Ethiopia travel guide

Getting there

Addis Ababa's Bole International Airport is a major African hub with flights from around the world. Overland routes include the railway from Djibouti and the road crossing from Kenya at Moyale.

Best time to visit: Oct–Mar – dry and green after the rains, with major festivals.

Tougher months: June–September: the main rainy season makes trekking muddy and some rural roads difficult.

Weather by month in Addis Ababa

• 23°J
• 24°F●
• 25°M●
• 25°A●
• 25°M●
• 23°J●●
• 20°J●●●
• 20°A●●●
• 21°S●●
• 22°O
• 22°N
• 22°D

Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: Africa/Nairobi. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 119 of 198 other passports can enter Ethiopia without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 78 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 1 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Background: Visa policy of Ethiopia (Wikipedia).

Official advisory: Level 3: Reconsider Travel (U.S. Department of State, updated 2026-08-27). Read the advisory.

Source and more: Ethiopia travel facts on RoamSun

Stay

Most trips to Ethiopia are based around Addis Ababa, Lalibela or Simien Mountains National Park. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$25–40 for a backpacker and US$60–120 mid-range, per person.

Source: RoamSun Ethiopia page · Browse hotel guides

Connect

Plug types: C, E, F, L. Voltage: 220 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +251.

Mobile data: read the travel eSIM setup guide before you fly so the plan is installed and ready on landing.

Source: Advinne eSIM guide · RoamSun

Do

• Addis Ababa (Capital · culture): A fast-growing highland capital with museums, buzzing markets, jazz bars and the country's best restaurants.
• Lalibela (North · rock-hewn churches): Eleven medieval churches carved from rock, often called one of the wonders of the Christian world.
• Simien Mountains National Park (North · trekking): Jagged peaks, deep gorges and unique wildlife on one of Africa's great trekking routes.
• Gondar (North · royal city): The 17th-century imperial capital with castles, palaces and beautiful churches.
• Aksum (Far north · ancient kingdom): Giant stelae, royal tombs and churches linked to legends of the Ark of the Covenant.
• Bahir Dar & Lake Tana (Northwest · lake): A relaxed lakeside city with island monasteries and the Blue Nile Falls nearby.
• Harar (East · walled city): A walled Muslim city with colourful alleyways, markets and hundreds of small mosques and shrines.
• Bale Mountains National Park (Southeast · wildlife): High plateaus and forests that are a stronghold of the rare Ethiopian wolf.

Things to do

• Explore Lalibela's churches. Walk through tunnels and trenches between monolithic churches carved down into solid rock, still used for worship.
• Trek the Simien Mountains. Hike along dramatic escarpments where gelada monkeys graze and walia ibex cling to cliffs.
• Join a coffee ceremony. Watch green beans roasted over charcoal, ground by hand and brewed three times in a clay jebena.
• See Gondar's castles. Wander the royal enclosure of stone castles and the painted ceiling of Debre Birhan Selassie church.
• Marvel at Aksum's stelae. Stand among towering carved obelisks that once marked the tombs of ancient kings.
• Visit Lake Tana's monasteries. Take a boat to island monasteries decorated with vivid religious murals.
• Feed hyenas in Harar. Watch the famous evening ritual outside the walls of this ancient, maze-like Muslim city.
• Eat injera and tibs. Share a huge platter of spongy injera topped with spicy stews, eating with your right hand.

Source: full Ethiopia guide on RoamSun

Eat and drink

• Injera – spongy sourdough flatbread made from teff
• Doro wat – spicy chicken stew with egg
• Shiro – smooth chickpea stew
• Tibs – sautéed meat with onion and peppers

Source: RoamSun Ethiopia guide

Money and safety

Currency: Ethiopian birr (ETB). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: About 10% in restaurants; tip guides and drivers.

Emergency numbers: 991 police · 907 ambulance · 939 fire.

• The birr is the currency; cash is king outside major hotels and restaurants in Addis Ababa.
• ATMs are found in cities and larger towns, but carry enough cash for rural trips where cards are rarely accepted.
• Security varies widely by region and can change quickly; check your government's latest travel advice for specific areas before you go.
• Watch for pickpockets and scams in busy parts of Addis Ababa, such as the Merkato.

Source: RoamSun Ethiopia facts