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Travel to Ethiopia: Everything you need to know

By Joan Torres 30 Comments Last updated on March 27, 2024

From visiting the most epic Christian sites to meeting ancient tribes with animistic beliefs, and from roaming around the thickest jungle to crossing the most inhospitable desert; traveling in Ethiopia is the most diverse African experience and this travel guide contains everything you need to know about it

I seriously thought that Ethiopia was a touristic, well-known country in the West but, when I came back from my trip, I was surprised to find out that many people had absolutely no clue about it, like they didn’t even know about its geographical location.

The truth is that traveling can be extremely subjective and, while Ethiopia may be a relatively touristic country as per Against the Compass standards – meaning that this is one of the most visited countries I talk about in this blog – compared to other average destinations, it is a real off the beaten track destination.

Little is known about this African country and, when people ask me what it is like to travel in Ethiopia, I always begin the conversation with the following:

The main reason to visit Ethiopia is that it is an exceptionally diverse experience.

On the one hand, the cultural diversity is huge. In Ethiopia alone, you have 80 distinct ethnic groups who speak more than 80 languages and practice different religions, from different branches of Christianity to Islam and animistic beliefs.

On the other hand, this is a historically rich country and the one with the most impressive historical and archeological sites in sub-Saharan Africa, once the capital of the Aksumite Empire – one of the most powerful ancient empires in the continent that ruled for more than 800 years – and home to endless jaw-dropping millennial rock-hewn churches and European-like medieval castles.

Furthermore, contrary to any Western cliché, Ethiopia is also a land of natural contrasts, composed of fertile tropical forests in the south and vast flat deserts in the east, the Danakil Depression being home to lava pools and the hottest settlement in the world. In the north, Lake Tana is the source of the Blue Nile and Simien Mountains is one of the very few places in Africa with regular snowfall, the highest peak being at 4500m.

And by the way, the scenery in Ethiopia is unconditionally hair-raising, a real blessing to your eyeballs.

And if that wasn’t enough, Ethiopia was recently rebranded the Land of Origins by the Ministry of Tourism because these lands are the origin of humankind – where the oldest hominid was found – the first place to ever produce coffee and they practice one of the rawest and most ancient ways of Christianity.

Trust me, after traveling to so many countries, I am rarely impressed but still, Ethiopia definitely wowed me.

This guide contains everything you need to know to travel to Ethiopia (literally, everything), from how to get a visa to getting in, top experiences, cultural facts, budget and loads of personal travel tips.

In this Ethiopia travel guide you will find:

Table of Contents

• COVID-19 Travel Restrictions
• Overlanding
• Best time to visit
• Travel insurance
• Top experiences
• Books on Ethiopia
• Cultural facts
• The country
• People & Language
• Money, budget & costs
• Is it safe?
• Solo female travel
• Moving around
• Where to stay

😷 COVID-19 Travel restrictions for Ethiopia

COVID-19 entry regulations for visiting Ethiopia have been lifted in 2022.

For more information, check Ethiopian Travel Update .

Travel Insurance for Ethiopia

IATI Insurance  is one of the few providers that offers full Coronavirus coverage, not only when it comes to treatment, but also cancellation costs in case you tested positive before departure.

Moreover, Ethiopia is an adventure destination, so traveling with proper travel insurance is a must.

Readers of Against the Compass can get an exclusive 5% discount .

🪪 How to get a visa for Ethiopia

How to get an e-visa for ethiopia.

Everybody needs a visa for Ethiopia but today, pretty much any nationality can get a tourist e-visa.

And you can easily apply through the official website .

Make sure you do it through the above URL because there are many non-official websites which, even though they do issue valid visas, charge much more money.

Typically, there are 2 types of tourist e-visa:

• 30-day visa, which costs 82USD
• 90-day visa, which costs 102USD

And it takes up to 3 days to process. Mine took less than 24 hours.

It’s a very easy process which has absolutely no secret and very little requirements.

Is the Ethiopian e-visa valid at land borders?

Officially, the tourist e-visa is only valid for those entering via Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa .

My trip to Ethiopia was part of a 3-month journey through the Horn of Africa, traveling from Eritrea to Djibouti, Soma liland and then entering Ethiopia overland, so I intended to apply for it at the embassy in Djibouti.

However, once I got there, they told me that they had run out of visa stickers and that they would not receive more after a couple of weeks at least.

Then, I tried my luck in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland but, unfortunately they weren’t issuing visas anymore, so I was in a situation in which, according to the official information, the only thing I could do was booking a flight from Hargeisa to Addis Ababa, which kind of sucked.

However, I contacted a few travelers who said that in Africa, anything can happen and proof of that is that they managed to travel to Ethiopia overland with an e-visa, so I decided to try my luck as well and successfully managed to cross the border from Somaliland , no questions asked.

Visa on arrival for Ethiopia

If you don’t have time to apply for an e-visa because your flight to Addis Ababa is less than 3 days ahead, you can also get a VOA at Bole International Airport.

Otherwise, I don’t see any good reason why you should get a VOA instead of an e-visa.

How to apply for an Ethiopian tourist visa via embassy

The only reason for applying for your Ethiopia tourist visa at the embassy is because you are entering overland and don’t want to risk a potential denial because you are only in possession of an e-visa.

You can find Ethiopian embassies and consulates in many cities across Europe and North America. Just contact your nearest one to ask about the process, which tends to be very easy.

🛫 How to get to Ethiopia

Ethiopia is an adventurous destination, get travel insurance I strongly recommend IATI Insurance : adventure activities, COVID-19 coverage Get 5% discount if purchasing via this link

How to travel to Ethiopia by plane

Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa is one of the most transited airports in the African continent.

I had actually been there twice even before visiting Ethiopia, as Addis Ababa is a common stop for many flights going to other African destinations and the Middle East .

The main airline operating in the country is Ethiopian Airlines , a modern company that flies all over the world , including to and from the American continent.

Moreover, there are many other international airlines that fly to Addis. I actually flew out of the country with Emirates.

Remember that, if you fly in with Ethiopian Airlines, you get a 50% discount on all domestic flights . Check the how to move around section of this post for more information.

How to travel to Ethiopia overland

Ethiopia shares a border with so many countries :

Traveling to Ethiopia from Sudan

Completely open to foreigners. There are regular minivans running from a Sudanese city named Qadarif to the border, and the border formalities are not very complicated.

Read my Sudan travel guide.

Traveling to Ethiopia from Djibouti

An easy border to cross from a bureaucratic point of view but difficult from a logistic point of view, as you need to cross the desert on a 4×4.

Moreover, an easier option would be taking the train that goes from Addis to Djibouti City, but it is a bit unreliable. For more information, check the moving around section.

Traveling to Ethiopia from Kenya

Crossing from the Kenyan town named Moyale should be a simple process.

Traveling to Ethiopia from South Sudan

Not possible. You would have to go through the jungle and go across the most dangerous part of South Sudan, so forget it. There are daily flights connecting both countries though.

Traveling to Ethiopia from Eritrea

This border is closed for foreigners and more often than not, also for locals. The only way of traveling between both countries is by flying in, from Asmara to Addis.

Read my Eritrea travel guide .

Traveling to Ethiopia from Somalia

The one I used. As you may know (or not), Somalia is divided into two regions, actual Somalia and Somaliland.

You can travel to Ethiopia from Somaliland, using the border near the city of Harar. It was very easy and quick to cross. There are normal roads and plenty of public transportation.

Read my Somaliland travel guide

⛅ Best time to visit Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a big country composed of several geographical regions, each having a different optimal season to visit, so it’s a bit difficult to guess the ideal time to come.

Rainy season

Typically, most travelers avoid the rainy season running from mid-June to mid-September, especially because the northern highlands is where it rains the most, the region with the highest concentration of popular destinations, including Gonder, Axum, Tigray churches, Simien Mountains and Lalibela .

In the south, however, which includes the famous Omo Valley , the rainy season runs from March to June, and it’s highly advisable to avoid these months, for the simple reason that the remotest villages, which are only accessible along muddy roads, will be unreachable.

November to January is high season

The weather is ideal and, up to January, the landscapes are beautifully green still. Expect to find big crowds and high prices though.

February and March is a good time too

As the weather is pleasant and most crowds are gone but the main downside is that it is already dry season, so the northern landscapes won’t be as pretty. I visited Ethiopia from February 1st to mid-March.

Therefore, in order to avoid the crowds and still get pretty landscapes, I believe that mid-September and October would be the best time to go backpacking in Ethiopia.

However, bear in mind that the Danakil Depression , one of the country’s highlights, is also one of the hottest places on Earth, and September and October’s heat will be unbearable; it is advised to visit here from mid-November to February.

And last, you may also want to organize your visit so you come during one of their most important cultural festivals :

• Genna – Ethiopian Christmas that takes places on January 7th
• Timkat – Ethiopia’s Orthodox Christian celebration that takes place on January 20th
• Meskel – Ethiopian religious holiday that takes places at the end of September

As you can see, telling you the right time is a bit tricky!

🚑 Travel insurance for Ethiopia

Ethiopia is an adventurous region, so make sure to choose a proper backpacking insurance with good adventure coverage. I recommend IATI Insurance .

• It covers the largest number of adventure activities, including trekking
• Covers both short-term trips and 1-year long trips.
• Covers senior citizens too.
• Readers of this blog get an exclusive 5% discount

🛖 Top experiences in your trip to Ethiopia

Trekking among tens of thousands of baboons.

A rugged, mountain range composed of insanely vertiginous cliffs and several peaks above 4000 meters and inhabited by, literally, thousands and thousands of an endemic species of baboon, trekking the Simien Mountains is one of the highlights of any trip to Ethiopia.

Read my experience trekking in the Simien Mountains of Ethiopia

Visiting the hottest (inhabited) place on Earth

Danakil is a vast depression popularly known for being one of the most inhospitable places on Earth, an arid, unwelcoming land filled with volcanoes and insane geological formations, colors and absolutely crazy landscapes, inhabited by a distinct ethnic group named Afar.

Read my experience visiting the Danakil Depression

Exploring ancient churches built over cliffs

Ethiopia was one of the first countries to adopt Christianity and its churches are not only some of the most ancient churches in the world, but they have been carved out from rocks located in the most unbelievable and vertiginous locations, and what is even more incredible is that they are still as functional as they used to be 1200 years ago.

Feeding wild hyenas with your mouth

In the eastern city of Harar, there is a man who has dedicated every day of his life to feeding hyenas. Those hyenas aren’t domestic but they are free, live in the wild and everyday, at around 6-7pm, a bunch of them come nearby his house to get feed some fresh, raw meet. It is possible to assist the peculiar ceremony and feed them with your own mouth.

Assisting an actual bull-jumping ceremony

A traditional ceremony celebrated by the Hamar tribe (one of the many tribes in the Omo Valley) in which a young boy jumps naked over 10 bulls in order to prove that he is ready to be married.

Before the actual ceremony, there is a party in which people from all the nearby settlements gather to drink, dance and do some other cultural stuff.

Read my experience visiting the Omo Valley on a budget

📚 Best books for planning your trip to Ethiopia

If you don’t have one yet, remember to get a Kindle for your journey, so you don’t have to carry along all your books! CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS

Ethiopia travel guide by Bradt

This is the Ethiopian Bible, definitely, the best book guide available for Ethiopia, and probably, the most complete book Bradt has ever written. A complete travel guide filled with endless insights, cultural facts and history. A must-have.

Ethiopia travel guide by Lonely Planet

It is not as complete as Bradt’s but it’s not that bad, it’s easier to read and they have a special chapter dedicated to the tiny, neighboring country of Djibouti.

🕌 Facts about the country, the people and religion

10 facts about ethiopia as a country.

1 – The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia – It is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa, one of the largest countries in the continent and with a population of 108,000,000.

2 – The capital of Ethiopia – The capital is Addis Ababa, often referred as the political capital of Africa, as this is the African Union Headquarters and has a strong political and diplomatic influence in all the continent.

3 – It’s a very poor country as per Western Standards – Nearly 50% of their total GDP is based on agriculture, mainly coffee. It is however, one of the most powerful and influential countries in Africa. A curious fact is that I met many Somalis from Somaliland and Eritreans whose short-term objective was migrating to Ethiopia and getting an Ethiopian passport, which is apparently better than other African passports.

4 – It’s never been colonized – Italy tried to take it over twice, at the end of the 19th century and in 1936, but they were defeated so, along with Liberia, Ethiopia is the only African country which has never been colonized, one of the reasons why it is so unique and barely has any foreign influence.

5 – Ethiopia has close ties with Eritrea – Neighboring Eritrea is Ethiopia’s little brother, a country with practically the same culture. They have the same food, religion and share a big bunch of ethnic groups. The dominant ethnic group in Eritrea are the Tigrinya, which also turn out to be one of the most influential groups also in Ethiopia, inhabiting the Tigray region, the most touristic destination in Ethiopia. Moreover, they used to be the same country until 1991. For more information, read my Eritrea travel guide .

6 – They are 6 hours ahead of anyone – The funniest fact about Ethiopia is that their time is different than ours, but they are 6 hours ahead. This means that if someone from Ethiopia tells you to meet at 18h, you need to be there at 12h. Well-educated people from Addis Ababa will talk to you in rest-of-the-world-time, so will those in the countryside who are used to dealing with tourists. But the rest of the country will not and, more often than not, if you ask them: are you talking in Ethiopian time, or faranji time? they will not know what you are talking about. You are likely to meet many travelers who missed a certain bus because of this particular fact.

7 – Ethiopia is the origin of mankind – Lucy , the oldest and most complete hominid ever discovered, dating back from more than 3 million years ago, was found in Ethiopia, in the Afar Depression.

8 – Ethiopia is an ethnic Federal state – Given the ethnic complexity, in 1994, Ethiopia was divided into 9 separate autonomous regions, each one ruled by one of the largest and most influential ethnic groups.

9 – Ethiopia was once one of the most powerful Empires – The Aksumite Empire, whose center was in today’s Tigray region and Eritrea and which ruled from 80BC to 825AD, was one of the most important empires in the Ancient World, along with Rome, Persia, and China.

10 – This is former Abyssinia – A few hundred years after the fall of the Aksumite Empire, there was a man who claimed to be a direct descendent from the last Aksumite King and managed to establish a feudalist state that lasted until 1974, when the famous Emperor Haile Selassie was overthrown and modern Ethiopia started to develop.

9 Facts about Ethiopians and their language

1 – There are two types of Ethiopian – On the one hand, you meet lovely, kind-hearted people who are always willing to help, or simply have a chat with you. And on the other hand, there are the people who try to rip you off continuously. During your Ethiopian trip, you will be meeting both types all the time and, by experience, you will be able to differentiate them easily.

(But most people are good 😉 )

Faranji , hey you, you you, faranji , you! Something I found extremely irritating (and most travelers do as well) is that, when you get into a new city or place, many people will start yelling: hey you, faranji, faranji, come here, come here! This also can happen with people you bump into in the street. In response, something very funny you can do is looking at them and say: hey you, habesha, habesha, come here, come here! Habesha means local , or Ethiopian , so you are basically telling them the same thing. Because they don’t expect such a reply from a faranji , in most occasions they will freeze, while others will laugh and probably shake your hand, turning an annoying person into a pleasant one.

2 – There are 80 distinct ethnic groups – The major groups being Oromo, Amhara, Tigray, Sidamo and Somali, which make up nearly 80% of the total population.

3 – The rest of the groups are minorities – And 45 of them live in a region named Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s region, the vast majority being tribal people.

4 – Amharic is the official language – The lingua franca, the one used by the Government and the one used by the dominant ethnic group, the Amhara people, is Amharic.

5 – It comes from Ge’ez – Which is the language spoken in Ancient Axum and is still used today by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

6 – The alphabet is so cool – It’s called a syllable alphabet.

7 – But more than 80 languages are spoken – Or 70, depending on the source. Each ethnic group has a distinct language.

8 – And not everybody speaks Amharic – Especially in the tribal areas. It’s funny to think that, if certain tribal people from the south travel to Addis Ababa, they would feel more foreign and different than you do. You would certainly be more able to speak to the people than them.

9 – English is just OK – Not everybody speaks good English but in most towns, it is enough to get by.

6 Facts about religion in Ethiopia

1 – Ethiopia was the second state to officially adopt Christianity – After Armenia, in 330AD.

2 – Many Ethiopians belong to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church – Around 44% of the total population.

3 – They have a very raw way of practicing Christianity – Scholars claim that Christianity evolved directly from Judaism but, while it kept evolving to other forms of Christianity such as Catholicism or Protestantism, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church didn’t, hence it is one of the earliest forms of Christianity that clearly has some Judaic influences.

4 – People in white robes – If you see locals in traditional white robes is because they went to Church on that day. On Sunday, you will see wearing them more than usual.

5 – There are Catholics and Protestants too – Around 20%, and they mainly live in the south.

6 – Muslims make up one third of the total population – Differently to what most travelers who have already been to Ethiopia believe, more than 30% of Ethiopians are Muslim, and many foreign people don’t notice them because they inhabit regions that don’t receive many tourists, Ethiopian Somalia for example.

🍲 Ethiopian food and drinks

I have a love and hate relationship with the food in Ethiopia.

On the one hand, traditional food is healthy, mainly composed of stewed vegetables and a protein bread named injera .

On the other hand, despite the unbelievable geographical and cultural diversity, there isn’t much food variety across the country.

Anyways, injera is the cornerstone of any Ethiopian meal, a flat bread made from a local grain named tef . It is sour and has a peculiar crêpe texture and, basically, an average Ethiopian eats injera 3 times a day.

Some travelers don’t like it at all. I did like it but after 6 weeks of traveling in Ethiopia, I got particularly sick of it.

Fasting days in Ethiopia Ethiopians are very religious and besides the 40 days of Lent, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church also recognizes every Wednesday and Friday as fasting days, meaning that most restaurants will only serve vegetarian dishes.

Most popular food in Ethiopia

This is the most available and traditional dish, consisting of different kinds of stewed vegetables and curries that vary from restaurant to restaurant, but typically being spinach, potatoes, carrots and lentils.

It is very cheap, usually less than a $1, and this is what most Ethiopians eat each and every day.

Also very traditional but not as available as beyanet because this is meat-based, usually goat or sheep, hence more expensive, and many Ethiopians can’t afford to eat meat every day.

Tibs is roasted meat with beriberi, a chilly powder sauce, served, of course, along with injera .

This was my favorite dish, the Ethiopian hummus, I would say. Shiro is chickpea paste mixed with onions, garlic and bean flour. Energetic, healthy and delicious.

Shiro Tegamino

Same as shiro wat but much, much thicker and what I liked about it is that, for some reason, it was always served with normal bread, instead of injera .

This was a pretty fancy dish, typically available in expensive restaurants and consisting of a chicken stew cooked in a complex gravy.

Kita fir fir

Kita fir fir is injera with spices and chilli and it’s typically eaten for breakfast. I didn’t like really like it because it’s 95% just injera .

By the way, for breakfast, besides kita fir fir and its different varieties, ful is also very easy to find, which is small beans in tomato sauce and garlic. In the south, you may get some really tasty avocado as well.

Western food in Ethiopia

Many restaurants will serve pasta, pizza and burgers but don’t expect much of it.

In Addis Ababa, however, you can find good international food. Expensive as per Ethiopian standards, but good.

Pizza with cheese, tuna, chocolate and strawberries One day in Mekele, we went to one of the fanciest restaurants in town, a Western-style café typically frequented by the upper Ethiopian class. I ordered a pizza, one that was called calazori, just because it had tuna in it but, to my surprise, they brought me kind of a crêpe covered with chocolate and strawberries. No, I didn’t order this, but I ordered a calazori pizza . He opened the crêpe, which was made of pizza bread, to show me that the actual pizza ingredients were inside. By default, I don’t like chocolate, but that mix was disgusting anyways, so I told her to just change it for a normal pizza without chocolate. Anyways, my point is that, outside of Addis Ababa, don’t have big expectations of Western food.

Beer in Ethiopia

Beer is a big deal in Ethiopia and they have a lot of brands.

The best part is that Ethiopian beer is so cheap, one bottle never costing more than 17 birr in local places, which is less than 50 cents.

Coffee in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is coffee’s birthplace and, today, it is a very important part of their economy and exports.

Traditional style coffee is called buna and pretty much on any corner all around the country, you will see a lady preparing it in a clay pot named a jebena , and serving it in small cups. It’s good, and so cheap, around 5 birr (like 15 cents), but they may charge you double in touristic areas.

💻 Internet and connectivity in Ethiopia

Wi-Fi is really, really bad all over the country.

Even when hotel owners try to sell you the beautiful idea that their hotel prices include Wi-Fi and breakfast, just assume that most likely, Wi-Fi won’t work and, if it does, it’s terribly slow.

If you want to connect to the internet, you must get a SIM Card and telecommunications in Ethiopia is a monopoly controlled by Ethio Telecom .

Their mobile internet isn’t the fastest ever but it’s decent and if, like me, you have to work online while on the road, it’s good enough for creating a hotspot and do regular browsing.

It wasn’t very expensive but it wasn’t cheap at all as per Ethiopian standards.

Get a VPN for traveling in Ethiopia

You should always use a VPN when you travel, especially when you connect to public Wi-Fi networks.

Your connection will be much safer. 

Moreover, you will be able to access content which is typically censored in Ethiopia. 

I recommend ExpressVPN – Extremely easy to use, fast and cheap. 

If you want to learn more about VPN, check: Why you need a VPN for traveling .

💰 Backpacking in Ethiopia: need to know about money, budget & costs

In Ethiopia, they use the Ethiopian Birr (ETB) and, approximately:

1 USD = 53 ETB

Something I remember is that Ethiopian bank notes are some of the dirtiest I have ever seen, to the extent that when I got back home and finally touched some clean ones, it was a real reverse cultural shock.

Always have some hand sanitizer handy with you. In fact, in Ethiopia I got a small eye infection and I suspect it was because of rubbing my eye after touching some of those notes.

Black market rate in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, there is a black market rate, which can be sometimes double the bank rate .

This means that, at the bank, if the exchange rate is 53, in the black market you can get it for up to 100, but only in Addis Ababa.

That’s why, in order to take advantage of this rate, it is recommended to come to Ethiopia with all your money in cash.

There is black market all over the country but in Addis Ababa you will get the best rate, especially near Meskel Square.

Just ask around where can you exchange your foreign currency.

However, bear in mind that, at first, they will tell you a very shitty rate, so remember to bargain.

ATMs in Ethiopia

In big cities, you can find ATMs, no problem, and they always accepted my foreign credit card. Sometimes they run out of cash though.

Nonetheless, remember that when withdrawing money, you will always get the bank rate.

Faranji and habesha price

In Ethiopia, there is a dual pricing, like I had never seen before: faranji and habesha .

Faranji means foreigner and habesha local .

In restaurants for example, food and drinks in the English menu may cost up to 3 times the habesha price and, if you believe you can grab the local menu and point out any meal marked with the original price, then you are wrong because they will always charge you the faranji price.

Moving around by local bus is also very frustrating because you know they will charge you double, or triple if they can, and negotiating is always a pain because you need to get angry, or even yelling at them, something they don’t usually expect.

I found this extremely frustrating and one of the worst things about traveling in Ethiopia.

And if you think, however, that this is how things work in their culture, I think you are wrong because I talked about this subject with many Ethiopians and they also agreed that it isn’t the right way to treat foreign tourists.

I can understand they charge double in touristic places but why do you have to pay a faranji price if you take the local bus or eat in a local restaurant?

Independent travel in Ethiopia. How much does it cost?

Traveling in Ethiopia on a backpacking budget is cheap and below is a list of the price of the most typical things.

How much does food & drink cost in Ethiopia?

Please note that, in very touristic areas such as Lalibela, paying these amounts can be very challenging but those are the prices assuming you pay the local price, so take it as a base reference.

• Vegetarian local meal like beyanet or shiro : 30 to 50 birr
• Non-vegetarian local meal like tibs : 50-70 birr
• Meal in a nice restaurant: main dishes from 100 birr
• Beer: 15-20 birr
• 1kg of pretty much any fruit (mango, avocado, etc): 30 birr
• Local coffee (buna): 5 birr
• Coffee (machiato, espresso): 15 birr
• 2l mineral water plastic bottle: 15 birr

How much does accommodation cost in Ethiopia?

• Local hotels (creepy ones): 100 birr
• Nice, decent accommodation: 300-600 birr
• Mid-range hotels: from 700 birr

How much does transportation cost in Ethiopia?

• Short local bus ride: 20 to 40 birr
• Long distance bus ticket (Addis Ababa to Gonder): 300 birr
• Domestic flight: $50-$100 one-way
• Local shared taxi (Lalibela to Mekele): 600 birr (This will highly depend on your negotiations skills. For example, two tourists who were traveling in the same car paid 1500 birr).

How much does a tour cost in Ethiopia?

• Danakil Depression 2-day tour: $250
• Omo Valley: $100-$150 a day
• Simien Mountains 3-day trek: $170
• Entrance fee to Lalibela: $50

Average daily budget for backpacking in Ethiopia (independent travel)

Assuming you don’t take any domestic flights and travel by local bus, the minimum a budget backpacker will spend is:

$35-40 a day

⚠️ Is it safe to travel to Ethiopia?

That’s a complicated question.

Overall, I feel Ethiopia is a safe country to visit, but let’s go by parts.

The conflict with the Tigray

The Tigray war was a conflict between the Ethiopian Federal Government and the Tigray People’s Liberation, which lasted from November 2020 to November 2022, causing thousands of casualties and displaced people.

The war isolated completely the whole region of Tigray in the north, home to highlights like Axum, Mekele ( Danakil getaway ) and hundreds of rock-hewn churches.

Today, the war is over and the Tigray region is once again accessible.

Pickpocketing is real

Not bluffing, if you are not careful, you are likely to be pickpocketed in Ethiopia.

I have only been pickpocketed in two countries: in Mexico, and in Ethiopia.

Actually, in Ethiopia it happened to me twice, in 2 different areas of Tigray region. On one occasion they stole my brand-new GoPro, and on the second time they took my wallet with my credit card in it.

This can happen anywhere but in here chances are way higher, so be careful of your belongings.

I strongly recommend you get a money belt ! CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE!

By the way, in big cities, especially in Addis Ababa, never walk alone at night. Your physical integrity is unlikely to be threatened but there is a high chance of being mugged.

Terrorism in Ethiopia

According to the FCO, the Ethiopian travel advice is that you should avoid the Somali province and the area or Gambella, which borders a conflict area of South Sudan.

There is an existing terrorism threat in Ethiopia but it is limited to the Ethiopian Somalia region, the province that borders Somalia.

Since I traveled to Ethiopia from Somaliland by land, I did cross that region and you could really feel the tension and threat I am talking about.

The security measures were insane. Every X km, there was a police checkpoint in which everybody from the bus had to get off and the police would check every single bag, one by one. It was very annoying.

Outside of Ethiopian Somalia, however, I never had or saw any issue.

Danakil Depression

You may have heard that Danakil Depression comes with its own issues and for that, I recommend you read my travel guide .

💃 Solo female travel in Ethiopia

Here’s the deal.

I traveled in Ethiopia as a solo man, so I can’t really speak for women, but I’ll just give you a small summary of what some kick-ass female travelers told me.

Most women said that Ethiopia was safe but the level of verbal harassment was insane, to the extent that some claim they’ll never go back to Ethiopia.

Many local men believe Western girls are easy and you may have to deal with occasional sex offers and creepy compliments. In fact, I was once with a girl from London and witnessed how a very disgusting man would just stare at her and do some creepy movements with his tongue.

Despite being predominantly a Christian country, Ethiopia is a conservative, patriarchal society in which men tend to be sexist.

Nevertheless, all women said that harassment was always verbal and, other than that, they had great fun in Ethiopia.

If you are female traveler who has been to Ethiopia and wants to write a guest post for Against the Compass, please get in touch.

Here you can see more solo female travel articles .

🛺 Transportation tips: how to travel around Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a big country and as such, moving around can prove challenging. Here are some travel tips:

Traveling around Ethiopia by coach (long-distance bus)

From Addis Ababa, you can always take a long distance bus to major destinations such as Arba Minch, Harar, Gonder or Meskel. Most buses are quite comfortable, some more than others; it doesn’t depend on the company but on the type of bus.

Selam for example, good reputable company.

Buses leave from Meskel Square and typically, they all leave at 4am, which is very annoying but given the long distances, it does make sense.

Book your tickets one or two days before. Unfortunately, you can’t book them online but you need to go to Meskel Square itself, where all company stalls are.

There is a way of booking them over the phone, but it’s a real headache.

Basically, you need to call the bus company and tell them which coach you want to take. They will give you a bank account number in which you need to deposit the respective amount. For that, you need to go to the bank but, when I got there, it was so crowded and such a mess that I thought it would be easier to take a taxi to the square.

Ethiopia travel tip: At Meskel Square, you will be approached by local men who claim they work for a specific bus company, saying they can take you to the respective office. Well, they don’t actually work for the company but they want to get a tip for helping you book your ticket, so just ignore them.

Traveling around Ethiopia by local bus

If you are backpacking in Ethiopia on a budget, you will take the local bus.

Taking the local bus in Ethiopia isn’t very different from other developing countries, but just bear in mind that distances here are huge. I personally got really tired and decided not to take any during the last 2 weeks of my trip.

Moreover, you will always have to battle to get a decent price, which will never be great because they always end up saying that you have to pay extra for the luggage, which is completely bullshit.

In the end, they always win.

Traveling around Ethiopia by plane

If you are not on backpacking on a budget, I recommend you take a few domestic flights.

From Addis, there are direct flights connecting any major touristic city, including Lalibela, Gonder, Axum, Harar and even the Omo Valley .

There are direct flights between secondary cities too but maybe not everyday and, worst case scenario, you will have to make quick layover in Addis.

Traveling around Ethiopia by air will save you a lot of time and energy.

All flight are operated by Ethiopian Airlines, a modern, reliable company, and any one-way flight ticket averages $100.

One of the best travel tips for Ethiopia is that, If you fly in with Ethiopian Airlines, you get a 50% discount in all domestic flights and, if you only have a few weeks to travel in Ethiopia, you may want to get 1 or 2 at least. However, I didn’t fly in with Ethiopian Airlines but, when I booked my domestic flight via their website, there was a tick box which you could mark claiming you actually did fly with them, so the discount was applied anyways. At the check-in counter, no questions were asked. Nonetheless, I just checked their website, and the tick box is gone (it comes and goes) so in that case, if you still want to get your discount, most people book their tickets directly at the Ethiopian Airlines office, which you can find everywhere.

Traveling around Ethiopia by train

There is one train line connecting Addis Ababa with Djibouti country via Dire Dawa (the closest big city to Harar). It runs every other day, one day towards Addis Ababa and one day towards Djibouti.

A one-way ticket from Dire Dawa to Addis Ababa costs 600 birr (price for foreigners).

The train has been built by the Chinese and it’s funny that, at every station, you see Chinese people telling Ethiopian employees what to do.

Traveling by train is always great but I will never catch the Ethiopian train again, for the following reasons:

• It’s very unreliable. We stopped for around 3 hours due to a bus breakdown. Also, the day I was supposed to catch it, the train never arrived because of another breakdown, so had to wait for one additional day.
• The train station is very far away from the city. Good luck negotiating the price of a taxi ride. When I arrived in Addis, they wanted to charge me 500 birr, and I ended up paying 300.
• Very long queues for getting in and out, as the authorities check each and every bag and, since they don’t have x-ray machines, they basically make everyone empty their bags.
• The train itself isn’t very comfortable, plus they don’t sell any food, only sodas.
• It’s an extremely busy train with loads of kids roaming around.

🏨 Accommodation: where to stay in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is well-sorted for hotels, some of them being very good value for money options.

You can check them all on booking.com .

Most hotels owners will ask you to pay in USD but, as I told you in the money section, better to exchange those USD in the black market, get 20% extra, and then pay your hotel in birr.

Creepy hotels – When I was passing through a city, I had to stay on 1 or 2 occasions in one of those creepy hotels which are OK for 6 hours and cost less than 4USD. They are all over the country

Backpacking Hostels – You can find some in Addis Ababa and also in cities like Gonder.

Guest Houses, nicer hotels – Decent accommodation costs from 400 to 600 birr for a double room, and you can find them everywhere, all over the country.

Mid-range hotels – There is also a wide range of relatively good hotels, all of them starting at 900 birr or so.

❗ More resources for traveling in Ethiopia

📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.

Useful websites for more Ethiopia travel tips

All Addis Around – For everything related to events, restaurants and bars in the capital.

Migrationology – For anything related to Ethiopian food.

All guides and articles for traveling in Ethiopia destination

• Omo Valley Travel Guide
• A City Guide to Lalibela
• Danakil Depression Travel Guide
• Trekking Guide in Simien Mountains

Travel guides to other countries in Africa

• Eritrea Travel Guide
• Somaliland Travel Guide
• Travel Guide to Sudan
• Travel Guide to Egypt
• Libya Travel Guide
• Mali Travel Guide
• Travel Guide to Mauritania
• Tunisia Travel Guide

This Ethiopia travel blog was a long one, a post in which I put so much effort, and time! I hope you find it useful and if you have any questions or suggestions, leave a comment in the ”comments” section.

30 comments

Hello! Thank you for all of this wonderfully detailed information! I have a few questions: Are toiletries easy to find? Things like shampoo, body soap, sunscreen, mosquito repellant, etc? Are over the counter medicines available? Like Ibuprofen, Pepto-Bismol, etc. What kind of converter for electronics should be used? Thank you in advance!

Hello Maree! Yes, toiletries are very easy to find. Outside of main cities, you may no be able to find international brands but they do have local brands. Counter medicines are available everywhere. About mosquito repellant, is better to bring it from your home country. In my experience in Africa, I have always found it expensive and not the best quality. For electronics, they use regular EU connector.

What was your experience, i intend to go there this december

I’ve travelled to Ethiopia six times or so over the last ten years. The first time I carefully brought along a crisp US20 dollar note for my visa on arrival. As more tourists have come, the price has risen, but it’s become even easier to get the visa. I really wouldn’t bother getting the Evisa as very often the queue for the Evisa is longer than the visa on arrival. And no need for pristine US dollars, they take pounds, euros and card as well.

Hello Joan,

Thanks for sharing your vast travel experience in Ethiopia. Would you know if there is any buses going from Lamu in Kenya, all the way to Lalibali? And if crossing that frontier is a hassle? The alternative is flying to Addis but with the layover there I think a bus would be faster. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

I dont think there aren’t direct buses from Kenya to Lalibela. It’s just too remote.

Im interested in traveling to Lilabela but concerned about the current of civil war in Ethiopia. Is it safe for senior age Black Americans to visit? If so could you recommend a tour guy?

Hi there, as far as I know, Lalibela is still within the safe area, but the city is out of electricity and there are no tourists.

correction of email below

Speaking to my in laws who live in Addis, who have relatives in the North- NOT a good idea to be travelling as a tourist outside of AA.

so sorry to bother you but would you please elaborate a little? I am currently in addis ababa and i’ve asked around and have received conflicting answers. (I think also due to language barriers but) some say it is totally fine. Others say I’m crazy to go around.

Would love some first hand info from people who are currently here. Thank you in advance.

Hello, well not being in Addis right now it seems like you’re in a better place to find out:) The UK Foreign Office has got some very detailed advice on its website- says Lalibella is ok. I would read that carefully. And whatever you do, don’t go to Tigray. Good luck.

We will be near Ethiopia in late March 2023 and would love to visit Lalibela holy land churches for 3-4 days. Could you advise how to tour them if we fly from Addis Ababa? We are Black Americans and do not know the local language. Thank you.

hi, there’s a tourist office in Lalibela, in the center of the town, where you can buy the tickets

Actually one and half day is enough to visit all the 11 rock cut churches. You could visit some county side churches combining hike to the highlander farmer village where you see their way of life, even take part in their daily activities… Lalibela based tour agent “Highland Eco trekking tours” is known for organizing authentic experience in the area

To Dr King: We went a couple years ago and used a guide named Alex Aregaw( +251 92 019 0138 on Whatsapp or [email protected] by email). He’s also on TripAdvisor: https://en.tripadvisor.com.hk/ShowUserReviews-g480193-d7033629-r793913298-Lalibela_Local_Tour-Lalibela_Amhara_Region.html he is the guy in the mask and white shawl in the first photo. His English is good and he’s very polite and nice to deal with. I occasionally keep touch with him on Instagram, and apparently a few tourists are trickling back now, and water and electricity are back, after they were destroyed when the TPLF invaded last Christmas.

For the author of the article: I’m amazed you got pickpocketed twice in Tigray! We spent like 15 days in various parts of Tigray and never encountered any crowds or groups of people, even in Axum and Mekele. We even had not been locking our car — I realized after we had been driving it for like 10 days that when closing the driver’s side door, it automatically unlocked the car — and no one ever stole the GoPro out of our windshield. But, I was always parking in hotel parking lots or I had been paying a local guy to watch the car if I parked in the street.

Thanks for your advice EG. Truly appreciate it. Peace

Hi, thanks for the useful information. How long do you suggest for a trip in Ethiopia ? I’m planning to cross the border from Sudan and after Ethiopia move on to the next bordering country. Regards, Suné from South Africa 🇿🇦

difficult to say! I spent there 6 weeks, the country is huge! but from crossing from north to south save at least 3 weeks for all the highlights!

Hello, This is very informative. What about getting sick from drinking the water or eating food, for someone who has not been there before? What precautions should one take?

I’d only drink mineral bottled water and be careful on where to eat meat

We just returned from Ethiopia. We travelled as a family with a 8 y.o. child. We’ve been in the Omo Valley with Lalo Tours. They gave the best price from the beginning. 400 USD for 2 days 2 nights everything included. It was the best part of Ethiopia trip. After this we went in Danakil with ETT after long negotiations we have obtained 900 USD for 3 days 2 nights tour. This part was very adventurous. 2 nights sleeping under the sky. You can have mosquitos, wind and dust. Beautiful and incredible sceneries. Don’t expect more than basic conditions for food and accommodation. You should come preprepared. After this it followed Lalibela where we had the best accommodation in all Ethiopia at Ben Abbeba local guide for 40 USD payable in in Birr.

Some tips and tricks:

1. Don’t use ATMs or official exchange offices. Come with USD in cash and change it in Addis on black market. We managed to change it for 99.5 for 1 USD (We heard about 110 for 1 USD). Go to Meskele sq pick up a restaurant and ask discreetly about changing money. Like this all the prices will drop to almost 50% for you.

2. In Addis specially look up for pickpocketing, snatching of the phone from hand, etc. We didn’t experience but we met people who did. So be very aware. We used money belt for USD transportation. For birr it is impossible because you will get a lot of birrs for your USD. Use a backpack.

3. In Addis use Ride app for ridesharing. Select pay in cash and you will have dirt cheap rides.

4. Everywhere it said that if you use international flight with Ethiopian Airlines you will have almost 50% discount for internal flight. Is nobody checking this. So, I believe if you tick on their website that you have am international ticket with them, it will work even if don’t have in reality. More than this if you want to be sure and you don’t have luggage you can make online check-in and you will not face any question from anyone. Another trick is that if you have international flight with them, once in Addis change your USD in birr on black market and after this go to Ethiopian Airlines Office and buy your domestic tickets with cash. Like this you will have the smallest prices.

5. Political situation. It can become quite instable sudden. During our stay in Amhara started some violent demonstrations, especially Gondar. In Lalibela was peaceful, but we didn’t have mobile internet, and, in some parts, we heard a lot of gun shots, the locals said that people buy weapons and test them… Keep an eye on BBC section for Ethiopia and western embassies. Local guides we will tend to minimize the danger, but it is there.

6. If travelling with children, be aware of the sanitation conditions. Ours got food poisoned and for 3 days it was a nightmare with continuously vomiting, diarrhea, high fever, fatigue In Addis we didn’t find any antidiarrheic medicine, just antibiotics that worked finally. We also faced another problem, that by our mistake, we had all the medications in the luggage and Ethiopian Airlines lost them for 10 days. So, travelling with small children can become difficult.

7. Erta Ale volcano activity. It is totally different from the lava lake that you can see it on YouTube. Now there are 2 small volcanic cones like 3-4m in diameter that spit lava. Guides said that the situation is changing each day. You can see the lava or if unlucky only smoke. Be prepared because the smoke can be quite irritating. A face musk can help but not too much. Especially with children in Dallol area you will fill incredibly hot. Drink plenty of water, otherwise there are chances to faint from heat. The guides and agencies are totally unprepared for something like this. You will not have somebody with you permanently to take care. You must handle it on your own.

I will be happy to answer to other questions if there are any. Safe travel for everybody!

Buf! this is one the best travel report/feedback we’ve ever got in ATC. Thanks a lot Vladimir!

I’ve just been researching the visa situation for Ethiopia, and came across your site. The fees are currently vastly different to what you have here ($82 for a 30 day visa, $202 for 90 days, extension $102 and $302 respectively). Your site is very interesting. I am planning an overland trip from Cairo to Cape Town early 2024. 😀

It seems they increased prices, thanks a lot for the update!

I’ll be a black American solo female traveler in 2024 to AA and this detailed info has me excited and informed instead of intimidated and uncomfortable. Fortunately, I currently live in Washington, DC in an Ethiopian community where these beautiful people are my neighbors and small business owners. Daily I interact with them, learn a word or two of Amharic, and eat their food (which I also have a love/hate relationship with ;)) Safe travels, everyone!

Have a lovely trip Chelsea!

You are out of date on. VISAS. Embassies no longer do them VOA no longer available unless you are from an AU country. So you must use e visa..where prices now 82 and 202 dollars…for 1/3 months.

thanks for the update!

You really are amazing. Thanks for the very interesting and comprehensive info. I have 2 friends who have just come back from travelling in Ethiopia and I am planning a trip there myself.

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Wild Junket

Ethiopia Travel Guide & Itinerary 2024

Last Updated on March 14, 2024

To most of the world, Ethiopia is practically synonymous to famine and drought.

Granted, the famine that plagued Ethiopia between 1970s and 80s killed over a million people. It was one of the worst disasters in the world and millions of dollars were poured in from other countries in the form of aid and relief. 

But that was more than 40 years ago and Ethiopia has since recovered from the disaster. Today’s Ethiopia is very different from what most of us imagine. Its capital city of Addis Ababa in particular has developed tremendously along with the modern world. Ethiopia has become one of the fastest-growing economies in the world and it’s welcoming tourists again.

Table of Contents

Why You Should Visit Ethiopia

Best time to travel ethiopia , how to get to ethiopia, ethiopia travel visa, is it safe to travel ethiopia, travel ethiopia independently or on a tour, my 2-week ethiopia itinerary, explore the capital, addis ababa, visit the rock churches of lalibela, explore historical gonder, hike in simien mountains national park, visit rural villages in guassa conservation area, see the monasteries of lake tana, visit the ancient ruins of aksum, meet the tribes of omo valley, get blown away at the danakil depression, addis ababa: hotel lobelia, guassa conservation area: guassa community lodge , lalibela: seven olives hotel, gonder: queen taytu guesthouse, bahir dar/lake tana: papyrus hotel , what to eat in ethiopia, cost of travel in ethiopia, internet and data in ethiopia, people and language of ethiopia, what to pack for ethiopia, more information on ethiopia travel, ethiopia travel guide.

One thing is for sure, Ethiopia is truly unique — culturally, historically and scenically. I have traveled to 20 countries in Africa and can safely say this country is unlike any other on the continent.

Ethiopia is an extremely mountainous country and boasts highlands rather than the vast savannas that are often associated with Africa. Plus, the country is so diverse that any Ethiopia itinerary will pack in a myriad of experiences, from hiking adventures and visits to tribal villages to history lessons at ancient sites. 

Ethiopia is different from the rest because it is the only country in Africa to have successfully fought off colonisation. It is true that Ethiopians have retained a strong sense of identity and traditions, which have made them very proud and patriotic people.

It is possible to visit Ethiopia anytime of the year — but the best time to visit is from mid-October to January , when the rains have subsided and the countryside is still lush and green. I traveled Ethiopia in January and the temperatures were mild, with sunny days and cool nights.

It is best to avoid traveling Ethiopia during the rainy season, which falls in the summer months (June to August). During this period, roads in the mountains can get flooded and hiking trails may become too slippery.

Many people (including myself) time their trips to Ethiopia to coincide with religious festivals. Here are the biggest festivals of the year, in order of importance in Ethiopia:

• Genna — The biggest festival of the year is equivalent to the Ethiopian Christmas, which falls on 7th January. It marks the end of a 40-day fast, and is celebrated by feasting with the family. You’ll find the biggest celebrations in Lalibela .
• Timkat — The Ethiopian Epiphany is the second biggest festival and it falls on 19th January. The replica of Ark of Covenant is removed from every church in town and paraded around by priests dressed in colorful robes. The biggest celebrations are found in Gonder (Read about my experience celebrating Timkat in Ethiopia ).
• Meskel — This is the country’s most colorful festival, and it falls on 27 September. It’s celebrated by massive cross-topped bonfires and elaborately dressed clergy.

Addis Ababa Bole International Airport is a major hub in Africa, and the national carrier (Ethiopian Airlines) is one of the best airlines in Africa, connecting Addis Ababa to many parts of the world. They  fly direct from many major destinations including London, Singapore and Washington D.C.

Flights from most major cities in Europe to Addis Ababa cost from around 400euros or US$550 return. They’re at their lowest these days, and the cheapest flights are offered by Turkish Airlines. I flew from Malaga, Spain via Istanbul to Addis on Turkish Airlines for 440 euros return. Flights from London to Addis Ababa are as cheap as 380 euros return.

If you’re traveling to Ethiopia from US, flights from New York to Addis Ababa generally cost around US$1000 return with one stopover.

Find Cheap Flights to Addis Ababa

In recent years, it has become very easy to travel to Ethiopia thanks to the new evisa system. It is now possible for citizens of all nationalities to get an Ethiopia evisa online. 

A single-entry evisa that lasts for 30 days cost US$52, while an evisa that lasts 90 days costs $72. The processing time is 3 days.

All you need is a passport photo and your passport that is valid for 6 months. This is the official government website .

How to Get Around Ethiopia

Ethiopia is an extremely mountainous country. Many of its major sights lie on the central plateau and getting anywhere in the region can be a challenging task on its less-than-desirable roads or unpaved mountain dirt tracks. While the Chinese government is building new roads at lightning speed in Ethiopia, many of its roads remain in terrible conditions.

The easiest (and most comfortable) way to get around Ethiopia is by plane. Ethiopian Airlines operate domestic flights all over the country, flying to interesting destinations like Lalibela, Gonder, Bahir Dar and Arba Minch (Omo Valley).

Flights are usually quite affordable (less than US$100 each way), especially if you book them only when you arrive in Ethiopia from a local agent or Ethiopian Airlines office. You’ll also get a considerable discount on domestic flights if you flew Ethiopian Airlines from your home country to Ethiopia.

Search for Domestic Flights in Ethiopia

Traveling Ethiopia by road leaves much to be desired and is recommended only to adventurous travelers who are prepared to explore Ethiopia at its own erratic pace. Bus travel is very cheap, and luxury buses are actually affordable and comfortable.

There are two main  luxury bus  operators: Selam Bus  and Sky Bus. Their buses have comfortable seating, air conditioning, experienced drivers and a fair safety record. Using Addis Ababa as a hub, both companies cover a limited network that includes Bahir Dar, Gondar, Dessie, Harar, Dire Dawa and Hawassa. Unlike most other buses, seats can be booked the day before you travel.

Safety is often the biggest concern for those thinking of traveling to Ethiopia. It is true that the country has been plagued by civil unrest and unpredictable anti-government protests since November 2015.  

My friend who came with me on this trip to Ethiopia was hesitant at first, as her Ethiopian friend advised her not to travel Ethiopia because of the potential danger. The US travel advisory warns its citizens against traveling there — while that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit Ethiopia, I would recommend exercising caution when visiting.

That said, I felt completely safe during our Ethiopia trip and there was no hint of instability. I did however travel with a local tour operator, Aone Ethiopia Travel , and we had a guide most of the time. While in towns like Lalibela and Gonder, we encountered street kids and aggressive “guides”, but that was about the only negative experience we had. 

Ethiopia’s poorly developed infrastructure and remote mountainous attractions make any trip here an adventure. Traveling independently in Ethiopia can be challenging and only recommended for those who have experience traveling in Africa.

I traveled Ethiopia on a private tour with Aone Ethiopia Travel, but I don’t recommend them as the tour was not well organised. If you are looking for something more affordable, I would recommend traveling in a group with G Adventures .

They are a small-group adventure tour operator and I have traveled with them many times (to Antarctica, Brazil, Mongolia etc). Their 10-Day Discover Ethiopia tour is reasonably priced and their Ethiopia itinerary covers the best of Ethiopia.

How Much Time to Travel Ethiopia?

Ethiopia is a big country — there is an incredible amount of things to see in Ethiopia and distances are long. We packed in as much as possible in our 2-week Ethiopia itinerary and still barely scratched the surface.

I explored the major sites like Lalibela and Simien Mountains, but didn’t get to visit the famous Aksum, Omo Valley and the Danakil Depression. Those areas look impressive and definitely worth visiting if you have the time.

I would recommend a minimum of 3 weeks to travel Ethiopia, and even longer if possible. Ethiopia is a truly spectacular country, and every region has its own star attraction.

• Days 1-2: Addis Ababa
• Days 3-4: Guassa Conservation Area
• Days 5- 7: Lalibela
• Days 8-10: Gonder
• Days 11-13: Bahir Dar and Lake Tana
• Day 14: Fly back to Addis Ababa

Best Things to Do in Ethiopia

The country’s capital, Addis Ababa, makes a great introduction to modern Ethiopia with its collection of museums and markets.  The most important sight in Addis Ababa has to be the National Museum of Ethiopia , home to the remains of Lucy (first human being). Other interesting places to visit include Addis Mercato and Holy Trinity Cathedral , as well as the nearby Entoto Mountain for a panorama of the city.

If there’s only one place you can visit in  Ethiopia , make it Lalibela. Perched at an altitude of 2,630m, the hilly town is h ome to 13 rock-hewn churches built in the 12th century. Carved right out of  balsatic scoria  volcanic rocks, these 900-year-old churches were meticulously sculpted below ground level and immaculately preserved until they were discovered by a Portuguese priest in 1520.

Today, the  World Heritage Site is highly protected by UNESCO. What set the churches here apart from other monuments like Petra is that they are still active and fully-functioning. Rise early and visit at dawn to see pilgrims and priests pray and chant in a hypnotizing and spiritual setting. The Lalibela rock churches were easily my favorite place to visit in Ethiopia.

Lauded as the Camelot of Africa, this ancient capital is the stuff of legends, thanks to its treasure trove of 16th century palaces, lavish castles, and sprawling gardens. It is also home to one of the most well preserved churches in Ethiopia that feature impressive wall art.

I was very privileged to be in Gonder for the annual Timkat festival , the Ethiopian Epiphany Day. Locals put on their best traditional costume and reenact the baptism of Jesus Christ (by jumping into the city’s bath). Gonder is known for putting on the biggest Timkat celebrations in the country.

With some of Ethiopia’s highest peaks, the Simien Mountains pack quite a punch when it comes to lofty landscapes. You can spend weeks trekking here and you still won’t see everything in the national park. We woke up very early for a short hike and saw hundreds of gelada monkeys all around us. If you are an avid hiker, make sure to reserve a few days in your Ethiopia itinerary to go hiking around the mountaintop monsteries in Simien Mountains.

Another highlight of my trip to Ethiopia, the largely unknown Guassa Conservation area is a rugged, rural area not too far from Addis Ababa. This 98-square-km conservation area has been protected by the locally community since the 17th century.

It is an excellent area to spot endemic wildlife like the Gelada baboons and the Ethiopian wolf, as well as to immerse in remote local villages that will warmly welcome you. We stayed overnight at a simple hut and went on a long hike down to the bottom of the valley to visit a local village. It was a humbling experience and the landscape was absolutely mindblowing.

Ethiopia’s largest lake (and Africa’s third largest) has a peaceful and serene setting that is worth visiting to escape from the dusty towns. Its waters are inhabited by small pods of hippopotamus, hundreds of endemic species of birds; and its shores are dotted with over 30 monasteries, some of which feature the best mural art in Ethiopia.

Situated in the highlands of northern Ethiopia, Aksum marks the location of the heart of ancient Ethiopia, when the Kingdom of Aksum was the most powerful state in the region. The massive ruins, dating from between the 1st and the 13th century A.D., include monolithic obelisks, giant stelae, royal tombs and the ruins of ancient castles. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Be sure to include this in your Ethiopia itinerary if you are a history buff.

In the remote vast plains of southern Ethiopia, Omo Valley is home to many tribal villages with interesting traditions and culture. Each of the villages has their own customs and language and have lived basically the same lifestyle for centuries.

The Mursi and Hamar are proud people who adorn themselves in unusual body art and jewelry and cattle are vital to their existence. They are also very territorial and will fiercely defend their land and way of life. Even though the region is remote, many tour companies operate tours to the Lower Omo Valley and several of its villages. Just be prepared for a pricey and challenging trip – both logistically and physically.

The Danakil Depression overlaps the borders of Eritrea and Djibouti and is part of the great East African Rift Valley. The climate is unforgiving and widely considered the hottest (average temp of 94F), driest (4 – 8 inches of annual rainfall) and lowest spot (400 feet below sea level) on the planet. Having said all that, this is definitely home to some of the world’s most unearthly landscapes .

The lava lake at Erta Ale is one of only six lava lakes on Earth and will leave you in awe. The multi-colored hydrothermal bubbling lakes and great salt pans will amaze you and have you question if you are still on Planet Earth.

Where to Stay in Ethiopia

Hotel Lobelia was the best place we stayed at in Ethiopia. It’s located just a 5-minute drive from the airport, in the up-and-coming Bole district that’s packed with restaurants and bars. The hotel has comfortable and spacious rooms, and great WiFi and a good breakfast spread. They also provide free airport transfer to the hotel. Check the latest prices here.

This is a simple, rustic lodge in the middle of the protected area. It feels like the middle of nowhere here and is great for getting disconnected and being deep in nature. You’ll have to bring your own food to cook and don’t expect any heating (it gets extremely cold at night!). Find more info on the conservation area website .

A landmark hotel in Lalibela, this is the oldest and most established hotel in town. While it needs some serious renovation work, it has a leafy garden with panoramic views of town and it’s located right in the centre of town, just a 5-minute walk from the churches. Book here.

This is a really cheap hostel just minutes from Gonder’s historical centre. It’s quite basic, but gives a run for your money due to its great location and not-too-scruffy rooms. Book here.

This beachfront hotel was the second best place we stayed at. It feels like a fancy beach resort that needs some sprucing up, but otherwise rooms are spacious, beds are really big and luxurious, and there’s even a swimming pool in the centre of the resort. Check the latest rates.

Before you dismiss the idea of having good food in a country that was once affected by famine, think again. You’ll be surprised to learn that Ethiopian food – much like other aspects of its culture – is some of the most diverse in Africa. It is absolutely unique  and distinctive (the only place in the world that shares Ethiopian food culture is its next door neighbor, Eritrea .)

The country’s main staple is injera , an ubiquitous pancake that is eaten for every meal all over Ethiopia. It is spread out on a large flat basket and simply topped with mounds of spicy meat stews, colorful vegetable curries and even raw cubes of beef. Originally made from tef (indigenous Ethiopian cereal), the injera may taste tangy, bitter and even slightly sour for the first-time taster — but it will grow on you.

Injera is often eaten with wat, an Ethiopian version of curry which can be very spicy. Chicken curry (doro wat) is known as the national dish, and it’s often eaten on religious festivals. Sheep curry (beg wat) is the most common, followed by beef (bere wat). Read my guide on Ethiopian food to learn what and where to eat!

Traveling Ethiopia isn’t exactly cheap — especially if you want to explore the remote regions. Most people, including myself, opt for a guided tour in Ethiopia as that is the best way to cover less-conventional paths in a shorter time.

I traveled with Aone Ethiopia and the 14-day Ethiopia itinerary costs around US$2150 per person. That included all our accommodation (in budget hotels) and transportation in 4×4 vehicle and minivan. Our meals and domestic flights were not included. 

I would definitely travel Ethiopia independently the next time I visit. It is possible to travel Ethiopia on a budget if you stay at guesthouses. A budget hotel in Ethiopia usually costs US$30-50 per night (don’t expect high standards), and food is cheap at around US$2 to 5 per meal in a local eatery or restaurant. A ride on the local bus is affordable, at around US$10 for a 4-hour journey.

Internet connection in Ethiopia has improved tremendously in recent years. You can get pretty good WiFi in most hotels and even guesthouses. Addis Ababa International Airport and other airports in Ethiopia actually offer free and relatively fast WiFi.

3G data connection in Addis Ababa works quite well, though connections are patchy once you leave the capital city.Getting a local SIM is cheap and easy. There is only one telco service provider, which is Ethio Telecom. You can get a SIM card for 30 birr in any Ethio Telecom shop. Make sure to get your SIM registered (required by the government here) and your personal hotspot established.

As well as blocking 3G networks, the Ethiopia government also regularly blocks social media channels. Be sure to  get a VPN for Ethiopia travel.

Ethiopia has a highly diverse population of people. The Tigray, Oromo, Somali and Amhara people make up Ethiopia’s population but there are more than 80 different ethnic groups represented. Some of these ethnicities have as few as 10,000 people.

Amharic is the official language of Ethiopia, but English is also widely spoken in Ethiopia. Learn some basic words like “selam tena jistilign” (hello!) and “ameseginalew” (thank you!) and locals really appreciate it! 

Due to the mountainous terrain, it gets pretty cold in some parts of Ethiopia during the winter months (November to February). But temperatures are mild, reaching around 73°F (23°C) in the day and 42°F (6°C) at night. This number can rise past 30°C on the lowland fringes of eastern, southern and western Ethiopia.

Bring layers regardless of the time you’re visiting Ethiopia. If you’re visiting Ethiopia in summer, t-shirts and long pants will suffice. For those visiting in winter, just bring a light jacket for the chilly nights. Don’t forget your sunscreen and hat as the sun in mountainous Ethiopia can be very strong. During my visit in January, I had on my thick winter jacket on most days.

Many Ethiopian Christian Orthodox ladies (especially in the villages) cover their hair with a white linen cloth. They are not very conservative and do not expect foreigners to cover up. To show some respect and fit in, try to cover your shoulders and knees. 

Have I answered all your questions on Ethiopia travel? Let me know in the comments field below and I will be more than happy to help you out! I hope this article has inspired you to plan your own Ethiopia itinerary!

Here are more articles that I’ve written about Ethiopia and nearby countries in the Horn of Africa:

• Eritrea Travel Guide
• Asmara, Eritrea: An Art Deco City in Africa
• 50 Pictures of Ethiopia
• A Guide to Ethiopian Food
• Celebrating Timkat in Ethiopia
• The Rock Churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links to companies I use and trust. I get a small commission when you click on my links, at NO EXTRA COST TO YOU.

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Nellie Huang

Nellie Huang is the founder of WildJunket. Originally from Singapore, Nellie has traveled to over 140 countries across 7 continents. As an adventure travel blogger, she has a special interest in unusual destinations and deep experiences. Her work has appeared in many major publications including BBC Travel, CNN and LonelyPlanet.com. Read more about her here and get more life updates from her on her Facebook and Instagram .

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The Comments

For us why visit Ethiopia, its all about the adventures. You can’t get any better than hiking one of the best hikes in the world. The Simien Mountains has epic views and great wildlife.

Hi David, great post. I am rushed for time in Lalibela. Do you think an entire afternoon (2-5) and an am (6am to 11am) if enough time? I know longer is better but I am pressed for time. thanks

hi Niraj, thanks for dropping by! Yes it would be possible but you’ll probably only get to see some of the temples, not all. Still if you’re pressed for time, it is definitely possible. The town is small and it’s easy to walk from one temple to another.

Hi, I just want to update as of December 2018, all countries are eligible for e-Visa to Ethiopia. Amongst these, most get visa-free travel to Ethiopia (including all Africa countries).

Wow that’s great news! It was quite a pain for me to get my visa as I had to mail my passport back home to get the visa. Brilliant, thank you!

Elías García

As I recently traveled to Ethiopia (and enjoyed 100% this amazing wild land) and needed an electronic visa to get in the country, definetely I can advice you to obtain it in advance so you will save time and avod long lines! You can also check the requirements and eligible countries.

What exactly you mean by two passport photos? We need get two separate photos of passport size along with what’s already in our passport??

Yes, you need two separate passport-sized photos besides your passport.

It took me a bit longer time to read this blog completely, but I must say, you have really changed my way of looking at Ethiopia. I have never gone through so much information in one single article regarding this place. The history, the culture has really created a spark inside me, to visit this place soon.

Hike to the Massif of Abune Yosef near Lalibela is recommended for its off the beaten path trek, wild-life and village to village hike.

Thanks for the great writeup. The headline mentioned this as a 2020 guide. Is the photo from Erta Ale from 2020? I have read that recently, the lava lake is quite low and obscured by smoke. Do you have any info about that?

hi Dan, I’m afraid the photo is from 2018. Sorry I’m not informed about the current situation at Erta Ale. It’s best to email a tour operator who runs tours there.

ALEX THOMPSON

I honestly like Ethiopian Airlines — they’ve never been late for me, gotten me to my destination when other airlines had canceled my flight but they have some airline policies that are hard to understand.

Mahlet Kebede

I really surprised, you explain and narrate Ethiopian tourist attractions very well, Of course it is very help full to prepare my own itinerary, Thanks a lot.

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Ethiopia Travel Guide

Ethiopia is an emerging tourist destination. To make the most of your time in the country, it's important to understand what to expect, and how to best prepare for your journey across this beautiful, but unpredictable country. 

Taking a break, Community Trekking in Tigray.

Omo Valley Traditional Dance.

The view on the approach walk to Blue Nile Falls

Buffalo Herd in Gambella National Park.

Sankaber campsite in the Simien Mountains

Imet Gogo is a stunning viewpoint in the Simiens.

Taking a break to admire the view.

An armed scout must accompany you in the Simiens.

Lalibela market days

Body paint of the Omo Valley.

Breakfast at Mequat Mariam, Community Trekking.

The rainbow mist of the Blue Nile Falls

Karo Tribe in the Omo Valley.

Contents of our guide

• Major travel regions of Ethiopia

Map of Ethiopia

• Best travel routes in Ethiopia
• Where to start your journey
• Our top landmarks and places to visit 

Things to do in Ethiopia

Places to visit in ethiopia.

• How long to spend in Ethiopia
• Accommodation options in Ethiopia

When to visit Ethiopia

Costs of travelling to ethiopia.

• Guiding options in Ethiopia

Safety in Ethiopia

• Types of tours to Ethiopia

At the end, we have an FAQ section . This includes questions about: 

• Visas, money, photos & video, daily expenditures, what to bring, mobile & communications, vaccinations, Ethiopian cuisine, guidance on tipping, dress code

Major Travel Regions of Ethiopia

There are 4 major travel regions in Ethiopia: 

• The Northern Circuit
• The Rift Valley
• The Omo Valley
• The Dankil Depression

Beyond these easy-to-define regions, there are a number of other popular travel destinations, these include the Bale Mountains National Park , Harar , Gambella National Park , and the Gheralta Mountains (which are sometimes included in the northern circuit). 

We've broken down the major travel regions further on our Map of Ethiopia page . 

Best routes to take in Ethiopia

Which route you take around the country will depend entirely on: 

• How much time you have available
• What your budget is
• Which destinations are most important to you 

Typical Routes in Northern Ethiopia

A typical route is a 12-day northern circuit , which starts in Addis Ababa and loops clockwise around northern Ethiopia, finishing back in Addis. 

The major destinations on the northern circuit are: Bahir Dar , Gonder , Simien Mountains , Axum , Lalibela , and the Gheralta Mountains . 

Additional destinations you can include on a northern circuit include the Danakil Depression , community trekking , and Harar . 

Typical Routes in Southern Ethiopia

The main destinations in the south of Ethiopia are the Bale Mountains National Park , the Rift Valley , and the Omo Valley . Which route you take will depend on which of these destinations, or which combinations of these destinations, you plan to visit. 

It should be noted that travelling in the south of Ethiopia is much harder than travelling in the north. The infrastructure in the south is much less developed, and the access routes are fewer and less well maintained. 

How to plan a trip

Given the diversity of experiences available in Ethiopia, the distances between destinations, and the difficulty of travelling using public transport, it's worth taking the time to understand your options so you end up with the best possible itinerary for you. 

We've spent years travelling around Ethiopia, have partnerships with the very best local guides, drivers, and tour operators, and have helped hundreds of travellers explore this incredible country . Get in touch with us to start your journey. 

Brilliant says

Ethiopia is wonderful, chaotic, and incredibly beautiful. However, it is an emerging tourist destination, and everyone on the ground is still learning. It is important to pack a sense of humour in unpredictable Ethiopia!

Where do I start? Where do I fly into?

Unless you are doing overland travel and coming in from a neighbouring country, you will arrive via international flight into Bole International Airport in the capital city, Addis Ababa . 

Most international flights are overnight and arrive in the early morning in Addis (typically 6-7am). From here, you will clear immigration, collect your visa (more on that below) and head out to meet your driver in the car park . 

Note that drivers are not allowed inside the airport terminal, so you will have to go outside to meet them. This can be a tricky affair , but airport staff are always on hand to help you and if you've booked with us, you will have key contacts who you can call if you need help. 

Most people spend the first day in Addis, using the morning to relax and freshen up after the overnight flight, and then heading out to explore some of the city in the afternoon. 

Landmarks in Ethiopia

What are the must-see places in ethiopia.

We've compiled a list of some of our all-time favourite places, landmarks, lodges, wildlife, and restaurants in Ethiopia. Of course, we couldn't include everything, but if you're planning a trip, here are some amazing places you should consider visiting. 

In the north

• Church of Saint George , Lalibela
• Ras Dashen , Simien Mountains
• Limalimo Lodge , Simien Mountains
• Fasil Ghebbi , Gonder
• Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Falls , Bahir Dar
• Gelada Monkeys , Simien Mountains
• Erta Ale and Dallol , Danakil Depression
• Abuna Yemata Guh , Gheralta Mountains
• Ben Abeba Restaurant , Lalibela
• Korkor Lodge , Gheralta Mountains
• Obelisk of Axum , Axum 
• Hyena Man , Harar

In the South

• Ethiopian Wolf , Bale Mountains
• Bale Mountain Lodge , Bale Mountains
• Tribes of the Omo Valley , Omo Valley

Whether it's trekking in the mountains, exploring the volcanic landscapes, seeing the wildlife, or soaking up the culture and history of this country, there is no shortage of incredible experiences on offer in Ethiopia. 

Any page we write can only scratch the surface of the wealth of opportunities in Ethiopia, but to give you an introduction into what's on offer, and hopefully inspire your next adventure, you can check out our guide to the top 10 things to do in Ethiopia .

Admiring the view en route to Erar, Community Trekking.

A land of infinite variety, there's something for everyone in Ethiopia. Whether you're an adventurer, a honeymooner, a family looking for a break, a solo traveller, or a group of friends looking for a once-in-a-lifetime holiday, Ethiopia will surprise, delight, and inspire. 

Here's our rundown on the best places to visit in Ethiopia.  

How long to spend in Ethiopia?

A typical trip to the north of Ethiopia is 10-12 days . In that time, you can visit many of the towns and national parks in the north. 10 days is the minimum time required if you want to explore all the destinations on the northern circuit. 

With 12-15 days, you can also include the Danakil Depression and community trekking (our personal favourite thing to do in the country). 

If you want to include the north and south, you will need around two weeks , although this depends on how many destinations you visit in the north. You will need at minimum of 4 days to explore the Omo Valley . 

At Brilliant, most of what we do is build tailor-made trips , and we very rarely run the same trip twice. So no matter your budget, interests, or appetite for adventure, we can help create an itinerary that's perfect for you.

Accommodation Options in Ethiopia

Accommodation options in Ethiopia can fall short of international expectations (you can read more about this on our expectations guide here ).

However, there are an increasing number of excellent lodges , and the major destinations have enough options to keep most travellers happy. 

We've written a guide on accommodation options in Ethiopia , as well as the best lodges in Ethiopia and the luxury options available .  

Cosy, cabin-esque rooms at Limalimo Lodge

The best time to visit Ethiopia is between October and March . The country experiences a rainy season from June to September , although travelling during these months is still possible. 

We've written an entire guide on when to visit Ethiopia . 

A short walk takes you to the top of the falls

The cost of your trip to Ethiopia will depend on 4 key factors: 

• The length of your trip
• Your group size (solo travel is significantly more expensive)
• The accommodation preferences
• Whether you use local guides or professional guides

For more information, check out our guide explaining the travel costs in Ethiopia . 

Guiding in Ethiopia

There are two options for guiding in Ethiopia. The first is to use local guides in each of the regions you visit. Local guides are usually very friendly, and well-versed in the local myths and legends , but often do not have the same expertise when it comes to the facts and historical accuracy the destinations.

For some, this is part of the joy of travelling around a region, but others it can be a frustration. 

If you opt for local guides, you will have different guides in each of the regions you visit. For example, once you arrive in Addis, you will be picked up at the airport by a local driver and taken to your hotel. A local guide will then meet you at the hotel and take you on a city tour of the capital. Once it's time to continue your journey, for example if you're heading up to Bahir Dar, a driver will take you to the airport in Addis and another driver will pick you up from the airport in Bahir Dar. Here, you will be met by another local guide who will look after you in Bahir Dar, and so on!

Our expectations guide talks more about what you can expect from local guides in Ethiopia. 

If you'd prefer a little more continuity, or if you value guides with high levels of accurate knowledge , you can opt for a professional escort guide to travel with you around the country. These guides have excellent English and usually have formal training in tourism. 

A professional escort guide does of course add to the trip cost, but it can be well worth it for some travellers. 

Ethiopia is, generally, a very safe country to travel around.

Addis Ababa is one of the safest African cities, and as long as you exercise common sense, it is unlikely you will have any problems with safety while travelling in Ethiopia. 

We've written a guide on safety in Ethiopia if you want to learn more. 

Types of Tours to Ethiopia

With so many options for incredible tours in Ethiopia , it can be hard to know where to start, and how to plan the perfect adventure. Fortunately, our specialists have decades of experience in East Africa and know Ethiopia extraordinarily well, so get in touch with us to start your journey. 

There are many ways to slice and dice itineraries to Ethiopia, but to help get you started, here are some of the trips possible here: 

• Adventure Tours
• Cultural Tours
• Wildlife Tours
• Luxury Tours
• Coffee Tours
• Safaris in Ethiopia
• Private Tours
• Tailor-made Tours

Of course, these aren't mutually exclusive, and a single itinerary could be considered a blend of all the above!

Ethiopia Travel FAQs

How do i get a visa for travel to ethiopia.

All foreign nationals require a visa to enter Ethiopia. Fortunately, the process is very straightforward. You have two options for securing a visa, you can pay online in advance through the online evisa service , or you can obtain a visa on arrival at Bole International Airport.

If you use the online service, you will still collect your visa at the airport on arrival but you can skip the payment queue (which is welcome after a long overnight flight!) If you are paying on arrival, note that you cannot pay in Ethiopia

n Birr or card payment. You will need to pay in cash in either GBP, USD, or EUR. The price for a visa is around 50 USD for a standard 30 day visa. To secure a visa, your passport will need to be valid for at least the next 6 months from the point of arrival in Ethiopia. 

If you need to extend your visa, you can do this at the Immigration Headquarters on Churchill Avenue in Addis. For multiple entry visas, or if you are visiting on business, you need to contact the Ethiopian embassy in your home country, as these cannot be obtained online or on arrival.

Can I bring foreign currency to Ethiopia?

It is fine to bring in foreign currency, but if you are carrying more than 3000 USD equivalent, you will need to declare this. Generally there is no reason to bring huge wads of cash with you, as there are ATMs all over Addis and in all the major towns in the north and south. You are only allowed to import or export a maximum of 200 Ethiopian Birr. 

Am I allowed to bring my professional camera to Ethiopia?

Ethiopia is very photogenic, so you’ll want to bring a good camera with you to take the best snaps of your adventure. If you are planning on bringing a professional camera, you will need a permit. We can help you arrange this. There are no clear guidelines indicating which kinds of camera require permits, and handheld cameras are usually never questioned, but as a general rule - the bigger the camera, the more likely you’ll need a permit. 

How much money should I bring?

The local currency is Ethiopian Birr. In many of the built up cities, you can pay by card but you should not rely on this. If you’re going anywhere remotely out of cities, you should have cash to hand. Even in Addis Ababa, many establishments won’t accept card payments, or internet connectivity issues could mean they can’t accept it at the time.

ATMs can be found in most built up areas, so you don’t need to bring lots of cash with you into the country. It’s also now wise to walk around with huge sums of money withdrawn from Addis to last for your whole trip, so the best thing to do is plan ahead based on where you are going and for how long. Your guides can help you with this, but withdrawals are typically limited to 4000 Birr (~120 USD) anyway so you will need to top up throughout your trip.

Note: your guides won’t mind being tipped in a foreign currency, so consider this when determining birr withdrawal amounts.

How much will I spend on daily expenditures?

We advise carrying enough small notes (10 birr notes are very handy) for small payments and tipping. If you’re travelling to the Omo Valley, you’ll need enough 5 or 10 birr notes to pay for photographs. Daily expenditure will depend on personal preferences and requirements, and of course what is included in your tour with us. 500-800 birr (20-30 USD) per day is a good ball park to help you budget, and this will cover lunches, dinners, drinks and small personal spending. It does not include breakfast, excursions, entrance fees etc. which will typically be included in your tour price.

What should I bring when travelling to Ethiopia?

Much of Ethiopia is highland, which means temperatures are much milder than many countries in East Africa. Addis Ababa itself sits above 2000 metres, so you’ll be acclimatising the moment you step off the plane!

Given the diversity of climate from region to region in Ethiopia, you need to pack for the full spectrum of weather conditions (depending on where you are going, of course). In the Danakil Depression, temperatures will be approaching 40°C, whereas in the heights of the Simien Mountains at night, temperatures can fall to below freezing.

In general, daytime temperatures will range from 15°C to 25°C - so pack light clothes with a jacket/coat for the evenings.

Most hotels offer a laundry service, so you don’t need to bring too much! Remember, Ethiopians are conservative dressers so please respect this and dress to cover at least your knees and shoulders. Our trekking in the Simien Mountains page contains a full kit list for hiking in Ethiopia.

Will I get mobile data in Ethiopia? Can I get a local SIM?

The internet in Ethiopia is intermittent, and internet outages are frequent (either voluntarily during protests/civil unrest or involuntarily due to infrastructure).

Most hotels in built up areas will offer internet which is generally reliable. Ethiopia has just one telecom provider, the state-owned Ethio Telecom. The mobile data coverage is surprisingly good.

You will need to purchase a SIM card on arrival in Addis, and unfortunately it is not a simple process! Your guide will help you organise this, but essentially you will need to get a SIM card cut for your phone and they’ll take your passport details and a photo in the shop. It costs around 50 Birr (~2 USD). There are mobile data bundles available, depending on how much data you plan to use. 

What vaccinations do I need? Are there any medical pre-requisites?

It is important that you consult your GB or travel health nurse before visiting Ethiopia. Which vaccinations you will require, and specific advice pertaining to your safety while in the country will depend on your medical history and current health.

Thanks to Ethiopia’s high altitude, malaria is absent in much of the country. Most areas above 2000 metres are reportedly malaria free. That said, we still recommend taking anti-malarials as the disease is still present in low lying areas of the country.

A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate used to be required, but is no longer required at the time of writing, but it might be if you are coming from a country where the disease is present.

A cholera vaccination is required if you have a visited a cholera infected area within 6 days of arriving in Ethiopia.

It’s a good idea to bring a simple first aid kit with you, and you must bring any medicines you require with you, as local pharmacies have limited stocks. It’s extremely important that you take our comprehensive travel insurance when visiting Ethiopia. 

What is the food like in Ethiopia?

The mainstay for Ethiopian cuisines is injera topped with all sorts of sauces, meats (vegetarian options available as well), and spices. You will usually be eating with your hands when eating injera, and you should take care to only eat with your right hand. Placing food in your mouth with your left hand is considered rude.

You’ll also likely encounter a gursha, a tradition in Ethiopia where your host will feed you a piece of the meal - this should always be accepted! Ethiopian food is great, but if it’s your first time in the country and you are spending a number of weeks here, you should strike a balance between local cuisine and international foods that you are more accustomed to. We speak from experience...

You can learn more on Ethiopian cuisine page . 

Is there a general dress code for travelling in Ethiopia?

Ethiopians are conservative dressers, so you should take care to respect this and dress accordingly. Clothing should cover the knees and shoulders. Of course, allowances are made in certain parts of the country (e.g. the Danakil Depression) where the searing heat demands shorts! 

What guidance on tipping?

Tipping is vitally important in Ethiopia and is somewhat of a cultural expectation. While tipping is hugely appreciated by the local staff and we recommend tipping generously where you can, it can be difficult social terrain. We hope the below advice can help you avoid any awkward/uncomfortable situations.

The social awkwardness is often worse regarding the amount of the tip rather than whether or not to tip at all (as most travellers will provide some amount of tip). One approach that we have found works well is to decide beforehand how much you want to tip, then take out and fold up the notes and place them firmly in your guide/drivers hands, thank them for their help/services and then move on.

You don't want to be in a position where you are being watched as you take out notes one by one deciding when to stop. As a general guide, we recommend tipping 10 USD per day for guides, and 5 USD per day for drivers/support staff (drivers, cooks etc.).

People do often tip much higher than this but it comes down to your budget, so our suggestion would be to start at 10 USD/day and go up/down from there depending on the quality of service and your budget. It can be tricky but it's important to feel like you're tipping what you feel is deserved whilst sticking to your budget!

Responsible tourism is woven into the values of Brilliant Ethiopia. It’s impossible to separate what we do from why we do it. We don’t just want to reduce the negative impacts of tourism on the country, but we want to actively increase the positive impacts that tourism can have on the local communities and businesses. As a traveller and guest in this incredible country, it is your responsibility to take the time to understand that nuances of the Ethiopian way of life, and to respect their customs and traditions. 

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Africa , ETHIOPIA

57 things to know before you travel ethiopia.

It’s not often I return to a country more than once.

In fact, it’s basically never.

There’s just too much other stuff to see in the world.

But once, just once, I had to make an exception and that exception was, of course, for my beloved Ethiopia.

Yes here I am, back in the horn of Africa, my second visit in under 3 months!

Can you believe it?!

Well if you were following my journey at the end of last year, probably you can, because you’ll know I fell head over heels in love with this country and met so many great people.

Indeed I felt called to return.

So now having spent 2 months here, and explored most of the country, I’m definitely getting to grips with some of the weird and wonderfully workings of it!

And how weird and wonderful it is!

Here is my comprehensive list of everything you need to know about travel in Ethiopia.

Related Posts

• The Ideal Ethiopia Itinerary
• 15 Safest Countries to Travel in Africa
• Your Unforgettable Africa Itinerary: 1 Week to 3 Months

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General tips & tricks for ethiopia travel.

#1 There’s 9 UNESCO Sites

The largest number of any African country, Ethiopia has 9 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and all of them are worth visiting!

Perhaps this figure gives you an insight into just how incredible this country’s landscape and culture is!

#2 Amharic is the National Language

Related to Arabic and Hebrew, Amharic is a Semitic language, but possesses its own alphabet and sounds.

Trying to get to grips with it can be an interesting experience!

Besides Amharic there are 83 other languages spoken in Ethiopia that are both regional and tribal and most Ethiopians speak 2 or 3 as a result.

Thankfully, English is widely understood, especially amongst young people and those in the tourism industry!

#3 They’ve Got Their Own Time System

It’s a common maxim that Ethiopians like to do things their own way and the fact that they have their own calendar and time system is a good indicator of this!

Using the Julian calendar, Ethiopia’s month, dates and years are vastly different from the international model.

Their clock also runs differently – namely 6 hours apart the western clock – because their days begins at 12 o’clock, when the sun rises at our 6am!

It’s very important therefore that you qualify all times and dates in Ethiopia by asking constantly asking whether they are referring to Ethiopian or International time!

#4 It’s Safe

Despite what you might think, Ethiopia is incredibly safe, even for solo female travellers.

I’ve never been harassed or had any trouble, even in the capital Addis Ababa .

In fact, I’ve rarely felt more looked after!

Possibly this is something to do with most Ethiopians being devotedly religious people and a cultural expectation that the highest respect and hospitality be shown to visitors.

Alternatively, if you’re a long-term traveller, digital nomad or frequent remote worker seeking travel health cover, check out Safetywing’s Nomad Insurance policies.

#5 Everything Closes for Lunch

Don’t try to do any errands between the hours of 12pm and 2pm in Ethiopia, everything shuts down for lunch and you’ll end up just wasting time!

This comes from the voice of experience!

#6 Guides Are Great

I’m never one for taking tours or guides, but in Ethiopia it really is a wise decision to do so.

Getting to grips with the history of the country is near impossible without one, and in many towns, learning about the history will be the whole reason you’re there!

I took guides in Axum , Harar and Lalibela and found them all fantastic.

In some parts of the country, guides or tours are also required for example, if you’re heading the Danakil Depression , Simien Mountains or Omo Valley .

In some other cases, it’s almost impossible to get to places without a tour or guide including the Lake Tana Monasteries or the Tigray churches .

Most guides speak excellent English, but do check before paying!

Otherwise, if you’re interested in an unforgettable, well-priced tour in Ethiopia with guides you can trust, then email me at [email protected] with details of where you want to go and I’ll send you my top recommendations – simple!

Alternatively, check out these top picks .

#7 It’s Not As Cheap As You’d Hope

Largely because of the need for guides and tours, Ethiopia is not SUPER cheap (read. it’s still pretty cheap) to travel in.

Accommodation costs can mount up, as can the long domestic travel distances and “tourist tax” is common!

Food and drinks however remains crazily cheap and delicious!

#8 You Gotta Go with the Flow

This is Africa, so expect disorganisation, chaos and plans that quickly change when you’re in Ethiopia!

Trust me, it’s much easier if you’re flexible, just accept the current situation and go with the flow.

Getting stressed and angry won’t change anything and you’ll only end up not enjoying yourself!

#9 Get Your Tourist Visa in Advance

While many nationalities used to be offered visas on arrival at Addis Ababa Bole Airport, this has now changed.

Almost all passport holders must now either get their visa via the official Ethiopian e-visa platform or from their nearest Ethiopian Embassy before travelling.

A valid visa will need to be shown before boarding your flight, as well as at Addis Ababa airport immigration.

It costs $82 USD for a single entry 30 day tourist visa.

Longer visas are also possible for more money.

#10 eVisa Are Handy

Although eVisas might seem like a hassle, in recent years this system has been streamlined and now offers a much smoother and quicker process for tourists than getting your on arrival.

eVisas are accepted at all Ethiopian land, as well as airport, borders.

#11 Multiple Entry Visas No Longer Available

It seems the rules have recently changed on multi-entry visas to Ethiopia… they are no longer being issued.

What to Pack for Ethiopia Travels?

#12 Bring Your European Adapter

The European 2-pin plug is used throughout Ethiopia, so make sure you pack the correct travel adapter .

#13 Prepare for Cold Evenings

Due to the high altitude at which most of the country sits at, Ethiopia can get cold in the evenings, therefore packing several pairs of long trousers, as well as sweaters, scarfs and some thick socks is a great idea.

I love this travel scarf , which would be ideal for Ethiopia.

#14 Grab Gear for Hiking

There’s tons of great hiking opportunities in Ethiopia, so make sure you come prepared.

Hiking boots with good grip are a must, especially if you’re venturing into Simien Mountains , Bale Mountains or Danakil Depression .

I always recommend Keen Targhee II as some of the best and most affordable hiking boots on the market.

#15 Take Toilet Paper

Places often don’t provide toilet paper in Ethiopia, so come stocked with a roll or 2!

#16 Don’t Forget a Headlamp

Frequent power cuts, particularly in rural Ethiopia are common, so be prepared with a good headlamp and spare set of batteries for your travels here.

I love my Black Diamond one, which has served me well throughout Africa.

I guarantee you’ll make good use of it!

#17 Get Snap Happy

Ethiopia is one of the most photogenic countries in the world, so whatever you do, don’t forget to take your camera.

I used my Sony A6000 in Ethiopia and it was absolutely perfect being light, compact and quick to charge.

#18 Moisturiser, Moisturiser and More Moisturiser!

It’s super dry in Ethiopia, with most of the country set in an arid landscape at high altitude; as such your skin will get super dry, super fast!

Bringing a good body moisturiser, face moisturiser and lip balm therefore is key.

I love the Burts Bees range which are well priced, not tested on animals and avoid lots of nasty chemical.

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A Word on Culture in this Country

#19 You’ll Make Many Friends!

It sounds like a cliché, but Ethiopians genuinely are some of the most hospitable people I’ve ever met.

They have a very social culture and love nothing more than a coffee and a chat!

If you’re open to it, you’ll make tons of friends as everyone tries to practice their English and wants to learn more about other countries around the world.

Please don’t think everyone is trying to rip you off, they’re generally not!

Download Whatsapp before you come to Ethiopia – everybody uses this to communicate – otherwise you’ll miss one of the great experiences of this country, namely hanging with its people.

#20 No Short Shorts

Generally Ethiopians are very proud people and take great care in their appearance.

The culture however is more conservative in its dress standards than you might be used to and wearing shorts or skirts that expose legs is not common.

I generally wear trousers with a singlet, or leggings covered by a dress when I’m here, which works fine.

Across the country you’ll see young and old people wearing a mix of traditional and western clothing – it’s a country that really still combines the old and the new.

#21 Hustle and Hassle is a Fact of Life

Although no way near as bad as I expected before I first got to Ethiopia, some hassle and hustle can occur here, although 99.9% of it is harmless.

Deal with it best by ignoring and not engaging in conversation.

This is especially true with the children, who will follow you for miles otherwise!

#22 Faranji Faranji!

White people in Ethiopia are known as faranjis, while Ethiopians are known as Habesha.

Neither term has a discriminatory connotation to it, so don’t take offence when people refer to you as a faranji, as they inevitably will!

#23 The Music and Dancing are Crazy

There’s few things that demonstrate Ethiopians’ unique culture more, even in today’s world, than their music and their dancing!

It’s all bonkers!

Head to what is known as a Traditional Restaurant in any large town and see it for yourself.

Otherwise any local club is also an amusing cultural experience!

#24 There’s Several Ways to Greet

Ethiopians have a complex array of ways to greet each other, from simple handshakes to multiple cheek kisses, or my favourite, the shoulder bump!

Try out as many as you like and get into the spirit of this social society!

#25 It’s a Tactile Culture

Ethiopians are very tactile too, so don’t freak out if people put their hand on your shoulder, for example, when they are talking to you!

Quite often on the street, you’ll see Ethiopians, men included, holding hands as a sign of friendship.

Ethiopian Food

#26 The Food is Amazing

A huge part of Ethiopian culture is food and coffee.

It’s all delicious cheap and readily available!

#27 It’s Vegetarian Friendly

Christian Orthodox Ethiopians, which make up the biggest religious group, actually fast every Wednesday and Friday, as well as during the lead-up to many religious celebrations.

In fasting, they avoid all rich foods like meat and dairy products.

This makes Ethiopia incredibly vegetarian and vegan friendly as all menus will have fasting options regardless of the time of year.

Shiro is the most common veggie food – a chickpea dahl-type dish – served on top of an injera – yum!

#28 Injera is the Staple

The staple of Ethiopian cuisine is injera, a huge fermented pancake made from a grain called Teff.

Gluten-free and delicious, it’s served with almost every meal often in the place of a plate and cutlery!

#29 Salad and Fruits are Big

Ethiopians also tend to eat very healthily and fresh salads are readily available as are some incredible natural fruit juices, including avocado, papaya and pineapple, normally served with fresh lime.

Desserts aren’t common – probably why most of the country are so slim!

#30 Forget the Fork

Most Ethiopian cuisine is eaten with your right hand, often using a torn piece of the injera as a scoop.

It’s common that you won’t even find any cutlery to use!  

Most restaurants and cafes have a handwashing station for you to use before and after your meal.

#31 Coffee, Coffee, Coffee

Famous the world over, Ethiopia is meant to be the home of coffee and here it’s almost a sacred drink.

Called ‘buna’ in Amharic, you can grab a shot of this black gold almost anywhere, including on the street for as little as 5 Birr at side stalls.

Traditionally served as part of a ceremony, the coffee beans are roasted and passed around for you to inhale the scent.

The coffee is then served in 3 rounds, the first being the strongest out of a special jug, which is kept hot on an open fire as incense wafts in the air.

It’s normally served with sugar, so make sure you stipulate no sugar if you want to avoid the sweetness.

#32 Local Beer and Wines are Great

Who knew Ethiopia was a producer of wine, but they are and it’s good.

Local beers are also good and abundant.

My favourite is called Habesha.

Accessing & Spending Money

#33 Get Your Birr On!

The local currency in Ethiopia is the Birr (ETB).

It can’t be bought outside the country, so must be got either via exchanging USD at local banks or by using ATM machines.

You’re also not allowed to take more than 200 Birr out of the country when you leave.

#34 The Notes

Many Birr notes can look a bit scrubby at best!

They come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100. There’s also a range of coins.

100 Birr, is actually only worth around 4 USD!

This is largely due to the recent and rapid growth of the Ethiopian economy.

However, it doesn’t seem like the national mint has caught up yet by bringing out a higher value note!

This means a spacious wallet is required when you to visit Ethiopia as you’ll inevitably be carrying around lots and lots of notes!

#35 Exchange at the Airport

When you arrive at Bole International Airport in Addis, you’ll find several Bureau de Change offices and also ATM’s both before and after immigration.

The current exchange rate is around 27 Birr to 1 USD at the airport and it’s the same offered at banks across the country, so you might as well change money as soon as you arrive.

Just remember to keep any exchange receipts, you’re meant to present these when exiting the country.

#36 ATMs are Easy

ATMs are plentiful in Ethiopia and easy to use with instructions in English.

They generally accept both Visa and Mastercard – although Visa is more useful.

Commercial Bank are one of the most trusted providers.

And when it comes to using ATMs, the easy way to spend abroad with real exchange rates, no markups and no sneaky transaction fees, is with a Wise card, which works just like a debit card here. Grab yours here .

#37 Bring Big Bill USD

People only really want to exchange USD in Ethiopia and even Euros and British Pounds are likely to be denied.

Therefore bring lots of USD cash, if you want to avoid ATM withdrawal fees and change these for Birr.

Bigger notes will give you a better exchange rate on the black market, so stock up on $50 and $100 bills if you can.

If you’re travelling in other African countries before you arrive into Ethiopia, it’s recommended you get the local currency there changed into USD, so you have plenty for Ethiopia when you arrive.

How to Get Around Ethiopia?

#38 Roads Are Bad

Many roads in Ethiopia are pretty bad and getting between destinations in this huge country can take you forever via land.

In many parts of the country, road travel is restricted at night too, which generally means a long journey can take a few days and often involve an overnight stay somewhere along the way.

As such many tourists opt to fly around the country instead.

Especially if you’re short on time, using Ethiopia Airlines’ domestic services to hop between destinations quickly and safely is a great idea.

#39 Book Your International Flight with Ethiopia Airlines

Ethiopia Airlines are the national carrier and have a huge range of domestic flights that can jet you around the country in no time.

Prices work on a 2 tier system – loosely indicated as a local and foreign rate.

However as a tourist, you can access the cheaper local rates (which are up to two-thirds cheaper) be buying an international flight into the country with Ethiopia Airlines.

You can then use your international flight code to access the cheaper local rates when booking domestic flights.

Even if the international flight with Ethiopia Airlines costs a few dollars more, you’ll quickly reap the rewards if you’re flying domestic a lot, trust me!

UPDATE JAN 19: Ethiopian Airlines now have an app and by using it to book flights you can save a further 10% on the ticket price.

#40 Don’t Rush to Buy Domestic Flights

You can easily book domestic flights in Ethiopia just a few days before you fly.

3 days in advance should be fine.

Prices don’t go up nearer the time and flights rarely sell out more than a couple of days in advance.

If you have a quick itinerary however, you may want to buy domestic flights from outside Ethiopia before you arrive.

This is easy to do online or via local tour operator ETT – who you can email your requirements and then pay in USD cash when you arrive into Addis.

#41 Get to the Airport Early

Even for domestic flights, ensure you allow plenty of time once you get to the airport.

There’s rigorous security at all Ethiopian airports and you’ll have to go through security first to enter the building and then to enter the gate.

This can take a while!

TOP TIP: When you arrive at Bole International Airport in Addis it’s easy to pick up a taxi outside. There’s hardly any hassle, which is a major relief, but do ask to see the brochure of official rates (which exists!) so you don’t get ripped off on the journey to your hotel.

#42 Get Some Sheba Miles

Ethiopia Airlines are part of the Star Alliance Group.

Check their website for partner carriers to earn points, or easily sign up to their scheme – Sheba Miles – and earn points which can be used in conjunction with Egypt Air among many others.

If you’re flying a lot in Ethiopia it soon mounts up and I’ve already scooped a few free flights as a result!

#43 Sky or Selam Bus are Great

If you don’t want to fly around the country, then there are some luxury coaches that travel similar routes.

Sky Bus , Ethio Bus and Selam Bus are the 2 biggest companies and timetables can be viewed online.

Tickets however need to be bought in person at the nearest office and it’s a good idea to do this at least a day before.

Most towns have ticket offices.

Due to the distances involved and the fact these buses don’t drive after dark, departures are normally around 4 or 5am!

#44 Enjoy the Minivan Madness

In Addis Ababa and other large cities, minivans are used to travel short distances.

Minivans are also used as the cheapest form of transport to travel between some cities.

Costing only a few Birr, they are confusingly called taxis!

#45 Know the Difference Between Taxis

With minivans being known as taxis and taxis being known as taxis, things can get confusing in Ethiopia!

The basic rule of thumb is that public taxis = minivans and contract taxis = taxis!

#46 A Bajaj is a Tuk Tuk

In smaller destinations, tuk-tuks also ply the streets and are generally a cheap and convenient option for getting to attractions or restaurants.

In Ethiopia however, they are known Bajaj so use this word if people are looking at you confusingly when you ask for a tuk-tuk!

Ethiopian Accommodation

#47 Hostels Aren’t a Thing

Hostels don’t really exist in Ethiopia, so look for budget guesthouses if you’re backpacking.

These can be found almost everywhere and are generally private rooms, normally with ensuite bathrooms and possibly wifi / breakfast included.

Prices start from around 300 birr, which is about $15 USD per night.

You’ll be hard pushed to find anything under $10 USD.

#48 Most Guesthouses have Laundry Facilities

Every guesthouse I’ve stayed at in Ethiopia has offered a laundry service, making it the most convenient place to get your clothes washed.

There generally aren’t handwashing facilities at hotels / guesthouses in Ethiopia, meaning you have to get your clothes laundered unless you want to take them in shower with you!

Prices are normally around 6 Birr per piece and hand washed by local women, providing a valuable source of extra income.

Give your washing in at breakfast time and receive it by the evening.

Sometimes they’ll ask you to provide your own soap!

#49 Use Booking.com to Find Accommodation

Most Ethiopian accommodation providers use Booking.com to market their rooms.

This gives you free cancellation as generally you just pay on arrival.

Hostelworld is slowly gaining momentum too.

#50 There Aren’t Guest Kitchens

The vast majority of guesthouses in Ethiopia don’t offer kitchens, but eating out is so cheap anyway it’s no biggie.

One exception I found was the excellent Mr Martin’s Cozy Place in Addis Ababa .

This great guesthouse has free wifi, free breakfast and a guest kitchen!

It’s also excellently located in the Bole area of Addis Ababa.

Read my full review of Mr Martin’s Cozy Place here .

#51 Security is Good

All guesthouses generally have 24hr security access as well as lockable front gates.

This makes them very secure and I’ve felt safe in every place I’ve stayed.

Internet and Phone Access

#52 There’s Only 1 Provider 

There’s just 1 telecommunication provider in Ethiopia, known as Ethio Telecom, which makes things simple in one way and difficult in others!

#53 Get a Local SIM

Getting a local SIM is cheap (30 Birr) and highly recommended for travel in Ethiopia when you’ll likely need to call guesthouses, tour companies etc.

SIM cards can be bought in the morning (Mon-Sat) from any Ethio Telecom shop.

Take your passport and some money to pay for the SIM as well as put credit on your phone via the voucher system.

Make sure to get your SIM registered (required by the government here) and your personal hotspot established.

Check everything is working before you leave the office!

*804# can be dialled to check your balance.

#54 Buy Mobile Packages

Data, call and SMS packages can be bought on a daily, weekend, weekly or monthly basis by dialling *999# on your handset.

This is the most cost-effective way to use your Ethio SIM.

I love the monthly 600 birr package, which gives 4GB of data.

#55 Addis is the Best for Wifi

Unsurprisingly, the capital Addis Ababa has the best internet and 3G connection in the country.

You’ll need to hang here a lot if you work online!

Anywhere outside of Addis and connections can be patchy, especially 3G, which the government often shuts off completely. HA!

#56 Airports have Free Wifi

  Almost all airports in Ethiopia have free wifi and weirdly I’ve found it to be some of the fastest in the country.

Most guesthouses now also provide free wifi, although to what extent it works is another matter!

#57 Get a VPN

As well as blocking 3G networks, the Ethiopian government also regularly blocks social media channels.

Maintain access to your Facebook and Instagram therefore by subscribing to a VPN before you get here.

I highly recommend Nord VPN , which I’ve used in Ethiopia and works brilliantly.

SAVE THIS ARTICLE TO PINTEREST!

So there you have it, EVERYTHING you need to know about travel in Ethiopia.

Are you planning to visit this amazing African country?

Have any questions?

Please ask away in the comments box below…

Creator of Big World Small Pockets, Stephanie Parker is a travel addict! Originally from Jersey in the Channel Islands, Stephanie adventures the world collecting tips, advice and stories, to share with a smile

78 thoughts on “ 57 Things to Know Before You Travel Ethiopia ”

That was totally true, like 100%. I’m shocked on how much u know. I mean, I’m Ethiopian and I couldn’t have described better than this. Well Done 🙂

Wow Rachel, high praise indeed! Thank you so so much, this means A LOT 🙂

wow that helped me a lot. hope to visit ethiopia soon. thanks you steph.

Thanks Amir, so delighted to hear this article was helpful. Really happy you plan to visit this amazing country soon 🙂

You’re welcome anytime

Excellent info provided for traveling to Ethiopia. If I plan to be in two areas for less than 2 days a piece or so, is it worth it for the Sim card for phone use? Or can I use Whatapp for contacting folks? I also sent you an email regarding safety in going to Lalibela and Axum in August 2018. Thank you in advance!

Hi Terri, great question about the SIM. If you’re only in Ethiopia for 4 days it may not be worth it, especially as places that are remote such as the Simien, Danakil and Omo Valley can be a struggle for reception anyway. That said, while many accommodation places have wifi in Ethiopia, it’s far from a guarantee and can be patchy and slow at best sometimes! You can definitely use Whatsapp if you can get wifi! Answering your email now. Best, Steph 🙂

I love all your explanation, and suggestions. thank you!!

Thank you Henok! Best Steph 🙂

Hey Steph huh I’m from Nigeria and I plan to stay there for 30 days What’s the average amount I would spend there In USD

Hi Riche, thanks for your question. It’s really hard for me to give you an answer on this for several reasons 1) what time of accommodation are you looking for 2) will you fly or bus around the country and 3) how many tours do you want to take to places like the Danakil or Omo Valley. These factors will wildly alter your budget. Perhaps if you can give me some more info on these points I can help you better 🙂

This is SO helpful already! Thanks a bunch. We may have more questions as we get closer to our December trip. Love it! Getting excited…

Hi Jenn, so delighted to hear you found the post helpful. PLEASE, don’t hesitate to get in touch with any question about Ethiopia – love talking about that place and am more than happy to help others discover it whenever I can 🙂

wow steph you described my country well

Thanks Tesfa, that’s such a wonderful compliment to hear!

thanks, great loads of information. Quick question on your visa recommendation, can you get a multiple entry one upon arriving at the airport?

Hi Francois and delighted you found the article helpful. Giving visa information is always tricky, because there are so many variables depending on where you come from and the information is quickly outdated. As such, please check with the foreign office of your home country and Ethiopia to learn the latest. All I can tell you is that when I last visited Ethiopia, as a British citizen I was not eligible for a multi-entry visa on arrival. However, as I said this may have changed, so please do check for yourself to be sure of the most up-to-date info. Best

Thank you so much for the detailed list!! Is it possible to get away with using a roller carry on luggage or is a backpack best?

You could definitely get away with a roller carry on in Ethiopia Vero if you’re planning on using domestic flights rather buses and not doing a multi-day trek in Simien or Bale Mountains.

really like that place .. its enjoying my self at here

Awesome to hear Jay 🙂

The best rundown that I’ve seen so far. Thank you for all of the logistical info. Every question I had, you answered (including what neighborhood to stay in). I’ll be in Addis for 3.5 days with my flight layover and can’t wait to eat all the food!

Hey Heather, thank you so much for these gorgeous comments – truly delighted to hear you found the post useful. I basically wrote it thinking about everything I had in mind before I travelled to Ethiopia but couldn’t discover online, so glad I’ve managed to help another traveller out. Enjoy Addis, the food and this amazing country 🙂

Hi Heather, Were you able to get a transit visa for 3.5 days? Thank you.

This is an AWESOME list!!! I’m heading to Ethiopia in 2 days for a month and am I glad I stumbled upon your post 🙂 (specially regarding bus companies) Thanks for sharing!!!

Hi Dan, thanks your comments and so happy to hear the post will help! Enjoy this amazing country 🙂

Thanks for the useful tips, great starting point for our upcoming trip in April. We will be visiting Lalibela, flying there and back from Addis. As it happens, we fly to Ethiopia with Ethiopian Airlines, so I was wondering how to book the 2/3 cheaper domestic flights that you pointed to- where do I find the code? Would it be better to wait till we are there and book locally? You said it doesn’t make a difference… Thanks a bunch

Hi Susanne, thanks for the question and delighted to hear you will be travelling to Ethiopia soon. If you go to the Ethiopia Airlines website, when you search a flight and then head through to book it, it will ask if you hold an international ticket with the company – tick yes at this stage, enter your International e-ticket number if prompted and then you’ll be eligible for the local domestic flight rates. Alternatively, you can book when in the country, but online or via the app tends to be cheaper as of this year. Hope that helps 🙂

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply Steph, the recommendation to book online is very useful as I was about to leave it till we get there and book in Addis, but if it cost potentially more, I’ll get on with it now.

Great idea Susanne, glad I could help. Enjoy Ethiopia, you’re going to love it!

Hi Steph, Thank you so much for this super useful article. We are going in April and are super excited. We will be there only for 2 weeks and plan to take a domestic flight to Lalibela. Would you recommend a taxi driver for us? As we don’t have a lot of time, we think it would be best to have a driver and not to take bus. Did you book your hotel one or 2 days ahead or much more in advance ? Thank you so much again ! Véro

Hi Véro, thanks for your lovely words and so happy you find the article useful. I also have a full blog post guide to Lalibela, so please search there as it gives all my recommendations for accommodation and guides in this city plus LOADS more info. Booking accommodation a few days in advance should be fine – unless you’re travelling at Easter time when Lalibela will be busy. Buses aren’t a possibility in Lalibela – you can visit the town churches on foot, but will need a guide with a driver if you want to hike around the city to the churches outside. Your hotel should organise an airport shuttle for you. Hope that helps 🙂

I love the way you described and wrote the tips. They are just perfect for a traveler interested in coming to Ethiopia for their very first time. I love Ethiopia just like i love my country Uganda. It has lots of things to see like gorillas, chimps, big 5 game, over 1000 bird species, hiking, rafting, kayaking, zip lining, sport fishing etc

Thanks guys. Yes I love Ethiopia and Uganda, although only the latter has the wealth of wildlife and activities you describe. Ethiopia certainly does not have gorillas etc!

Hello Thanks very very much for your wunderfull explanation. It helps very much to have an idea before. We are from Portugal and goes next month. Thanks Thanks, Fred, Manuel, Hans and Renee.

Hi Paulo, thanks for these lovely words and hope you enjoy your trip to Ethiopia 🙂

Thank you! We are a middle-aged adventurous couple and wondering about a guide. Recommendations? Two week trip. North and South. Thank you

Certainly Adele, always happy to help. Can you email me on [email protected] and I can pass on more details that way – lots of options and all a bit much to go into here. Thanks 🙂

Wow! Amazing guide and tips to know before traveling to the beautiful and wild Ethiopia. As ethiopian and passionate traveller, I appreciate a lot this kind of contributions to help the others with their planning trip. You already say this but double check: Be sure don’t miss the tipical food, because a huge part of Ethiopian culture is food and coffee, even it’s Vegetarian Friendly! Ah, in addition, remember also to get your electronic visa in advance so you can save a precious time :=)

Thanks for the comments – the food is a must I agree. The eVisa is not! Every time I arrive, the eVisa queue and the visa on arrival queue are the same length! Also I think that if you need longer than 1 month or you need a multi-entry visa you must get on arrival, correct? Thanks, Steph

Hi Steph, Your blog proved to be very helpful! My dad was born and raised in Ethiopia but has not been back since the 70’s. We are planning a trip for Nov 2019 and I am very excited!!! However, I noticed the U.S. government just issued a ‘travel with caution’ advisory for Ethiopia and a ‘do not travel’ advisory for several regions of the country due to current civil unrest. Do you know if this advisory was posted when you went? Any thoughts on the safety of traveling to Ethiopia this year?

Hi Andrea, thanks for reaching out and very excited to hear your Dad was born in Ethiopia – wow! I was last in the country in Jan 2019 (I’m writing this comment in April 2019) so I’m not sure when the warning was published by the US government. To be honest, I’m always a bit sceptical of their warnings – they tend to be quite disproportionate in my experience. The British Foreign Office advice tends to be a lot more balanced in my opinion (I’m not biased honest!) You can check it out here: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ethiopia . I can’t speak for you or your safety, but would I go back to Ethiopia now? … heck yes! I’d just monitor which regions I travelled in as always and seek information on the ground. Hope that helps 🙂

hello from the beautiful Pakistan. I am a solo traveler. After completing Asia im off to Africa now. Went to Kenya last year and loved it. Now i have options between Ethiopia and Uganda. What would you suggest in terms of security, diversity, prices, hospitality, etc etc,etc? etc means the things we solo travelers look for hahaha. By the way most welcome to Pakistan anytime and you will find worlds 6 biggest mountains, worlds deepest seaport and worlds biggest agricultural/irrational system and above all great hospitality. Be my guest anytime. my email id is [email protected]

Moeed, thanks for your comments and excited to hear of your Africa travels plans. Ethiopia and Uganda are wildly different and hard to compare. Probably Uganda is a little cheaper, but it totally depends on how many adventure activities/safaris etc you want to do. If you trek to see the gorillas, for example, this will wildly raise your budget. Ethiopia is less about wildlife (although there is some) and more about the unique culture, food, coffee, landscapes, hiking etc. Honestly, it depends what you enjoy more. I am hoping to travel to Pakistan soon and am very excited about it! What is the best time of year to visit your country?

Hello, I sent you an email, but figured it would hurt to message you here as well. I am headed to Ethiopia in October and Harar , Omo valley, Axum and Lalibela. My main interest is the people, the traditions, the food and the religion. How long would I need, what is the best way to get around. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am ready to be a sponge and soak up the knowledge.

Hi Paul, I wrote you an email back this morning with info. Let me know if you didn’t receive it or if you have any more Q’s on the back of it. Best, Steph

Hi, Steph! I am heading to Ethiopia in November for 12 days, covering Addis Ababa, Gondar, Lalibela, Simien Mountains and Omo Valley. I seem to read different opinions about vaccinations. I know they are not mandatory, but some of them are stronlgy recommended (depending also on the lenght of one’s stay) and some people said they’ve had them as a necessary precaution, some say they did not and are not necessary at all. What can you advise me on this matter?

Hi Florentina, my advice is to consult a travel health professional, tell them your plans, your medical history and follow what they suggest. I’m certainly not qualified to give advice in this area I’m afraid. Enjoy Ethiopia 🙂

Everything is so well written, you did an amazing job.

Thanks so much 🙂

Hi Steph! Me an my wife will be travelling to Ethiopia next february. Are there any hidden gems close to Addis Abeba? How is Adamo and Awasa?

Hi Nicklas, I’ve actually written a post about the 5 best day trips from Addis, so do search that on my site for some good ideas of things to do around the city, it includes Awasa, but sadly I haven’t made it to Adamo yet. Enjoy Ethiopia 🙂

Wow I’m Ethiopian my self but although I was born there I haven’t been to the country since I was 8 months old! I’m 11 now and we’re finally going back there for vacation. This was super helpful to me and now, thanks Tom you, I’m all ready to go!! Thanks so much for telling me things I never really new about my culture. But Everything I did know was true. 😁

Diddy, this is such a beautiful comment to receive and made my day. Such an honour to hear these positive thoughts from an Ethiopian – I feel honoured! Hope you have an amazing trip to the country 🙂

My daughter lives in Ethiopia and I am going to visit. She wants to go to the Danakil Depression for a 3 day trip but I am very leery due to the facts I read on the travel to and from there about the roads. I have heard that they are “ the worst roads in the world” . I told her I’d prefer going to Gambella or Awash instead. Thoughts?

Hi Christine, the roads that do exist in the Danakil area are actually good, the problem is that often there aren’t any roads, this is a wild, desert / lava / salt pan terrain. Take a look at my specific article on the Danakil to view pictures and learn more. You can find it by typing “Danakil” into the search bar at the top right of corner of my site.

My daughter is currently in Ethiopia and was gifted a beautiful full sized mesob. Do you have any tips for the best way to get it back home to the US?

Sorry Dee, I don’t have any experience on this front.. what a beautiful gift though!

Thanks for such awesome tips! We are going there on 20 of September and I just can’t wait! We are also going to visit Simien Mountains ^_^. I have also showed mu husband your suggestion on a NordVPN and we bought it as well. Thanks a lot! Very great app and not expensive! We have watched other countries Netflix already and thats great! Oh boy, can’t wait for our holiday!

Amazing Natalie! So excited to hear you are looking forward to your time in Ethiopia. Know you’re going to love it… enjoy 🙂

Thank you, I left Ethiopia a long time ago, and your article had information I needed, made me a bit homesick, and gave me ideas on how to show my son the rich tradition and culture he comes from. Thank you, and safe travels wherever your next destination takes you.

Thanks Natti and hope you and your son enjoy your time in Ethiopia, Steph 🙂

Hi Steph, great blog- thanks so much for covering it in so much detail! How would you suggest is the best way to commute within the city of Addis? I am staying at the MM Cozy Place Guest House after reading your recommendation but was wondering how to get to and from the airport from there!

Hi Suparna, there’s a section in this post about how to get to and from the airport using local taxis. Where they are and how to get the best rate. I also mention Whatsapp and taking your phone for Google maps / maps.me.

this was really helpful. We are planing a trip there with a friend for January. We will stay a couple of weeks and we want to have the best experience ever (everyone does I suppose). We are mainly interested to beautiful landscapes, music heritage (being musicians ourselves) and food.

Is there a plan that you would suggest with the must ?

All the best from Greece, Theodore

Hi Theodoros – great to hear you will travel to Ethiopia in January. I have an itinerary article on the blog with lots of ideas for routes that take in the best of this country. Suggest you take a look at that for my ideas around the must-see highlights. Then, if you have any more questions, do feel free to send me an email. Best, Steph

I am hoping to go to Ethiopia next year, I have enjoyed reading your guide. Thank you

Hi Tracey, thank you so much for leaving a comment and delighted my Ethiopia content has helped you. Happy travels 🙂

Hi Steph, Great write up with excellent details. As a solo traveler who plans to visit africa in april for the first time i was wondering would you reccommend kenya, ethiopia or uganda if i had interests that consists of nature, safaris, culture, nightlife, food, ability to meet locals and ease of transportation? Any help based on your experience would be very helpful!

Hi Trav, great question. If you want to include safaris, then I’d recommend either Uganda or Kenya – both of these tick all your boxes… apart from maybe nightlife (and food?)! Ethiopia is best for the food! Steph 🙂

Hi Steph, thank you for the blig about Ethiopia. I am currently in Addis and want to go to Gondar, Lalibela and Bahir Dar by bus. Some locals advised me not to as there’s still some violance and tribal/political unrest. I was advised to fly instead, which I’m avoiding as much as possible. Do you have an update on that. Thanks a lot. Vako.

Hi Vako, I don’t I’m afraid as the situation changes very rapidly and there’s no way I can keep up! Check gov.uk – the British government foreign office website – which has detailed and up-to-date security information about every country in the world. Also locals on the ground often know best, but ask around to get a few different opinions. Best of luck, Steph 🙂

Hi, Is it necessary to vaccinate for Malaria if going to Ethiopia?

Hi there, as I’m not a medical professional, I can’t advise you on this I’m afriad. Please consult a travel health doctor prior to your departure for more information. I always advise this before all trips to this continent. Best, Steph

Hello there, thanks for the detailed breakdown of your experiences advise in Ethiopia. My husband and I are planning to travel there in a few days and would like to do a three day trek to the Simien Mountains. We would like to travel on to Aksum. Do yo have any advice on the preferable route; driver from Imet Gogo, bus or flight? Thanks again! Samantha

Hi Samantha, if you check out both my posts on Axum and the Simien Mountains, you can discover more about how to travel between the 2. In short form however, you can get a bus between Debark and Axum, or return to Gonder and from there fly to Axum. Happy travels, Steph 🙂

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Home » Travel Guides » Ethiopia » 15 Best Places to Visit in Ethiopia

15 Best Places to Visit in Ethiopia

Modern-day Ethiopia is many seemingly dissonant things. It’s a cross between a pack backers ultimate holiday and a history buff’s Shangri-La.

It’s also retained a medieval feel through ancient Christian rituals while showcasing the ancient obelisks and tombs of Aksum.

Culturally speaking, there are seven UNESCO World Heritage sites here as well as the chance to look into a more recent and turbulent past – as evidenced by abandoned and burnt-out Russians tanks.

The landscape of this wonderful country is no less varied with lakes rivers, rocky mountains, grasslands, and lowlands.

Top it off with incredible wildlife, remarkable tribal people, delicious food, and wonderful weather.

But make no mistake, this is not merely a holiday destination. Ethiopia will move you, inspire you, and be a journey that you’ll never forget.

Let’s explore the best places to visit in Ethiopia :

1. Danakil Depression

Positioned on the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea is the Danakil Depression. It’s officially one of driest and hottest places on Earth.

With temperatures that often reach 50+ degrees, it’s easy to see why.  This is a surreal piece of real estate that’s strewn with active volcanoes, salted basins, hot springs, and a lava lake – all of which combine to create a very lunar-like landscape.

Sitting below sea level, it’s the lowest point in Africa and second in the world (after the Dead Sea).

Do a bit of planning before you go as the climate can be harsh if you aren’t prepared.  But the beauty and mystery of this place make any preparation well worth it.

2. Lalibela

Lalibela pretty much blows the mind of everyone who visits.  This medieval settlement was designed to be a kind of second Jerusalem and modern day inhabitants remain proud of this distinction.

Lalibela is perched in the middle of a broad church complex made entire of rock.

There are 11 churches in the settlement, monolithic and grand, all built by King Lalibela as early as the 12th century.

Remarkable because of the architectural design, the churches are actually dug into the ground.

The most famous, and most beautiful, is St George’s Cathedral.  An awe-inspiring sight.

If you’re so inclined, there are several monasteries in the nearby area that are worth visiting.

This holy, historic and walled city is a mesmerizing web of narrow alleyways. Built in the early 16th century, it’s the oldest Islamic city in Africa.

It was once the commercial link between Africa and the middle east and today is an enchanting lost-in-time city that’s famous for the impressive walls and centuries old buildings.

There are roughly 99 mosques within the city.  A popular attraction is the nightly ritual of feeding they hyenas which happens on the outskirts of the city.

It’s been taking place for generations and you can participate if you’re feeling adventurous.

4. Babile Elephant Sanctuary

Only about 1,000 elephants remain in Ethiopia, and by far the largest and most visible herd lives in the Babile Elephant Sanctuary.

A short drive from Harar, Babile is also home to gazelles, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and tons of exotic birds.

The landscape morphs from rocky outcrops to lovely tree dotted landscapes.

Roughly 400 elephants live here and you’ll really love the walking safaris that run each day.

5. The Rift Valley

The Rift Valley is a chain of seven lakes – each with its own distinct feel.  The passage includes wonderful lakes, hot springs, and lots of fun wildlife.

If you’ve come to Africa for the wildlife, you’ll love the Rift Valley.  Tourists and locals love to spend time near the hot springs for its therapeutic benefits and because it’s a fabulous way to relax.

It makes for a nice road trip to travel the entire length of the valley.

6. The Blue Nile Falls

The Nile River is the longest in Africa and its two tributaries are the White Nile and the Blue Nile.

The Blue Nile begins in Ethiopia and along its course you’ll find the   Blue Nile Falls – a spot to rival Niagara.

About 90 minutes from Bahar Dar the scenery here is truly breath-taking. Locally known as Tis Abbay, or ‘great smoke,’ the falls are about 45 metres high during the rainy season.

Just downstream from the falls you’ll find Ethiopia’s first stone bridge, built in the 17th century.

7. The Omo Valley

This is a wonderfully unique look into the tribal people of Ethiopia.  Similar to the Maasai in Kenya, the villages in the Lower Omo Valley haven’t been influenced by the outside world.

Here you’ll interact with people whose culture is dramatically different from your own.

Visit Daasanach village, try not to stare at the Mursi’s unbelievable lip-plates, or view the jumping of the bull’s ceremony with the Hammer.

The region itself is a lovely open savannah leading up to forests in the hills. And if you’re interested, you can also try an African safari while you’re here.

The 18th century of Ethiopia was Gondar, where then Emperor Fasiladas built his fairy tale castles.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is now a wonderful museum complex that showcases the last centuries of the country’s emperors.

Lying in a bowl of hills, the Camelot of Africa is a magnificent sight.

The wealth and splendor of this ancient capital can still be seen in the modern city.

Despite its size Gondar is extremely walkable – start from the Italian piazza in the city centre and enjoy a stroll through tin-roofed stone buildings.

Great shopping, restaurants, and hotels are all available here. In nearby Gorgora you’ll find a small but impressive Christian monastery.

Aksum is a land steeped in folklore.  Believed to have been the home of the Queen of Sheba and the final resting place of the Ark of the Covenant, this is one of the oldest cities in all of Africa.

Look over the walls of the St Mary of Zion Church Complex where the Ark is supposedly kept and visit the Northern Stelea Field to see the ancient Aksumite Obelisks.

Despite the incredible history here, because it’s a small town, Aksum is often overlooked by tourists.

Enjoy discovering the relics throughout the city, visit mountaintop monasteries, and go underground to view Aksumite empire tombs.

Don’t forget to check out Mai Shum, a large rock hewn reservoir that local tribes believe the Queen of Sheba used as her bath.

10. Addis Ababa

Though Addis Ababa is a large city complete with traffic and urban sprawl, cars still have to make way for shepherds herding their flocks across the road.

Many call it the capital of Africa because the African Union is headquartered here (all but one of Africa’s 57 countries belong to the AU).

Addis Ababa has the largest market in Africa, incredible cathedrals, churches, and mosques, and the museum that is home to Lucy, the oldest known humanoid in the world.

For the surrounding locals, the city is a magical place whose streets are paved with gold, for visitors, it’s the perfect blend of traditional and modern Ethiopia.

11. Simien Mountains

The Simien Mountain range is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and is rightfully known as God’s playground.

A trek alone the escarpment provides one of the most phenomenal vistas in the country.

You’re also guaranteed to run in to a group of the Gelada bleeding heart baboons.

Inside the Simien National park are a wide variety of wildlife like the Walia ibex, a goat found nowhere else on Earth.

12. Bahar Dar

The third largest city and first stop on the historic circuit in Ethiopia is Bahar Dar.

The vibe in the town is relaxed and the nearby lake and monasteries only add to this.

If you haven’t spent time lounging by the lake, then you haven’t had the real Bahar Dar experience.

You’ll marvel at the tankwa canoe, a seemingly flimsy vessels made out of woven papyrus which are absolutely unsinkable.  They can handle men and ox!

13. Rift Valley Lakes

The Rift Valley stretches from the Red Sea to Mozambique. It’s an incredible piece of real estate and millions of years from now the rifting process, that is ongoing, will entirely split the African continent in two.

It’s one of the few geographic features that’s visible from space! It’s an incredible route to travel overland, heading southeast from Addis Ababa, through Mojo, Lake Ziway, Awahs National Park, and beyond.

There are a total of five lakes along the route, each with their own unique look and feel.

14. Lake Chamo ‘Crocodile Market’

If you’re imagining a lively bazaar filled with crocodile products made for tourists, you couldn’t be more wrong.

Nothing is for sale and the crocs are alive and well at Lake Chamo.  Take an afternoon or early evening boat ride on the lake where you’ll get an up close and personal view of these massive and magnificent creatures.

You’ll be surprised to see entire banks along the lake covered with huge Nile crocodiles – some reaching over six metres long.

15. Arba Minch

Named after the Amharic word for ‘forty springs,’ Arba Minch is an area of many tiny springs that bubble up from the ridge below them.

It’s a lovely 3k walk through Nechisar National Park to reach the springs.

If you use this area as a stop on the southern Ethiopian circuit, you won’t be disappointed.

15 Best Places to Visit in Ethiopia:

• Danakil Depression
• Babile Elephant Sanctuary
• The Rift Valley
• The Blue Nile Falls
• The Omo Valley
• Addis Ababa
• Simien Mountains
• Rift Valley Lakes
• Lake Chamo ‘Crocodile Market’

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Travel Vaccines and Advice for Ethiopia

Said to be one of the oldest nations in the world, Ethiopia has a lot to offer those visiting its borders. The country has stunning landscapes with varying terrain and history going to prehistoric times.

Enjoy rafting on the Omo River, see the enormous crocodiles in Lake Chomo, or hike to historic churches. These gorgeous sites offer peculiar experiences that you can only get in Ethiopia.

Enjoy the hub of city life in Addis Ababa. Sit in the plaza and sip some coffee whilst taking in the culture and hospitality of the country.

Do I Need Vaccines for Ethiopia?

Yes, some vaccines are recommended or required for Ethiopia. The National Travel Health Network and Centre and WHO recommend the following vaccinations for Ethiopia: COVID-19 , hepatitis A , hepatitis B , typhoid , cholera , yellow fever , rabies , meningitis , polio and tetanus .

See the bullets below to learn more about some of these key immunizations:

• COVID-19 – Airborne – Recommended for all travellers
• Hepatitis A – Food & Water – Recommended for most travellers to the region, especially if unvaccinated.
• Hepatitis B – Blood & Body Fluids – Accelerated schedule available
• Tetanus – Wounds or Breaks in Skin – Recommended for travelers to most regions, especially if not previously vaccinated.
• Typhoid – Food & Water – Jab lasts 3 years. Oral vaccine lasts 5 years, must be able to swallow pills. Oral doses must be kept in refrigerator.
• Cholera – Food & Water – Recommended for travel to most regions.
• Yellow Fever – Mosquito – Required if travelling from a region with yellow fever. Recommended for all travellers over 9 months of age. Generally not recommended for Afar and Somali provinces.
• Rabies – Saliva of Infected Animals – High risk country. Vaccine recommended for long-stay travellers and those who may come in contact with animals.
• Meningitis – Airborne & Direct Contact – Located in the meningitis belt, vaccination is recommended during the dry season (Dec. – June)
• Polio – Food & Water – Recommended for some travellers to the region. Single adult booster recommended.

See the table below for more information:

Ethiopia sits in the meningitis belt. This region of Africa is known for it’s meningitis transmission from December through June. Ensure you are vaccinated against all forms of meningitis before your trip.

Mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue are in Ethiopia. Ensure you’re protected with antimalarials, repellents and netting. A travel health specialist will help you determine what protection is right for you.

Visit our vaccinations page to learn more. Travel safely with Passport Health and schedule your appointment today by calling or book online now .

Do I Need a Visa for Ethiopia?

Visas are required for all travellers to Ethiopia. On arrival visas are available for tourists, other travellers must apply before travel. Passports should be valid for at least six months from the point of entry. Proof of yellow fever vaccination may be required if you are travelling from a region where yellow fever is present. Business visas often require prior approval from the Ethiopian department of Immigration and Nationality Affairs.

Sources: Embassy of Ethiopia and GOV.UK

What Is the Climate Like in Ethiopia?

Ethiopia’s main climate is tropical monsoon. Weather will vary depending on the region. Here are 3 of the major cities and what you can expect when you travel:

• Addis Ababa – The capital of Ethiopia is on the foothills of Mount Entoto. With an elevation of around 2,400 metres, you can experience a pleasant climate year round. Expect average temperatures in the high-teens to low-20’s. The main wet season is from June to September with higher temperatures.
• Mekele – This city is located in the Tigrayan Highlands in the north of the country. The warmest it gets is mid-20’s and the coolest is in the teens. Be cautious of travelling during the wet months. Many roads can be inaccessible due to flooding.
• Adama – Also known as Nazret or Nazareth, this city is a major weekend destination located near Addis. With a similar elevation of Addis Ababa, the climate is about the same.

Most of the major cities in Ethiopia have a similar elevation to Addis Ababa. If you’re travelling to lower regions, the climate can be hotter and drier depending on the time you travel.

Be sure to take this into account when packing your bags.

Is Ethiopia Safe?

Ethiopia has had some terrorist attacks over the last few years. Travellers should take extra precautions especially in the Oromia and Amhara regions.

Be cautious of areas with large gatherings. If you think a protest may be forming try to leave the area as a precaution.

Remain alert and cautious if travelling near bordering countries of Ethiopia. There is a high threat of landmines along the western border and tensions are high due to ethnic conflicts.

Ethiopia has a low crime rate compared to other African countries. As with any major city, be wary of pick-pocketing and other theft that are common in Addis Ababa. Many of the crimes are petty but some violent robberies have been known to occur.

Stay alert, take your surroundings into consideration, plan your trips ahead of time, and ensure you have everything you need.

Crocodiles at Lake Chomo

Lake Chomo is home to scores of crocodiles lounging around in the sun. If you’re lucky you’ll see other natural wildlife such as hippos and shore birds.

If you’re looking for a great way to be up close with wildlife, you’re able to take a boat tour around the lake. The Rift Valley Boat Service Association is in control of making these trips. It’s best to visit early morning to mid-afternoon to see the crocodiles. The boat ride may only take about half an hour, but the whole trip could take longer. Allow two or more hours for the trip and plan accordingly.

What Should I Pack for Ethiopia?

What you need to take to Ethiopia will depend on when you are travelling. Ensure you bring these items with you:

• Rain Gear – If you’re visiting during the wet season bring protective gear against the rain. Consider bringing waterproof shoes. They can help so you don’t need to pack extra socks in your day bag.
• Comfortable Hiking Shoes – A lot of Ethiopia’s wonders involve varying terrain and activities like hiking or climbing. Pack shoes you’ve already broken in and are comfortable wearing for long periods of time.
• Lightweight Jacket – With varying elevation you may find yourself needing to layer. Higher elevations have a different climate. Ne sure to have a decent jacket you don’t mind carrying around for when it gets warmer.

Embassy of the United Kingdom in Ethiopia

If you are in Ethiopia and have an emergency (for example, been attacked, arrested or someone has died) contact the nearest consular services. Contact the embassy before arrival if you have additional questions on entry requirements, safety concerns or are in need of assistance.

British Embassy Addis Ababa Comoros Street Addis Ababa 858 Ethiopia Telephone: +251 11 6170100 Emergency Phone: +251 (0)11 617 0100 Fax: +251 11 617 55 58 Contact Form: Click Here

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On This Page: What Vaccines Do I Need for Ethiopia? Do I Need a Visa for Ethiopia? What Is the Climate Like in Ethiopia? Is Ethiopia Safe? Crocodiles at Lake Chomo What Should I Pack for Ethiopia? Embassy of the United Kingdom in Ethiopia

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Ethiopia Traveler View

Travel health notices, vaccines and medicines, non-vaccine-preventable diseases, stay healthy and safe.

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After Your Trip

Be aware of current health issues in Ethiopia. Learn how to protect yourself.

Level 1 Practice Usual Precautions

• Global Measles March 22, 2024 Many international destinations are reporting increased numbers of cases of measles. Destination List: Afghanistan, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Republic of South Sudan, Republic of the Congo, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Zambia
• Dengue in Africa and the Middle East February 16, 2024 Dengue is a risk in many parts of Africa and the Middle East. Some countries are reporting increased numbers of cases of the disease. Travelers to Africa and the Middle East can protect themselves by preventing mosquito bites. Destination List: Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritius, Senegal, Sudan

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Check the vaccines and medicines list and visit your doctor at least a month before your trip to get vaccines or medicines you may need. If you or your doctor need help finding a location that provides certain vaccines or medicines, visit the Find a Clinic page.

Routine vaccines

Recommendations.

Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip. Some of these vaccines include

• Chickenpox (Varicella)
• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
• Flu (influenza)
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)

Immunization schedules

All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Please see  Your COVID-19 Vaccination  for more information. 

COVID-19 vaccine

Active cholera transmission is  widespread  in Ethiopia. Cholera is rare in travelers.  Certain factors  may increase the risk of getting cholera or having severe disease ( more information ). Avoiding unsafe food and water and washing your hands can also help prevent cholera.

Vaccination may be considered for children and adults who are traveling to areas of active cholera transmission.

Cholera - CDC Yellow Book

Hepatitis A

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to Ethiopia.

Infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated against Hepatitis A. The dose does not count toward the routine 2-dose series.

Travelers allergic to a vaccine component or who are younger than 6 months should receive a single dose of immune globulin, which provides effective protection for up to 2 months depending on dosage given.

Unvaccinated travelers who are over 40 years old, immunocompromised, or have chronic medical conditions planning to depart to a risk area in less than 2 weeks should get the initial dose of vaccine and at the same appointment receive immune globulin.

Hepatitis A - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep A

Hepatitis B

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers of all ages traveling to Ethiopia.

Hepatitis B - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep B

CDC recommends that travelers going to certain areas of Ethiopia take prescription medicine to prevent malaria. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip. Talk to your doctor about which malaria medication you should take.

Find  country-specific information  about malaria.

Malaria - CDC Yellow Book

Considerations when choosing a drug for malaria prophylaxis (CDC Yellow Book)

Malaria information for Ethiopia.

Cases of measles are on the rise worldwide. Travelers are at risk of measles if they have not been fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to departure, or have not had measles in the past, and travel internationally to areas where measles is spreading.

All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, including an early dose for infants 6–11 months, according to  CDC’s measles vaccination recommendations for international travel .

Measles (Rubeola) - CDC Yellow Book

Meningitis (Meningococcal disease)

Recommended for travelers 2 months old or older traveling to  areas of Ethiopia  that are part of the meningitis belt during the dry season.

Meningococcal disease - CDC Yellow Book

Meningitis Belt Map

Rabid dogs are commonly found in Ethiopia. If you are bitten or scratched by a dog or other mammal while in Ethiopia, there may be limited or no rabies treatment available. 

Consider rabies vaccination before your trip if your activities mean you will be around dogs or wildlife.

Travelers more likely to encounter rabid animals include

• Campers, adventure travelers, or cave explorers (spelunkers)
• Veterinarians, animal handlers, field biologists, or laboratory workers handling animal specimens
• Visitors to rural areas

Since children are more likely to be bitten or scratched by a dog or other animals, consider rabies vaccination for children traveling to Ethiopia. 

Rabies - CDC Yellow Book

Recommended for most travelers, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas.

Typhoid - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Typhoid

Yellow Fever

Required for travelers ≥9 months old arriving from countries with risk for YF virus transmission; this includes >12-hour airport transits or layovers in countries with risk for YF virus transmission. 1

Recommended for all travelers ≥9 months old except as follows. Generally not recommended for travel limited to the regions of Afar or Somali.

Yellow Fever - CDC Yellow Book

• Avoid contaminated water

Leptospirosis

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)

• Touching urine or other body fluids from an animal infected with leptospirosis
• Swimming or wading in urine-contaminated fresh water, or contact with urine-contaminated mud
• Drinking water or eating food contaminated with animal urine
• Avoid contaminated water and soil

Clinical Guidance

Schistosomiasis

• Wading, swimming, bathing, or washing in contaminated freshwater streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, or untreated pools.

Avoid bug bites

African tick-bite fever.

• Avoid Bug Bites

African Tick-bite fever

Chikungunya

• Mosquito bite

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever

• Tick bite 
• Touching the body fluids of a person or animal infected with CCHF
• Mosquito bite

Leishmaniasis

• Sand fly bite
• An infected pregnant woman can spread it to her unborn baby

Airborne & droplet

• Breathing in air or accidentally eating food contaminated with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents
• Bite from an infected rodent
• Less commonly, being around someone sick with hantavirus (only occurs with Andes virus)
• Avoid rodents and areas where they live
• Avoid sick people

Tuberculosis (TB)

• Breathe in TB bacteria that is in the air from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing.

Learn actions you can take to stay healthy and safe on your trip. Vaccines cannot protect you from many diseases in Ethiopia, so your behaviors are important.

Eat and drink safely

Food and water standards around the world vary based on the destination. Standards may also differ within a country and risk may change depending on activity type (e.g., hiking versus business trip). You can learn more about safe food and drink choices when traveling by accessing the resources below.

• Choose Safe Food and Drinks When Traveling
• Water Treatment Options When Hiking, Camping or Traveling
• Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene | Healthy Water
• Avoid Contaminated Water During Travel

You can also visit the Department of State Country Information Pages for additional information about food and water safety.

Prevent bug bites

Bugs (like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas) can spread a number of diseases in Ethiopia. Many of these diseases cannot be prevented with a vaccine or medicine. You can reduce your risk by taking steps to prevent bug bites.

What can I do to prevent bug bites?

• Cover exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats.
• Use an appropriate insect repellent (see below).
• Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents). Do not use permethrin directly on skin.
• Stay and sleep in air-conditioned or screened rooms.
• Use a bed net if the area where you are sleeping is exposed to the outdoors.

What type of insect repellent should I use?

• FOR PROTECTION AGAINST TICKS AND MOSQUITOES: Use a repellent that contains 20% or more DEET for protection that lasts up to several hours.
• Picaridin (also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin)
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD)
• 2-undecanone
• Always use insect repellent as directed.

What should I do if I am bitten by bugs?

• Avoid scratching bug bites, and apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to reduce the itching.
• Check your entire body for ticks after outdoor activity. Be sure to remove ticks properly.

What can I do to avoid bed bugs?

Although bed bugs do not carry disease, they are an annoyance. See our information page about avoiding bug bites for some easy tips to avoid them. For more information on bed bugs, see Bed Bugs .

For more detailed information on avoiding bug bites, see Avoid Bug Bites .

Stay safe outdoors

If your travel plans in Ethiopia include outdoor activities, take these steps to stay safe and healthy during your trip.

• Stay alert to changing weather conditions and adjust your plans if conditions become unsafe.
• Prepare for activities by wearing the right clothes and packing protective items, such as bug spray, sunscreen, and a basic first aid kit.
• Consider learning basic first aid and CPR before travel. Bring a travel health kit with items appropriate for your activities.
• If you are outside for many hours in heat, eat salty snacks and drink water to stay hydrated and replace salt lost through sweating.
• Protect yourself from UV radiation : use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, wear protective clothing, and seek shade during the hottest time of day (10 a.m.–4 p.m.).
• Be especially careful during summer months and at high elevation. Because sunlight reflects off snow, sand, and water, sun exposure may be increased during activities like skiing, swimming, and sailing.
• Very cold temperatures can be dangerous. Dress in layers and cover heads, hands, and feet properly if you are visiting a cold location.

Stay safe around water

• Swim only in designated swimming areas. Obey lifeguards and warning flags on beaches.
• Practice safe boating—follow all boating safety laws, do not drink alcohol if driving a boat, and always wear a life jacket.
• Do not dive into shallow water.
• Do not swim in freshwater in developing areas or where sanitation is poor.
• Avoid swallowing water when swimming. Untreated water can carry germs that make you sick.
• To prevent infections, wear shoes on beaches where there may be animal waste.

Schistosomiasis, a parasitic infection that can be spread in fresh water, is found in Ethiopia. Avoid swimming in fresh, unchlorinated water, such as lakes, ponds, or rivers.

Keep away from animals

Most animals avoid people, but they may attack if they feel threatened, are protecting their young or territory, or if they are injured or ill. Animal bites and scratches can lead to serious diseases such as rabies.

Follow these tips to protect yourself:

• Do not touch or feed any animals you do not know.
• Do not allow animals to lick open wounds, and do not get animal saliva in your eyes or mouth.
• Avoid rodents and their urine and feces.
• Traveling pets should be supervised closely and not allowed to come in contact with local animals.
• If you wake in a room with a bat, seek medical care immediately. Bat bites may be hard to see.

All animals can pose a threat, but be extra careful around dogs, bats, monkeys, sea animals such as jellyfish, and snakes. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal, immediately:

• Wash the wound with soap and clean water.
• Go to a doctor right away.
• Tell your doctor about your injury when you get back to the United States.

Consider buying medical evacuation insurance. Rabies is a deadly disease that must be treated quickly, and treatment may not be available in some countries.

Reduce your exposure to germs

Follow these tips to avoid getting sick or spreading illness to others while traveling:

• Wash your hands often, especially before eating.
• If soap and water aren’t available, clean hands with hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol).
• Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. If you need to touch your face, make sure your hands are clean.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
• Try to avoid contact with people who are sick.
• If you are sick, stay home or in your hotel room, unless you need medical care.

Avoid sharing body fluids

Diseases can be spread through body fluids, such as saliva, blood, vomit, and semen.

Protect yourself:

• Use latex condoms correctly.
• Do not inject drugs.
• Limit alcohol consumption. People take more risks when intoxicated.
• Do not share needles or any devices that can break the skin. That includes needles for tattoos, piercings, and acupuncture.
• If you receive medical or dental care, make sure the equipment is disinfected or sanitized.

Know how to get medical care while traveling

Plan for how you will get health care during your trip, should the need arise:

• Carry a list of local doctors and hospitals at your destination.
• Review your health insurance plan to determine what medical services it would cover during your trip. Consider purchasing travel health and medical evacuation insurance.
• Carry a card that identifies, in the local language, your blood type, chronic conditions or serious allergies, and the generic names of any medications you take.
• Some prescription drugs may be illegal in other countries. Call Ethiopia’s embassy to verify that all of your prescription(s) are legal to bring with you.
• Bring all the medicines (including over-the-counter medicines) you think you might need during your trip, including extra in case of travel delays. Ask your doctor to help you get prescriptions filled early if you need to.

Many foreign hospitals and clinics are accredited by the Joint Commission International. A list of accredited facilities is available at their website ( www.jointcommissioninternational.org ).

In some countries, medicine (prescription and over-the-counter) may be substandard or counterfeit. Bring the medicines you will need from the United States to avoid having to buy them at your destination.

Malaria is a risk in Ethiopia. Fill your malaria prescription before you leave and take enough with you for the entire length of your trip. Follow your doctor’s instructions for taking the pills; some need to be started before you leave.

Select safe transportation

Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of healthy US citizens in foreign countries.

In many places cars, buses, large trucks, rickshaws, bikes, people on foot, and even animals share the same lanes of traffic, increasing the risk for crashes.

Be smart when you are traveling on foot.

• Use sidewalks and marked crosswalks.
• Pay attention to the traffic around you, especially in crowded areas.
• Remember, people on foot do not always have the right of way in other countries.

Riding/Driving

Choose a safe vehicle.

• Choose official taxis or public transportation, such as trains and buses.
• Ride only in cars that have seatbelts.
• Avoid overcrowded, overloaded, top-heavy buses and minivans.
• Avoid riding on motorcycles or motorbikes, especially motorbike taxis. (Many crashes are caused by inexperienced motorbike drivers.)
• Choose newer vehicles—they may have more safety features, such as airbags, and be more reliable.
• Choose larger vehicles, which may provide more protection in crashes.

Think about the driver.

• Do not drive after drinking alcohol or ride with someone who has been drinking.
• Consider hiring a licensed, trained driver familiar with the area.
• Arrange payment before departing.

Follow basic safety tips.

• Wear a seatbelt at all times.
• Sit in the back seat of cars and taxis.
• When on motorbikes or bicycles, always wear a helmet. (Bring a helmet from home, if needed.)
• Avoid driving at night; street lighting in certain parts of Ethiopia may be poor.
• Do not use a cell phone or text while driving (illegal in many countries).
• Travel during daylight hours only, especially in rural areas.
• If you choose to drive a vehicle in Ethiopia, learn the local traffic laws and have the proper paperwork.
• Get any driving permits and insurance you may need. Get an International Driving Permit (IDP). Carry the IDP and a US-issued driver's license at all times.
• Check with your auto insurance policy's international coverage, and get more coverage if needed. Make sure you have liability insurance.
• Avoid using local, unscheduled aircraft.
• If possible, fly on larger planes (more than 30 seats); larger airplanes are more likely to have regular safety inspections.
• Try to schedule flights during daylight hours and in good weather.

Medical Evacuation Insurance

If you are seriously injured, emergency care may not be available or may not meet US standards. Trauma care centers are uncommon outside urban areas. Having medical evacuation insurance can be helpful for these reasons.

Helpful Resources

Road Safety Overseas (Information from the US Department of State): Includes tips on driving in other countries, International Driving Permits, auto insurance, and other resources.

The Association for International Road Travel has country-specific Road Travel Reports available for most countries for a minimal fee.

Maintain personal security

Use the same common sense traveling overseas that you would at home, and always stay alert and aware of your surroundings.

Before you leave

• Research your destination(s), including local laws, customs, and culture.
• Monitor travel advisories and alerts and read travel tips from the US Department of State.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) .
• Leave a copy of your itinerary, contact information, credit cards, and passport with someone at home.
• Pack as light as possible, and leave at home any item you could not replace.

While at your destination(s)

• Carry contact information for the nearest US embassy or consulate .
• Carry a photocopy of your passport and entry stamp; leave the actual passport securely in your hotel.
• Follow all local laws and social customs.
• Do not wear expensive clothing or jewelry.
• Always keep hotel doors locked, and store valuables in secure areas.
• If possible, choose hotel rooms between the 2nd and 6th floors.

Healthy Travel Packing List

Use the Healthy Travel Packing List for Ethiopia for a list of health-related items to consider packing for your trip. Talk to your doctor about which items are most important for you.

Why does CDC recommend packing these health-related items?

It’s best to be prepared to prevent and treat common illnesses and injuries. Some supplies and medicines may be difficult to find at your destination, may have different names, or may have different ingredients than what you normally use.

If you are not feeling well after your trip, you may need to see a doctor. If you need help finding a travel medicine specialist, see Find a Clinic . Be sure to tell your doctor about your travel, including where you went and what you did on your trip. Also tell your doctor if you were bitten or scratched by an animal while traveling.

If your doctor prescribed antimalarial medicine for your trip, keep taking the rest of your pills after you return home. If you stop taking your medicine too soon, you could still get sick.

Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness. If you become ill with a fever either while traveling in a malaria-risk area or after you return home (for up to 1 year), you should seek immediate medical attention and should tell the doctor about your travel history.

For more information on what to do if you are sick after your trip, see Getting Sick after Travel .

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Ethiopia Travel Advice: What to Do + Tips for Visiting

E thiopia is one of the most vibrant countries in Northern Africa, known for its coffee trade, amazing scenery, fascinating history and unique tribal cultures.

Those looking for an off-the-beaten-path experience in a totally unique and authentic African country, will find all this and more in Ethiopia.

But one should not just venture into Ethiopia without the proper knowledge and guidance from an expert.

That’s why as part of our “ Travel Tips ” series we interviewed Marcello Arrambide , who traveled throughout Ethiopia for roughly three months and lived there for two months.

Marcello share’s with us his Ethiopia travel advice and knowledge on what to do in Ethiopia Africa, as well as some information about safety, what to prepare before you go, and how to get around.

Take it away Marcello…

Why Visit Ethiopia?

Tours of ethiopia, vaccines & medicine needed for ethiopia, visa requirements for ethiopia, atms and credit cards, best areas to explore in ethiopia, markets or shopping districts in ethiopia, major events and festivals in ethiopia.

• You Can't Visit Ethiopia Without Eating…

Where to Drink Coffee in Ethiopia

Where to stay in ethiopia, getting there and away, is ethiopia wifi friendly, best time of year to visit ethiopia, final word of advice for traveling to ethiopia, more northern africa travel tips.

Ethiopia has a tremendous amount of history and culture and is one of the most ancient civilizations that we have today.

It is one of the only places in the world that has a completely unique culture that isn’t similar to others.

The costs of traveling to Ethiopia are extremely cheap, the food is delicious, crime is almost nonexistent, and if you like coffee why not go to the place that invented it?

But first, real talk…

Is Ethiopia Safe to Travel?

Safety in Ethiopia is an issue, and we’re not going to lie to you. Most people will tell you it’s safe, but we would advise against visiting unless on an organized tour – safety in numbers, and all that.

The UK Gov , U.S. embassy and Australian government says not to visit Ethiopia for non-essential travel due to armed conflict, civil unrest and rising tensions between tribes.

The truth is, anything can happen in Ethiopia. While it’s generally safer in areas such as Addis Ababa, terrorists can attack with little warning and the security forces are not always able to stop it from happening.

However, crimes against tourists are relatively low . Tourists may encounter petty crimes such as pickpocketing, mugging and vehicle theft, but assaults and terrorism have been known to happen.

It’s also not uncommon to hear about terrorists kidnapping foreigners, though this is very rare. If you stay in a large group, and stick to public places and touristy areas , you minimize the risk of getting caught up with the local violence.

You should also make sure to stay away from demonstrations and large gatherings .

You can also avoid civil unrest in Ethiopia by staying clear of the dangerous areas.

It’s not recommended to travel to areas on the Ethiopian border with Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya, Somali Regional State or the Gambela Regional State.

The border roads are where most of the clashes between armed groups happen , so stay clear of those.

The Regional State of Tigray and the northern territories of the Amhara Region and Afar Region bordering Tigray, and the East and West Wollega Zones in Oromia Regional State and Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, are also considered unsafe.

There is a peace agreement between Ethiopia and The Regional State of Tigray which has eased some disruption, but the security situation is still not considered totally safe.

Oh and you need to watch out for landmines . Another good reason to book a trip to Ethiopia with an organized tour!

If you’re worried about traveling to Ethiopia as an independent traveler, G Adventures offer small-group guided tours for ages 18+.

Check out this 10 Day Discover Ethiopia Tour with G Adventures.

What to Prepare for an Ethiopia Trip

So if we haven’t put you off with our honest word of warning on safety, then read on to find out what you need to prepare before you visit…

As with all African countries, you’re going to need to get some vaccinations before visiting. The following vaccinations are recommended for travel to Ethiopia:

• Hepatitis A
• Up to date Tetanus and MMR vaccine
• Yellow Fever if you are travelling from a country in a Yellow Fever Zone (usually South America)
• You should also bring malaria tablets

Medical facilities are scarce in Ethiopia, especially in Addis Ababa and rural areas.

As of February 2023, there are renovations taking place at the Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa, which means you are less likely to receive medical assistance and if you do, it will be expensive.

If you plan to hike the Simien Mountains and Bale Mountains, bring altitude sickness pills, as medical evacuation is very expensive.

Basically, wear insect repellent and try not to get seriously sick and you shall be fine.

Most countries need a visa to travel to Ethiopia, even other African Nationals. You can check the visa requirements for your country here .

You need to have a valid passport with at least six months left until expiry, and two empty pages for your visa to enter Ethiopia.

ATMs are limited in most areas in Ethiopia and it’s not common for places to accept cards.

The major banks in the city usually accepts international cards for withdrawals.

Our advice is to book and pay for tours and hotels online beforehand, and then only take out as much cash as you need. You don’t want to carry too much cash due for safety reasons.

Side note: ATMs are often not working, so you may need to try a few until you get one that works.

Best Things to See and Do in Ethiopia

Ethiopia has so many incredible tourist attractions worth visiting. The Omo Valley is a very interesting cultural experience as they are one of the last parts of the world that haven’t been influenced by the western world.

Ethiopia is the only place you can access Somaliland (Somalia) , the real-life Camelot can be found in Gondar, the second Jerusalem in Lalibela, and the history of a powerful empire in the city Axum.

Don’t forget the bustling an interesting capital, Addis Ababa , that can easily be called the capital of Africa. Once you head to the East you can visit the fourth most religious city for Muslims in Harar and feed hyenas.

• Addis Ababa

• The Northern circuit; Axum, Gondar, & Lalibela, Semene Mountains

• The Southern Circuit: Awasa, Omo Valley, Rift Valley Lakes

Addis Ababa is home to Merkato which is one of the largest markets in Africa and the largest open air market on the continent.

To add to the interesting nature of the surrounding area, this is a Muslim neighborhood where you can find very interesting people and things to see.

Timkat, Timkat, Timkat! This is where Ethiopians celebrate Epiphany, commemorating the baptism of Jesus in the river of Jordan. It’s one of the most colorful and best festivals to witness in the country. Timkat is celebrated on January 11th.

Meskel , or finding of the true cross, is also a large celebration where we can see thousands of people celebrating, eating, singing, and an endless amount of flowers being thrown.

I would also recommend that you check out the new year celebrations that are held on September 1 every year. Consider that Ethiopians have their own calendar (dates listed above are in a Western calendar).

Where to Eat in Ethiopia

I tended to already stay away from restaurants and big hotel chains to eat and Ethiopia proved that right. The food is already extremely reasonable and the best places to eat in Ethiopia are in local restaurants.

Anyone is going to serve you some of the best coffee you ever had and the prices many times will be under two or three dollars. There aren’t many street vendors in Ethiopia, the local restaurants are the way to go.

You Can’t Visit Ethiopia Without Eating…

Food in Ethiopia is very unique, while they do have popular choices like many varieties of meat, the sponge like bread called Ingera is unique to their culture and country.

Most Ethiopians eat with their hands and you typically pick up your food with the engineer of bread. You have to try the lamb or beef tibs .

I kid you not when I tell you that I used to drink six or seven machiatos every day because the coffee was that good. There is a coffee ceremony that you should definitely experience which is very unique.

You can find the coffee anywhere in the country including local cafés, hotels, restaurants, and corner stores.

Accommodation in Ethiopia is very reasonable, even in the developed cities like Addis Ababa you’re going to pay anywhere between $7-$15 a night for a private room with a shared bathroom, and up to $20 to $30 for a private room and bathroom.

When choosing a place to stay, we recommend choosing a hotel with a name you know already, or at a hotel with plenty of high-rated reviews.

See availability on Ethiopia hotels, apartments and guest houses on Booking.com

What’s the Best Way to Get to and Around Ethiopia?

Traveling around the country is very cheap, if you’re going over long distances I would recommend that you fly. I bought two round-trip tickets to three different cities for only $210, the roads are atrocious between cities so it is best to fly since the prices are so cheap.

Within city limits you can use local transport which depending on the city can be a combination of toyota vans, three wheeled tuk tuks, and even motorcycle taxis.

The best way to get to Ethiopia would be to fly directly into the country. Flying between countries in Eastern Africa is tremendously expensive and considering the mountainous region that Ethiopia lies in it’s very hard to get information during countries.

The only border that can be crossed by land is via Kenya and even that has seen significant problems. Fly into the capital Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Airlines is one of the best airlines in Africa.

The only thing that Ethiopia does not have is good Internet access , after the war with Eritrea their access to the coast was cut off along with its Internet access. The only place to find good Internet access is a large hotel chains.

It does not have to be a brand name hotel like Hilton or Sheraton but make sure you find a big hotel and you will surely find Internet access.

Most of the time you will be able to find it for free as well as long as you buy something, my favorite is six or seven machiatos.

Read more: How to stay internet safe and private when using free Wi-Fi

The best time overall to visit the country would be in the fall between September to December. You can avoid the rainy season (July – September) in most parts of the country and the weather is also very temperate.

When I was living in Addis Ababa, the days were warm, but not hot, and the evenings were very cool.

Surprisingly, the hottest month is May, which is the driest month of the year and right before the rainy season in the summer.

Many people don’t know that Ethiopia is the religious homeland for Rastafarians (mostly Jamaicans). The last King of Ethiopia is their God and there is a city just outside Addis Ababa which can be considered the Jamaican homeland.

It’s a surreal experience to go to Africa and see all the Rastas around, definitely something you should check out.

I love Ethiopia because Ethiopian culture resembles no other and being such an ancient civilization it’s extremely interesting and fascinating to get to know.

Supposedly, their history descends directly King Solomon. It is extremely cheap, the people are friendly, open to new cultures and people, and the women are beautiful.

We hope this guide helped you plan your trip to Ethiopia and gave you some practical advice for visiting the country.

Bio: Marcello Arrambide is a day trader that has been living overseas in 10 countries across 4 continents. You can find out more about Marcello on his travel blog WanderingTrader, on his Day Trading Academy site, as well as on Facebook   .

Are you planning to visit other parts of North Africa? Then you may find the following resources helpful.

• Reasons to Visit Morocco
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Have you been to Ethiopia and have some more Ethiopia Travel advice? Let us know in the comments!

Update April 12, 2024

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Ethiopia Travel Advisory

Travel advisory july 31, 2023, ethiopia - level 3: reconsider travel.

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.

Reconsider travel to Ethiopia due to  sporadic violent conflict, civil unrest, crime, communications disruptions, terrorism and kidnapping in border areas .

Do Not Travel To:

• Tigray Region and border with Eritrea due to  sporadic violent conflict, civil unrest, and crime .
• Afar-Tigray   border areas  due  to sporadic violent conflict, civil unrest, and crime .
• Amhara Region due to  sporadic violent conflict and civil unrest .
• Gambella and Benishangul Gumuz Regions due to  crime, kidnapping, ethnically motivated violence, and sporadic violent conflict
• Oromia Region – Specific areas due to sporadic violent conflict, civil unrest, and ethnically motivated violence.
• Southern Nations and National People (SNNP) Region due to  sporadic violent conflict, civil unrest, and ethnically motivated violence.
• Border area with Somalia due to  terrorism, kidnapping, and landmines .
• Border areas with Sudan, and South Sudan due to  crime, kidnapping, civil unrest, and sporadic violent conflict.
• Border areas with Kenya due to the potential for  terrorism and ethnically motivated violence.

The security situation in Addis Ababa is stable. However, there is sporadic violent conflict and civil unrest in other areas of Ethiopia, and the security situation may deteriorate without warning. The U.S. Embassy is unlikely to be able to assist with departure from the country if the security situation deteriorates. Due to sporadic violent conflict and civil unrest throughout parts of Ethiopia, travel by U.S. government personnel is routinely assessed for additional restrictions. Please see information on  What the Department of State Can and Can't Do in a Crisis .

U.S. officials have limited ability to provide services to U.S. citizens outside of Addis Ababa and have very limited consular access to U.S. citizens detained by Ethiopian authorities. The government of Ethiopia has previously restricted or shut down internet, cellular data, and phone services before, during, and after civil unrest. These restrictions impede the U.S. Embassy’s ability to communicate with and provide consular services to U.S. citizens in Ethiopia.

Please contact the Embassy’s American Citizen Services Unit at  [email protected]  for further assistance.

Read the  country information page  for additional information about travel to Ethiopia.

If you decide to travel to Ethiopia:

• Monitor local media for breaking events and be prepared to adjust your plans.
• Be aware of your surroundings.
• Stay alert in locations frequented by U.S. citizens/Westerners/foreign travelers.
• Carry a copy of your passport and visa and leave originals in your hotel safe.
• Have evacuation plans that do not rely on U.S. government assistance.
• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Review the  Country Security Report for Ethiopia .
• U.S. citizens who travel abroad should always have a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel.

Tigray Region and Border with Eritrea – Do Not Travel

Due to sporadic violent conflict, civil unrest, and crime, the Tigray Region and the border with Eritrea are restricted for travel by U.S. government personnel, with limited exceptions to support humanitarian capacity and priority diplomatic engagement efforts. Border roads with Eritrea are closed and conditions at the border may change with no warning.

Afar-Tigray Border Area – Do Not Travel

Due to sporadic violent conflict, civil unrest, and crime, the Afar-Tigray border area is restricted for travel by U.S. government personnel, with limited exceptions to support humanitarian capacity and priority diplomatic engagement efforts.

Amhara Region – Do Not Travel 

Due to sporadic violent conflict and civil unrest, the Amhara Region is currently off-limits for U.S. government personnel, with limited exceptions to support humanitarian capacity and priority diplomatic engagement efforts.

Gambella Region – Do Not Travel

Due to crime, kidnapping, the potential for ethnically motivated violence, and sporadic violent conflict, the Gambella Region is restricted for travel by U.S. government personnel, with limited exceptions to support humanitarian capacity and priority diplomatic engagement efforts.

Benishangul Gumuz Region – Do Not Travel

Due to crime, kidnapping, the potential for ethnically motivated violence and sporadic violent conflict, the Benishangul Gumuz Region   is restricted for travel by U.S. government personnel, with limited exceptions to support humanitarian capacity and priority diplomatic engagement efforts.

Oromia Region – Specific Areas – Do Not Travel

Due to sporadic violent conflict, civil unrest, and ethnically motivated violence, the following zones in Oromia are restricted for travel by U.S. government personnel, with limited exceptions to support humanitarian capacity and priority diplomatic engagement efforts: the entirety of Horro-Guduru Wollega, East Wollega, West Wollega, Kelem Wollega, Illubabor, and Bale. Other areas in Oromia include portions of North, West, and Southwest Shewa to the immediate north and west of Addis Ababa; the Boset and Fentale woredas of East Shewa zone between Welenchiti and Awash; portions of the Borena zone surrounding Bule Hora; and portions of Guji zone to the east of Bule Hora.

Southern Nations and National People (SNNP) Region – Specific Areas – Do Not Travel

Due to sporadic violent conflict, civil unrest, and ethnically motivated violence the following towns and areas in SNNP are restricted for travel by U.S. government personnel, with limited exceptions to support humanitarian capacity and priority diplomatic engagement efforts: Gedeo, Konso zones and the Amaro and Derashe special woredas.

Border Area with Somalia – Do Not Travel

Terrorists maintain a presence in Somali towns near the Ethiopian border, presenting a risk of cross-border attacks and kidnappings. Landmines are present in this region. U.S. government personnel are not permitted to travel to the border areas with Somalia, with limited exceptions to support humanitarian capacity efforts.

Border Areas with Sudan and South Sudan – Do Not Travel

Crime, kidnapping, the potential for ethnically motivated violence, and sporadic violent conflict exist near the Ethiopian borders with Sudan and South Sudan. This includes but is not limited to the Nuer Zone and the Jore Woreda of the Agnuak Zone in the Gambela region, and the Pawe, Guba, Dangur, Dibati, and Bulen woredas, and the Metekel zone in the Benishangul Gumuz Region. U.S. government personnel are not permitted to travel to the border areas of Sudan and South Sudan, with limited exceptions to support humanitarian capacity efforts.

Border Areas with Kenya – Do Not Travel

Terrorists, particularly Al-Shabaab, maintain a presence in this area, and ethnically motivated violence has been reported. This includes but is not limited to the Borena zone and surrounding areas. U.S. government personnel are not permitted to travel to the border areas with Kenya, with limited exceptions to support humanitarian capacity efforts.

Visit our website for advice if you decide to  Travel to High-Risk Areas .

Travel Advisory Levels

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Boeing put under Senate scrutiny during back-to-back hearings on aircraft maker’s safety culture

Boeing is in the spotlight as members of Congress examine allegations of major safety failures at the embattled aircraft manufacturer. The Senate held back-to-back hearings on Wednesday to hear from aviation experts and people who have worked at Boeing.

From Left, Boeing Quality Engineer Sam Salehpour; Ed Pierson, Executive Director of The Foundation for Aviation Safety and a Former Boeing Engineer; Joe Jacobsen, Aerospace Engineer and Technical Advisor to the Foundation for Aviation Safety and a former FAA Engineer; and Shawn Pruchnicki, Ph.D, Professional Practice Assistant Professor for Integrated Systems Engineering at The Ohio State University are sworn in before they testify at a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs - Subcommittee on Investigations hearing to examine Boeing’s broken safety culture on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

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Boeing Quality Engineer Sam Salehpour wipes his eyes during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs - Subcommittee on Investigations hearing to examine Boeing’s broken safety culture on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Boeing Quality Engineer Sam Salehpour meets with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., right, before the start of a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs - Subcommittee on Investigations hearing to examine Boeing’s broken safety culture on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

FILE - Boeing employees walk the new Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner down towards the delivery ramp area at the company’s facility after conducting its first test flight at Charleston International Airport, March 31, 2017, in North Charleston, S.C. Boeing will be in the spotlight during back-to-back hearings Wednesday, April 17, 2024, as Congress examines allegations of major safety failures at the embattled aircraft manufacturer. (AP Photo/Mic Smith, File)

Chris Moore, center, holds a photo of his daughter Danielle Moore, who died in the March 2019 crash of Ethiopian Airlines flight 302, during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs - Subcommittee on Investigations hearing to examine Boeing’s broken safety culture on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Daryl Guberman interrupts a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs - Subcommittee on Investigations hearing to examine Boeing’s broken safety culture to announce he has information about Boeing to share with the committee on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Shawn Pruchnicki, Ph.D, a Professional Practice Assistant Professor for Integrated Systems Engineering at The Ohio State University testifies during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs - Subcommittee on Investigations hearing to examine Boeing’s broken safety culture on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Dr. Javier de Luis, left, testifies before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearings to examine the FAA Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) Expert Panel Report with Dr. Tracy Dillinger, center and Dr. Najmedin Meshkation on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Dr. Tracy Dillinger, right, testifies before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearings to examine the FAA Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) Expert Panel Report with Dr. Javier de Luis, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., left, talks with Dr. Tracy Dillinger, Manager for Safety Culture and Human Factors, National Aeronautics and Space Administration before the start of a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing to examine the FAA Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) Expert Panel Report on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

FILE - An airplane flies over a sign on Boeing’s 737 delivery center, Oct. 19, 2015, at Boeing Field in Seattle. Boeing will be in the spotlight during back-to-back hearings Wednesday, April 17, 2024, as Congress examines allegations of major safety failures at the embattled aircraft manufacturer. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

An engineer at Boeing said Wednesday that the aircraft company, in rushing to produce as many planes as possible, is taking manufacturing shortcuts that could lead to jetliners breaking apart.

“They are putting out defective airplanes,” the engineer, Sam Salehpour, told members of a Senate subcommittee .

Salehpour was testifying about Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, hundreds of which are in use by airlines, mostly on international routes. He spoke while another Senate committee held a separate hearing on the safety culture at Boeing.

The dual hearings were a sign of the intense pressure on Boeing since a door-plug panel blew off a 737 Max jetliner during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. The company is under multiple investigations , and the FBI has told passengers from the flight that they might be victims of a crime . Regulators limited Boeing’s rate of aircraft production, and even minor incidents involving its planes attract news coverage.

Salehpour alleged that workers at a Boeing factory used excessive force to jam together sections of fuselage on the Dreamliner. The extra force could compromise the carbon-composite material used for the plane’s frame, he said.

The engineer said he studied Boeing’s own data and concluded “that the company is taking manufacturing shortcuts on the 787 program that could significantly reduce the airplane’s safety and the life cycle.”

Salehpour said that when he raised concern about the matter, his boss asked whether he was “in or out” – part of the team, or not. “‘Are you going to just shut up?’ ... that’s how i interpreted it,” he said.

Boeing said retaliation is strictly prohibited. A spokesperson said the company encourages employees to speak up, and that since January it has seen more than a 500% increase in employee reports on a company portal.

The hearing of the investigations subcommittee marked the first time Salehpour has described his concern about the 787 and another plane, the Boeing 777, in public. Senators said they were shocked and appalled by the information. Democrats and Republicans alike expressed their dismay with the iconic American aircraft manufacturer.

The company says claims about the Dreamliner’s structural integrity are false. Two Boeing engineering executives said this week that in both design testing and inspections of planes — some of them 12 years old — there were no findings of fatigue or cracking in the composite panels. They suggested that the material, formed from carbon fibers and resin, is nearly impervious to fatigue, which is a constant worry with conventional aluminum fuselages.

The Boeing officials also dismissed another of Salehpour’s allegations: that he saw factory workers jumping on sections of fuselage on another one of Boeing’s largest passenger planes, the 777, to make them align.

Separately on Wednesday, the Senate Commerce Committee heard testimony from members of an expert panel that found serious flaws in Boeing’s safety culture.

One of the panel members, MIT aeronautics lecturer Javier de Luis, said employees hear Boeing leadership talk about safety, but workers feel pressure to push planes through the factory as fast as they can.

In talking to Boeing workers, de Luis said he heard “there was a very real fear of payback and retribution if you held your ground.”

The dual hearings added to criticism that has been heaped on Boeing since the door plug blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max as it flew over Oregon. Major safety failures have pushed Boeing into a crisis that has already resulted in a management shakeup, including the CEO’s decision to step down at the end of this year.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said the public is looking to Washington to assure that boarding a plane is not getting more dangerous.

“Flying commercial remains the safest way to travel, but understandably, recent incidents have left the flying public worried. The perception is things are getting worse,” he said.

The Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates airlines and aircraft manufacturers, was also heavily criticized during Wednesday’s hearings.

The FAA was battered for the way it approved the 737 Max nearly a decade ago without fully understanding a key flight-control system. Two Max jets crashed in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people. Critics continue to accuse the agency of being too cozy with Boeing.

“The FAA needs to be a regulator. They need to do their job. That’s the missing piece right now,” Joe Jacobsen, a former Boeing and FAA engineer, told the investigations subcommittee.

The FAA is now under a new administrator, Mike Whitaker, who has taken a tougher approach to Boeing. He limited Boeing’s production of 737 Max jets and gave the company until May 28 to produce a detailed plan for how it will fix manufacturing problems and resolve safety concerns.

Boeing is facing separate investigations by the FAA, the Justice Department and the National Transportation Safety Board. The Justice Department could reopen a 2021 agreement in which Boeing avoided criminal prosecution on a charge of misleading regulators about the Max. In exchange, the company agreed to pay $2.5 billion — mostly to airline customers.

All the attention is taking a chunk from Boeing stock, which has tumbled in price by nearly one-third since the Alaska Airlines panel blowout. Shares of the Arlington, Virginia, company have lost 32% — more than $47 billion in market value.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, the Connecticut Democrat who chairs the investigations subcommittee, and the panel’s senior Republican, Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, have asked Boeing and the FAA for troves of documents going back six years. Blumenthal said his subcommittee plans to hold more hearings on Boeing and hopes to hear from CEO David Calhoun .

In interviews and messages to employees, Calhoun has said many times that Boeing is taking steps to improve its manufacturing quality and safety culture. He called the Alaska Airlines accident a “watershed moment” from which a better Boeing will emerge.

There is plenty of skepticism about comments like that.

“We need to look at what Boeing does, not just what it says it’s doing,” said Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.

Local News | Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma wins Boston Marathon…

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Local news | tanner houck pitches complete game shutout, red sox top guardians 2-0, local news | ethiopia’s sisay lemma wins boston marathon in runaway. kenya’s hellen obiri repeats in women’s race.

Sisay Lemma wins the 128th Boston Marathon. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

Eden Rainbow Cooper wins the Womens wheelchair at the 128th Boston Marathon. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

Sisay Lemma after winning the128th Boston Marathon. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

Marcel Hug waves after winning the Mens Wheelchair during the 128th Boston Marathon. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

Marcel Hug and Eden Rainbow Cooper share a laugh after winning the wheelchair division of the 128th Boston Marathon. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

Marcel Hug and Eden Rainbow Cooper hold the trophy after winning the wheelchair division of the 128th Boston Marathon. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

Marcel Hug holds the trophy after winning the Mens Wheelchair during the 128th Boston Marathon. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

Womens elite field cross the start to begin their Boston Marathon in Hopkinton.. (Photo by Mark Stockwell/Boston Herald)

Hand cyclists line up at the start line in Hopkinton in the Boston Marathon. (Photo by Mark Stockwell/Boston Herald)

Norbert Holowart of Williston Park, NY in the men’s wheelchair race in the Boston Marathon. (Photo by Mark Stockwell/Boston Herald)

Boston Marathon official Grand Marshall and former New England Patriots player Rob Gronkowski takes a selfie video before the start of the race. (Photo by Mark Stockwell/Boston Herald)

Boston Marathon official race marshall and former New England Patriots player Rob Gronkowski poses with Martathon volunteers before the start of the race. (Photo by Mark Stockwell/Boston Herald)

Boston Marathon official race marshall and former New England Patriots player Rob Gronkowski poses at the start line in Hopkinton before the start of the race. (Photo by Mark Stockwell/Boston Herald)

The first wave of runners at the start of the Boston Marathon in Hopkinton Monday. (Photo by Mark Stockwell/Boston Herald)

Men’s elite field start the Boston Marathon in Hopkinton.. (Photo by Mark Stockwell/Boston Herald)

Duo runners line up at the start line in Hopkinton in the Boston Marathon. (Photo by Mark Stockwell/Boston Herald)

Hug Marcel, center, starts the wheelchair division at the start of the Boston Marathon in Hopkinton Monday. (Photo by Mark Stockwell/Boston Herald)

Marcel Hug wins the Mens Wheelchair during the 128th Boston Marathon. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

Marathon Grand Marshal Rob Gronkowski holds the trophy before the 128th Boston Marathon. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)

Elite female runners break from the start line of the Boston Marathon, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Hopkinton, Mass. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)

Elite male runners break from the start line of the Boston Marathon, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Hopkinton, Mass. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)

Men's wheelchair athletes break from the line at the start of the Boston Marathon, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Hopkinton, Mass. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)

Boston Marathon Race Director Dave McGillivray sends a group of Massachusetts National Guard members across the start line in Hopkinton on Monday, April 15, 2024 to begin the marathon. The start line was painted in honor of the town that has hosted the marathon for the past century. It's the 128th edition of the world’s oldest and most prestigious annual marathon. (AP Photo/Jennifer McDermott)

By JIMMY GOLEN (AP Sports Writer)

BOSTON (AP) — Sisay Lemma scorched the first half of the Boston Marathon course on Monday, setting a record pace to build a lead of more than half of a mile.

Then the weather heated up, and the 34-year-old Ethiopian slowed down.

After running alone for most of the morning, Lemma held on down Boylston Street to finish in 2 hours, 6 minutes, 17 seconds — the 10th fastest time in the race’s 128-year history. Lemma dropped to the pavement and rolled onto his back, smiling, after crossing the finish line.

“Until halfway through I was running very hard and very good. But after that it was getting harder and harder,” said Lemma, who failed to finish twice and came in 30th in three previous Boston attempts. “Several times I’ve dropped out of the race before. But today I won, so I’ve redeemed myself.”

Hellen Obiri defended her title , outkicking Sharon Lokedi on Boylston Street to finish in 2:27:37 and win by eight seconds; two-time Boston champion Edna Kiplagat completed the Kenyan sweep, finishing another 36 seconds back.

Obiri also won New York last fall and is among the favorites for the Paris Olympics. She is the sixth woman to win back-to-back in Boston and the first since Catherine “the Great” Ndereba won four in six years from 2000 to ’05.

“Defending the title was not easy. Since Boston started, it’s only six women. So I said, ‘Can I be one of them? If you want to be one of them, you have to work extra hard,’” she said. “And I’m so happy because I’m now one of them. I’m now in the history books in Boston.”

Lemma, the 2021 London champion, arrived in Boston with the fastest time in the field — just the fourth person ever to break 2:02:00 when he won in Valencia last year. And he showed it on the course Monday, separating himself from the pack in Ashland and opening a lead of more than half of a mile.

Lemma ran the first half in 1:00:19 — 99 seconds faster than Geoffrey Mutai’s course record pace in 2011, when his 2:03:02 was the fastest marathon in history. Fellow Ethiopian Mohamed Esa closed the gap through the last few miles, finishing second by 41 seconds; two-time defending champion Evans Chebet was third.

Each winner collected a gilded olive wreath and $150,000 from a total prize purse that topped $1 million for the first time.

On a day when sunshine and temperatures rising into the mid-60s left the runners reaching for water — to drink, and to dump over their heads — Obiri ran with an unusually large lead pack of 15 through Brookline before breaking away in the final few miles.

Emma Bates of Boulder, Colorado, finished 12th — her second straight year as the top American . Again, she found herself leading the race through the 30-kilometer mark, slapping hands as she ran past the Wellesley College students chanting her name before fading on the way out of Heartbreak Hill.

“I thought last year was crazy loud, but this year surpassed that completely,” Bates said. “It was such a nice day for the spectators. Not so nice for the runners; it was pretty hot.”

CJ Albertson of Fresno, California, was the top American man in seventh, his second top-10 finish.

Switzerland’s Marcel Hug righted himself after crashing into a barrier when he took a turn too fast and still coasted to a course record in the men’s wheelchair race. It was his seventh Boston win and his 14th straight major marathon victory.

Hug already had a four-minute lead about 18 miles in when he reached the landmark firehouse turn in Newton, where the course heads onto Commonwealth Avenue on its way to Heartbreak Hill. He spilled into the fence , flipping sideways onto his left wheel, but quickly restored himself.

“It was my fault,” Hug said. “I had too much weight, too much pressure from above to my steering, so I couldn’t steer.”

Hug finished in 1:15:33 , winning by 5:04 and breaking his previous course record by 1:33. Britain’s Eden Rainbow-Cooper, 22, won the women’s wheelchair race in 1:35:11 for her first major marathon victory; she is the third-youngest woman to win the Boston wheelchair race.

The otherwise sleepy New England town of Hopkinton celebrated its 100th anniversary as the starting line for the world’s oldest and most prestigious marathon, sending off a field of 17 former champions and nearly 30,000 other runners on its way. Near the finish on Boylston Street 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometers) away, officials observed the anniversary of the 2013 bombing that killed three and wounded hundreds more.

Sunny skies and minimal wind greeted the runners, with temperatures in the 40s as they gathered in Hopkinton rising to 69 as the stragglers crossed the finish line in the afternoon. As the field went through Natick, the fourth of eight cities and towns on the route, athletes splashed water on themselves to cool off.

“We couldn’t ask for a better day,” former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, the grand marshal, said before climbing into an electric car that would carry him along the course. “The city of Boston always comes out to support, no matter the event. The weather is perfection, the energy is popping.”

The festivities began around 6 a.m., when race director Dave McGillivray sent about 30 Massachusetts National Guard members off. Lt. Col. Paula Reichert Karsten, one of the marchers, said she wanted to be part of a “quintessential Massachusetts event.”

The start line was painted to say “100 years in Hopkinton,” commemorating the 1924 move from Ashland to Hopkinton to conform to the official Olympic Marathon distance. The announcer welcomed the gathering crowds to the “sleepy little town of Hopkinton, 364 days of the year.”

“In Hopkinton, it’s probably the coolest thing about the town,” said Maggie Agosto, a 16-year-old resident who went to the start line with a friend to watch the race.

The annual race on Patriots’ Day, the state holiday that commemorates the start of the Revolutionary War, also fell on One Boston Day, when the city remembers the victims of the 2013 finish line bombings. Before the race, bagpipes accompanied Gov. Maura Healey, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and members of the victims’ families as they laid a pair of wreaths at the sites of the explosions.

This story corrects that Hug won his seventh Boston victory.

Associated Press writer Jennifer McDermott in Hopkinton contributed to this report.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports

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