing on, the provided sleeping bags were really inadequate. Taz managed to track down a blanket and extra sleeping bag to cover us. The scout was an ancient man carrying a rifle to ‘protect’ us. He slept outside our tent wrapped in a blanket. He must have been freezing. He also was very attentive and kind. On the evening of 25 December I stumbled badly in the dark while heading to the (disgusting) toilets at our campsite (avoid if at all possible). My severely sprained ankle, which later turned out to be broken, made it impossible for me to walk the remaining 25km back to the road on our final day. So I had to ride the mule. Without that, I don’t know how I would have got out. Taz, the scout, and the mule driver were all incredibly kind and attentive and helped me the whole way back. My husband had to do it all on foot, but he was ok. I can highly recommend our whole team. The cook was a bit of a larrikin, but provided good food throughout the trip. I think the key things are not to underestimate the intensely cold night time temperatures, nor the effects of altitude. Be prepared for both. A good and considerate guide like Taz makes all the difference. please contact him through his Email: taz.simien@gmail.com and web: www.simienethiopiatrekking.com

Testimonial Category: <span>Simiens</span>

HIGHLY recommend Taz Wagnew

Great trek with Taz and crew!

Amazing & Impressive

A great experience with a fantastic guide

A must see

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