Highlights
Lalibela
Eleven medieval churches carved down into solid rock, linked by trenches and tunnels and still used for worship. The cross-shaped Church of St George is the most photographed. Visiting during a religious festival, when white-robed pilgrims gather, is unforgettable.
Simien Mountains National Park
A UNESCO World Heritage site of jagged peaks and escarpments in the north, with treks from day hikes to multi-day routes. Gelada monkeys graze in large troops on the cliff edges, and the rare walia ibex lives only here.
Gondar
The seventeenth-century royal capital has a walled enclosure of castles and palaces, Fasil Ghebbi, plus Fasilides' Bath, where the Timkat festival is celebrated, and the painted ceiling of Debre Berhan Selassie church.
Aksum
The centre of an ancient kingdom that traded across the Red Sea, with towering carved stone stelae, royal tombs and the church that Ethiopian Orthodox Christians believe houses the Ark of the Covenant.
Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Falls
From Bahir Dar, boats visit island and peninsula monasteries with painted walls on Ethiopia's largest lake, the source of the Blue Nile. The Blue Nile Falls nearby are fullest in the rainy season.
Danakil Depression
A desert below sea level in the far north-east, with the yellow and green sulphur fields of Dallol, salt flats where camel caravans still carry salt, and the Erta Ale volcano. Trips are run by specialist operators in convoy.
Harar
A walled city in the east with hundreds of narrow alleys, colourful houses and mosques, considered a holy city of Islam. In the evenings, the city's hyena feeders hand-feed wild hyenas outside the walls.
Bale Mountains National Park
Highland moorland and forest in the south, home to the Ethiopian wolf, the world's rarest canid, and other species found only in Ethiopia.
Interesting facts about Ethiopia
- Ethiopia uses its own calendar, with thirteen months, which runs around seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar.
- Many Ethiopians count the hours of the day from sunrise rather than midnight, so 7 a.m. is often called 'one o'clock'; check which system is meant when agreeing times.
- The fossil skeleton known as Lucy, about 3.2 million years old, was found in Ethiopia's Afar region in 1974, and a replica is displayed in the National Museum in Addis Ababa.
- Coffee is thought to have originated in Ethiopia, and the traditional coffee ceremony, with beans roasted and brewed in front of guests, is part of daily life.
- Ethiopia was never colonised, apart from a brief period of Italian occupation from 1936 to 1941.
Best time to visit
The dry season, roughly from October to March, is the best time for most of the country, with clear skies and green landscapes after the rains. The main rainy season runs from about June to September in the highlands. Major festivals include Timkat (Epiphany) in January and Meskel in late September. The Danakil Depression is best visited in the cooler months, from about November to March. Access to some regions can change, so check your government's travel advice before planning.
Practical information
| Capital | Addis Ababa |
|---|---|
| Currency | Ethiopian birr (ETB) |
| Languages | Amharic, Afaan Oromo, Tigrinya, Somali and Afar (additional federal working languages) |
| Plugs | Type C, E, F, L |
| Voltage | 220 V, 50 Hz |
| Emergency | 991 police, 907 ambulance, 939 fire; check locally |
| Driving | On the right |
| Tipping | Tipping is customary in restaurants and hotels, and for guides, drivers, scouts and church caretakers who show you around. |
Getting around
Domestic flights connect Addis Ababa with Lalibela, Gondar, Aksum, Bahir Dar, Mekele and other cities, and are the practical way to cover the historic north, as mountain roads are long and slow. Long-distance buses and minibuses run between towns. In Addis Ababa, taxis and ride-hailing apps are easy to use, and a light rail system serves some routes. For national parks and remote areas, hire a car with a driver or join a tour.
Staying connected in Ethiopia
Mobile coverage is good in Addis Ababa and other cities, with 4G in many towns, but it becomes patchy or absent in the mountains, the Danakil and the remote south, including much of the Omo Valley. Wi-Fi in hotels is common in cities but can be slow. Internet access can occasionally be restricted in some regions, so keep offline copies of tickets, maps and important documents. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
See Ethiopia eSIM plans · How to install an eSIM
Useful apps for Ethiopia
- Telegram: Very widely used in Ethiopia for messaging, business contacts and tour updates.
- Ethiopian Airlines: Book and manage domestic flights on the national airline, which covers most tourist routes.
- Google Maps: Directions in Addis Ababa and offline maps for trips outside the capital.
- Google Translate: Supports Amharic, useful for signs and simple conversations outside tourist areas.