🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Rock-hewn churches, ancient highlands, and the source of Ethiopian coffee.
Ethiopia is one of the few African countries never colonised, with a distinct calendar, script and rock-hewn churches at Lalibela found nowhere else.
Best Time to Visit
The dry season from October to March is the most reliable time to travel, particularly for trekking in the Simien Mountains.
Weather & Climate
Highland Ethiopia, including Addis Ababa, stays mild year-round thanks to altitude; lower-lying areas such as the Danakil Depression are extremely hot.
Map
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
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Entry & Visa Guidance
Most visitors can obtain an e-visa online in advance. Confirm current requirements with Ethiopian immigration before booking.
Getting There & Around
Domestic flights are the practical way to reach Lalibela, Gondar and the Simien Mountains from Addis Ababa; road travel between them is long and mountainous.
Approximate Travel Budget
Ethiopia is inexpensive for food and domestic transport by international standards, with organised trekking and flights forming the larger costs of a trip.
Local Customs & Culture
The Ethiopian coffee ceremony, a lengthy ritual of roasting and brewing beans, is a genuine social occasion rather than a tourist show and worth accepting an invitation to.
Food
Injera, a sour flatbread, is the base for most meals, topped with stews (wat) of lentils, vegetables or meat and eaten by hand.
Safety & Travel Advice
Check your government's current travel advisory, which can vary sharply between regions of Ethiopia, before finalising your route.
Plan your trip to Ethiopia
Free tools for flight times, time differences, budget, money and plugs.
- Flight Duration CalculatorWork out real flight time across time zones.
- Time Zone ConverterFind the time in another city instantly.
- Trip Budget CalculatorEstimate your total trip cost, item by item.
- Currency ConverterConvert prices between currencies at indicative rates.
- Travel Plug & Voltage CheckerCheck if you need a plug adapter or voltage converter.
- Jet Lag CalculatorEstimate how many days you need to beat jet lag.
