52 Travel Destinations That Are Perfect for People Who Hate Crowds

46. The Simien Mountains, Ethiopia: Ancient Peaks with Primal Silence

In northern Ethiopia, the Simien Mountains rise in jagged defiance—carved by time, scarred by wind, and serenely indifferent to crowds. You’ll trek past cliffside villages, spot gelada baboons with manes like lions, and camp under stars that burn brighter than belief. It’s a land as mythic as it is real, where the silence is pierced only by wind and the occasional echo of a shepherd’s call. Forget the beaten path—this is a place for the bold-hearted, seeking altitude and awe.