Below is a travel guide and the report of the trip I did in February 2024 in Ethiopia.
Addis Ababa 2D/1N
Going around is easiest by taxi you get via an app called Feres, which is a blatant ripoff of Uber. The big differences is you pay in cash and the driver calls you before pickup to double-check your location. But it works.
My favorite cultural spot was Fendika, they have jazz nights every Monday, on Wednesdays and Fridays they have folk music and dance nights. Music starts around 21:30, but arrive early if you want good seats. Really good vibes, quite a few foreigners.
Other places with live jazz – Mesti on Tuesdays, Union on Wednesdays, Upscale on Thursdays, African Jazz Village on Fridays (often featuring Mulatu Astatke).
Tigray 3D/2N
We landed in Shire airport as Axum airport was bombed during the war. However, Axum airport is to be reopened sometime this year.
We visited Axumite and Christian heritage, I would say it’s world-class in value, but lacks in presentation, that is understandable given the war and lack of funds. It might not suffice some visitors looking for something visually very striking. But I found it truly fascinating. Our guide said we were the only tourists in Axum that day.
On the way to Tigray churches we were harassed by Adwa police for 1 hour, they pretty much extorted some money due to supposedly not meeting some legal regulation. So much for tourism attraction.
On the last day in Tigray on the way to Mekele we saw Wukro Cherkos church and Al-Negash mosque, they are definitely worth a stop. Zero other tourists that day.
Safety in Tigray was fine, the region is mostly controlled by Tigray troops except the airports. Several checkpoints, but way less than Amhara. Tigray still has more than 1 million internally displaced people, there is a chance to visit IDP camps, but it’s up to you to decide on the ethical implications regarding that. Still a lot of stuff destroyed by the war including some museums and roads.
We landed in Shire airport as Axum airport was bombed during the war. However, Axum airport is to be reopened sometime this year.
We visited Axumite and Christian heritage, I would say it’s world-class in value, but lacks in presentation, that is understandable given the war and lack of funds. It might not suffice some visitors looking for something visually very striking. But I found it truly fascinating. Our guide said we were the only tourists in Axum that day.
On the way to Tigray churches we were harassed by Adwa police for 1 hour, they pretty much extorted some money due to supposedly not meeting some legal regulation. So much for tourism attraction.
The Tigray rock-hewn churches were marvelous, but mind that Abuna Yemata has several really scary sections, so you need confidence with heights. Daniel Korkor church as well offered some crazy views, while it’s a 3hr hike both ways. That makes it a long tiring day if combined with Abuna Yemata. There are almost 200 rock churches in the region, while maybe only 20% are still in use. If you have time, it is possible to visit extremely obscure churches no foreigner has visited in decades. But as well there is a big risk that you will not find the priest to unlock the church. We saw 3 other tourists that day.
The last day in Tigray on the way to Mekele we saw Wukro Cherkos church and Al-Negash mosque, they are definitely worth a stop. Zero other tourists that day.
Lalibela 2D/1N
It was surprising how poor the town is, considering it’s the most touristic in Ethiopia. We saw around 20 other tourists, so nothing really dramatic. The churches themselves are fantastic, both architecturally and culturally. It’s worth hiring a guide. Sunday morning mass (5:30-8:00) is a sight to behold; it’s really worth timing your visit around that. Two days are enough to visit all the churches, but there are others out of town that will require more time if you are interested. Flip flops would be the most practical footwear, as you need to remove them often when entering churches.
Seems to be great to visit Lalibela during Ethiopian New Year (September 11). Panorama hotel had exceptionally nice view, but the food was pretty bad.
As in all of Amhara (including Gondar and Simiens) there is no mobile internet and there is curfew from 8pm due to the state of emergency. Wifi works in hotels, but is not reliable enough to get any work done (as in most of Ethiopia). Calling via cellphone works fine.
y in Tigray on the way to Mekele we saw Wukro Cherkos church and Al-Negash mosque, they are definitely worth a stop. Zero other tourists that day.
Safety in Tigray was fine, the region is mostly controlled by Tigray troops except the airports. Several checkpoints, but way less than Amhara. Tigray still has more than 1 million internally displaced people, there is a chance to visit IDP camps, but it’s up to you to decide on the ethical implications regarding that. Still a lot of stuff destroyed by the war including some museums and roads.
Gondar 1D/1N
The city has some impressive medieval buildings; it’s enough for a nice half-day visit if you are interested in architecture and that period. Gondar is good to visit during Timkat, as they hold a massive baptism and swimming ceremony in the Tewodros Pool. Additionally, they throw lemons to people they fancy, so don’t forget your lemon! Gondar probably does not have enough to offer as a standalone destination, but when combined with Bahir Dar or the Simien Mountains, it’s a great stop and access point.
Simien Mountains 3D/2N
Are they good? Yes. Is it a must? I think not.
We did 3 days 2 nights hike with camping. The first day is spectacular, but most of the second day beyond the Jimba waterfall was very boring. Imet Gogo viewpoint on the third day is very good, but needs good weather. There is a nasty dusty road going through the park, it helps with having more transport options, but the dust is annoying when you hike near or on the road.
We had a car or mule carrying our extra luggage and us needing to carry only a daypack, as well pretty fancy dinners prepared by a cook. We saw 3 other foreigners during the hike. While independent hiking is technically legal, it would be a tremendous hassle to set up and persuade all the different officers. And you still are legally obliged to hire an armed escort (“scout”). Especially during the state of emergency, I do not see how that could be done.
Depends on how much you like hiking and camping – if you do, it’s an enjoyable experience, but the mountains will not blow your mind if you have been to any major mountain range. The landscapes are quite desolate. During the rainy season, it would be much greener and impressive, visibility would be better as well. If you only want to see the general landscape and the Gelada monkeys, a day trip by car from Gondar should be enough to see 80% of it, while it’s less of a nature-connected experience.
Danakil 3D/2N
Danakil still has a weird access situation – you can enter only from Semera, but there is an option to finish in Mekele, which is much closer. This might be resolved in the coming months and tours can start in Mekele again. This seems the most practical route now: Addis – fly to Semera – Danakil tour – finish in Mekele – fly to Addis or continue to Tigray churches – Axum – fly from Shire to Addis.
We started from Semera and 4 hours later we had a swim in Aftera salt lake and had lunch at an eatery with Tatooine Cantina vibes. Then 4-hour ride to Erta Ale campsite. Erta Ale does not have the lava lake anymore, but there are two maybe 20 m active cones spewing lava, it’s possible to get rather close, better at night. The whole crater is very impressive during the day, while nothing like the lava lake days. But it can change anytime as it’s a very active volcano. In the current state, the volcano is OK, but probably not a must when the tours begin in Mekele again. While now it’s sort of on the way from Semera.
Day 2 we drove 4 hours to Dallol, which was probably the most impressive sight in the region. We were the only group there and the guides said that before covid sometimes there were 40 cars at once. Afterwards we had a swim in water hole in the salt lake which was great. Next morning we visited the Fiqa salt lake which was marvelous as well. One tourist asked a guide to take pictures of her peeing on the lake…well, please don’t do that. The trip concludes after 4 hr drive to Mekele.
Omo Valley 6D/5N (Arba Minch – Turmi – Jinka)
That was a bit too long, it could be optimized to 3-4 days with similar top experiences. My favorite tribes were Arbore and Hamer (specifically the Bull Jumping, not the village visit).
Confirm with your guide that village entry and photo fees are included in the price of the tour. If not, it’s a hassle to find out how much and who to pay and everybody wants a share. If you want to see the most people in the tribal villages, go in the early morning or before sunrise, because most of the people rest of the day are busy in the fields or herding cattle. But such schedule is quite difficult to arrange.
Arba Minch
Dorze tribe village was really touristic (dress-up, dancing, crafts, drinking), but it was very fun. Unique houses and a great garden. Close to Arba Minch, thus popular. Saw 15 other tourists, among them the only Ethiopian tourists we saw during the whole trip. Chamo lake was nice, we saw 20 crocs and one hippo, many birds and monkeys. Beautiful area overall. Paradise Lodge had marvelous views, huge rooms and decent food.
Arbore tribe
Very authentic and ancient lifestyle, almost no modern objects, no selling stuff to tourists. 3hr from Turmi or Karat by dirt road. Very tough conditions but super sweet people and actually they asked to take pictures of them as most haven’t seen themselves. No other tourists.
Konso tribe (Gamole village near Karat)
They mummify their clan chiefs for 9 years (currently there is no mummy). Interesting architecture and village design. Small tourist market. Not much interaction with the locals, as well no special performances – you can only see their authentic life. Somewhat more modern than others. You can stay in the village overnight. Saw 4 other tourists.
Turmi Emerald Lodge
Pretty good big rooms, AC, semi-clean, rather mosquito-proofed, OK restaurant.
Nyangatom tribe
They intermarry with Toposa in South Sudan, so they have some similarities. Nice tribe known for their jewelry, some people have scarification. Rather calm people.
Karo tribe (Korcho village)
Beautiful spot on the Omo river cliff, some interesting traditions and body modifications. But some people were very pushy about getting money or selling stuff. There is an option to stay in the village, but that might get tiresome due to the begging.
Hamer tribe
We managed to see the bull jumping ceremony which was very intense, but truly amazing. It is a controversial event, but the ultimate way to see the Hamer traditions. It happens mostly in February and September/October. If you see one outside of these months it’s probably staged for tourists. The date of the ceremony is announced only a few days in advance, so impossible to plan ahead, but it is worth to rearrange your schedule to visit it. The Hamer during the ceremony seemed truly authentic, not caring much about tourists, nothing seemed to be done to please the visitors. But it is a special event that attracts almost all tourists in the region, so we saw about 20 foreigners.
Some days later we visited Hamer Lojora village, which was slightly annoying due to people constantly trying to sell us something. So the bull jumping was a lot more pleasant.
Dassanech tribe (Elele village)
Authentic lifestyle with some modern influences, some touristic elements like a small souvenir market and dancing if they have time. There is development on the way – new bridge, good road, solar water pump. Saw 3 other tourists.
Banna tribe
On the way from Key Afer to Jinka on the road you will see Banna tribe boys on stilts, nice to see, but it’s totally touristic, while based on a still practiced herding method. Some tourists didn’t pay and the kids got super pissed.
Ari tribe
A rather prosperous tribe in lush Jinka highlands, not pastoralists or nomads like most Omo tribes, so they maintain a higher standard of living. They dress in western clothing, there were some touristic craft activities. 5 other tourists.
Mursi tribe
1.5 hours by dirt road from Jinka, so it’s very popular – we saw 15 other tourists. You can witness the most extreme body modifications in Omo. Sadly, it has become rather commercialized, as most women seem to sell their lip plates to tourists, with some being quite militant about it. In general, most people were quite grumpy. It was the closest Mursi village to town, so perhaps more remote villages are different.
Jinka
Jinka town has big energy issues because people are stealing the electrical wire – last time they didn’t have electricity for 6 days. So pick a hotel with a generator. Mima Pension was quite bad, but probably still above Jinka average, which is low. Eco Lodge is supposedly better. Jinka market was rather intense, weirdly a lot of people tried bothering us by pulling clothing, throwing stones, grabbing hands, following us around, it seemed that every second person wanted money. So not exactly enjoyable.
Best time to go
If you want to visit all major regions of Ethiopia in one trip, the best is the dry season (Oct-May), with the high season being Jan-Feb. But if you focus on the north (Tigray and Amhara), some time after the rainy season (which is Jun-Aug) might be better as it would be much greener, people would have more food, and the waterfalls would be much more lively.
Wet season in Omo is later (Sep-Oct), then it gets a lot of flooding and some tribes might be inaccessible. So maybe August is a decent combination for greenery and access in the north and Omo. However, in the summer Danakil would be too hot (50C+). Ethiopian New Year (Sep 11), Christmas (Jan 7), and Timkat (Jan 19 in 2025) are good times to see the festivities.
Guides
We organized everything except Omo with Arre (+251 96 126 3661). He is based in Addis and focuses on the north, but can arrange anything in Ethiopia. I highly recommend him and his crew. There were different guides in every location, but all of them were good. Everything was very well organized to the extent it is possible given the conditions. He was very responsive by WhatsApp regarding anything we needed. We had some miscommunication about the final price, but otherwise it was very good.
For Omo, we planned everything via Jinka-based Bereket Tadesse (+251 94 332 2540) but the guide on the ground was Degu (+251 93 271 4797). Highly recommended as well. Everything was very smooth and we had plenty of flexibility.
We paid the following prices for the tours per person in USD. It’s including guides, driver, private Land Cruiser, all the food, accommodation in the best hotel in the town, all the entry and photo fees, armed security and cooks in Simiens and Danakil. It can be done cheaper if you ask around locally or do last-minute bookings.
- Danakil 3D: 420
- Simiens 3D: 300
- Lalibela 2D: 230
- Tigray 3D: 250
- Omo 6D 800
Money
Official exchange rate is 55 birr for 1 USD, while the black market offers around 100-110. Unless you really don’t care about your budget, you will need cash from the black market. And by paying by card you are just overpaying double. The best rate to is to exchange birr from USD. Just ask hotel staff or guides where to exchange, everybody knows a guy.
Visa
I got Ethiopian e-visa in advance, 82 USD, 30 days duration. Took 3 days to process. Needed only the scan of the passport. Everything was completely hassle-free. Got it here (watch out for scam websites): https://www.evisa.gov.et/
Internet
Got EthioTelecom SIM at the airport, 15 USD for 30 days of unlimited data and 30 min of call. No option for e-sim and I think the global e-sim providers don’t work in Ethiopia. There is other cell company called Safaricom, but apparently it has much worse coverage.
The speed and coverage were passable, but the connection was not very stable, even in the capital. So if you need to make important video calls, better find a good hotel with stable WiFi. I met people who wanted to work remotely in Ethiopia, but the quality and coverage of the internet was a major problem for them.
Safety
We felt safe everywhere we went. However, I would not recommend wandering in cities on foot at night. Apparently, there is some pickpocketing in Addis. Violent crime against tourists is very rare.
In my opinion, these are the biggest safety risks in Ethiopia: 1. Traffic accidents (we did hit a goat once) 2. Pickpocketing (saw that once in Afar) 3. Military clashes in Amhara or Tigray – unlikely to hurt you but you might get stuck in one place for a few days
Several locals, guides, and foreigners pointed out that the security situation in Oromiya (especially the south) is very bad. One German guy got robbed by chokehold, they took everything he had, even his prescription glasses! There were many instances of kidnappings and carjackings. So be careful if overlanding to Kenya.
Sadly, the tensions among the federal government, Amhara, Tigray, and Eritreans are not fundamentally resolved, thus I would not be surprised if a new war starts in several years (while I hope it doesn’t).
The begging
At every at least remotely touristic spot you will encounter kids and adults asking for money or gifts. In general, it is advisable not to give them anything to avoid perpetuating the begging culture. If you want to help, visit a local school, hospital, or IDP camp and give them what they need. Good guides might advise you on that.
Health
Ethiopia is fortunate in being mostly at high elevation, so malaria is of no concern in a lot of the country above 2000 m. And Danakil is too dry for mosquitoes. But we did take Malarone for Omo. We heard of several people getting malaria in Omo.
My digestive track was furiously not cooperating with the Ethiopian diet for 10 days. Most people sooner or later suffer some stomach issues, so be prepared. Sleep quality was not great many nights due to noise from animals, mosques, churches, parties, etc.
Intercity travel
If you fly into Ethiopia with Ethiopian airlines, you get a 50% discount for domestic flights if you buy them in person. We didn’t, but Arre still managed to buy us the domestic tickets with the discount.
Due to the war, security, and red tape, a lot of routes by road are still not viable. So the most practical option is flying, at least in the north.
Flight Lalibela – Gondar is renewed, so no need to fly back to Addis. But road travel is still not always possible between Lalibela and Gondar. So what we did was: Addis – fly to Lalibela – fly to Gondar – drive to Simiens – drive to Gondar – fly to Addis.
Omo (Jinka and Arba Minch) are not connected by air to the smaller cities, so one still requires a flight via Addis or a whole day drive/bus from Addis.