The checklist as a PDF
Entry, health, money, transport and safety, laid out for print, with their sources and verification date.
The Viafro verdict
For whom, and for which trip.
An editorial bearing, with no percentage and no rating: our criteria are written down, and every “good to know” links to its source.
- For which trip
- Asmara · Massawa · Dahlak · Keren
- Best season
- September to June, from Asmara’s normals
- Length
- Allow at least 8 days for these 4 essentials, one stop every two or three days. (Viafro’s rule of thumb)
Best time to visit
Twelve months, in colour.
Hover or tap a month: its reading and its source appear. Bars measure rain, the figure is the capital’s mean maximum.
Ideal
November
Asmara: mean maximum 22 °C, 20 mm of rain · dry and mild.
- Mean maximum
- 22 °C
- Rain
- 20 mm
- Station
- Asmara
Source: Wikipedia (climate normals)
Before you go
The essentials, tab by tab.
Entry, health, safety, money and facts: dated official extracts, never paraphrased.
Visa, passport, customs
GOV.UK advice, written for British passport holders. French travellers: see France Diplomatie (https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/information-par-pays/erythree/conseils-aux-voyageurs-entree-sejour).
- To enter Eritrea, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and at least 2 blank consecutive pages for stamping. Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
- You must have a visa to enter Eritrea. For information about visas, contact the Eritrean Embassy in the UK or the nearest Eritrean embassy. Check with your airline or travel company for the latest information.
Vaccines, malaria, water
This is not medical advice: talk to your doctor or an international vaccination centre before you travel.
- At least 8 weeks before your trip check: the latest information on vaccination recommendations and health risks in TravelHealthPro’s Eritrea guide
- There are 3 public hospitals in Asmara. Public hospitals in other towns are often poorly equipped. In rural areas medical facilities are even more limited. If you’re travelling away from the large towns, carry a comprehensive medical pack with you.
Per the ministries
Viafro gives no safety rating: here are the zones and advice published by the French ministry (in French) and the official extracts, with their dates.
Vigilance zones published by France Diplomatie (in French) · page updated on 15 Sept 2026 · see the official map
- Red · Zones formellement déconseillées (en rouge sur la carte)
Il est formellement déconseillé de se rendre dans ces régions. Les zones frontalières avec l’Éthiopie et le Soudan peuvent également présenter des dangers en raison de la présence toujours possible de groupes armés et…
- Orange · Zone déconseillée sauf raison impérative (en orange sur la carte)
Les déplacements en dehors de la capitale sont déconseillés sauf raison impérative. Il n’existe pas de possibilité d’assistance et de secours rapide en dehors de la capitale.
- Yellow · Zones de vigilance renforcée (en jaune sur la carte)
Les villes d’Asmara et de Massaoua se trouvent en zone de vigilance renforcée. Elles sont reliées par une route de montagne, dangereuse, particulièrement en fin de journée et le soir, du fait des conditions locales de…
L’ambassade de France en Érythrée, du fait de son format restreint, dispose de capacités limitées pour venir en aide aux Français en cas de crise.
- Though Asmara is a relatively safe city, there is a risk of street crime, especially at night. Women travellers can experience verbal and physical harassment by individuals or groups of men. To reduce your personal risk: do not walk alone at night
- There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
What the country’s law provides
Photography, alcohol, drugs, relationships: the rules published by the ministries, quoted as they stand, without comment.
- Photographing government buildings and military installations is illegal. Always ask if you want to take a photo in any area where security personnel are present. You need a permit to take photographs of the ‘tank graveyard’ in Asmara. You can apply for a permit at the Ministry of Tourism.
Currency
nakfaViafro publishes no price or budget range without a source: amounts will come from our own expenses recorded on the ground, dated and itemised.
- There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Eritrea. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
Express card
Structured data from Wikidata and the CIA World Factbook, re-checked at every site update.
- Population · 2025
- 3,607,003
- Time zone
- +2 h from Paris
- Plugs and voltage
- Type C and L plugs · 230 V
- Driving side
- Driving on the right
- Calling code
- +291
- Languages
- Tigrinya, Arabic, English, Tigrinya, Arabic, English
- Area
- 117,600 km²
- Highest point
- Emba Soira, 3,018 m
- Main religions
- Eritrean Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran, Sunni Muslim
Getting there and around
Airports, roads and transport.
- ASMAsmara International AirportAsmara136,526 passengers
- ASAAssab International AirportAssab
- MSWMassawa International AirportMassaoua
Direct flights from Paris are to be checked on the airport’s or airline’s website.
On the road
- If you are planning to drive in Eritrea, you will need a 1949 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence. You cannot get an IDP outside the UK so get one before you travel.
Destinations
The essentials.
Asmara
Asmara ( əs-MAHR-ə), or Asmera, is the capital and most populous city of Eritrea, in the country's Central Region.
Massawa
Massawa or Mitsiwa ( mə-SAH-wə) is a port city in the Northern Red Sea region of Eritrea, located on the Red Sea at the northern end of the Gulf of Zula beside the Dahlak Archipelago.
Dahlak
Dahlak subregion is a subregion in the Northern Red Sea region of Eritrea.
Keren
Keren (Tigrinya and Tigre: ከረን, Arabic: كرن, Italian: Cheren), historically known as Sanhit, is the second-largest city in Eritrea.
Reinhard Dietrich
Must-try food
Six dishes, and where to taste them.
Injera
Injera, also known as taita, is a sour fermented pancake-like flatbread with a slightly spongy texture, traditionally made of teff flour. In Ethiopia, injera is a staple. Injera is central to the dining process in Amhara society, like bread or rice elsewhere,
Zigni
Zigni, kaih tsebhi or kai wat is a popular Eritrean and Ethiopian stew made from meat, tomatoes, red onions and Berbere spices. The meat can be beef, lamb, goat, or chicken and usually placed on a plate of injera, a type of unleavened bread made from teff flou
Gored gored
Gored gored, is a raw beef dish eaten in Ethiopia. Whereas kitfo is minced beef marinated in spices and niter kibbeh, gored gored is cubed and left unmarinated. Like kitfo, it is widely popular and considered a national dish. It is often served with mitmita an
Shiro
Shiro, also called shiro wat, or tsebhi shiro, is a stew served for either lunch or dinner, originating from Northern Ethiopia and Southern Eritrea. An essential part of Eritrean and Ethiopian cuisine, its primary ingredient is powdered chickpeas or broad bean
Fit-fit
Fit-fit or fir-fir, , is an Ethiopian and Eritrean food typically served as breakfast. It is generally made with shredded Ethiopian flat bread, spiced clarified butter, and a hot spice blend called berbere. Fit-fit is served by preparing a sauce from the butte
Wat
Wat or wet or ito or tsebhi is an Ethiopian and Eritrean stew that may be prepared with chicken, beef, lamb, a variety of vegetables, spice mixtures such as berbere , and niter kibbeh, a seasoned clarified butter.
Culture and etiquette
Customs, dress, useful words.
- Salamسلامhello, peace
- Shukranشكراthank you
- Min fadlakمن فضلكplease
- Entries checked on Wiktionary.
- Religions: Eritrean Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran, Sunni Muslim.
- Languages: Tigrinya (official), Arabic (official), English (official), Tigre, Kunama, Afar, other Cushitic languages.
Festivals and events
The big dates.
- National holiday
Independence Day, 24 May (1991) ; independence: 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia).
Fixed dates and moveable events, each with its source; moveable dates change every year and are to be checked on an official calendar.
Did you know?
Three things to remember.
The country’s highest point, Emba Soira, reaches 3,018 m.
3,607,003 inhabitants in 2025 on 117,600 km², about 31 per km².
Independence on 24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia).
Gallery
See it before you go.
Real photographs: free images under a verified licence and Viafro images. Never a generated image. Credits in the footer.
Share your trip with #viafro: the best images will join this gallery, with your credit.
Live, work, invest
A few key figures.
Sourced data (World Bank). No investment advice.
World Bank data (World Development Indicators), consulted on 28 Oct 2026. Tourist arrivals are the latest year published.
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Sources and verification dates · 20 sources, checked on 28 Oct 2026
Travel advice · GOV.UK (FCDO)Entry, visa, safety: the official page, kept up to date by the ministry. Travel health · US CDCVaccines and precautions from a reference medical source. World Heritage · UNESCOThe country’s inscribed sites and tentative list. WikidataCapital and currency, verified structured data.
- Wikidata · Eritrea (Q986)
- World Bank · World Development Indicators
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Eritrea · Foreign travel advice · Entry requirements (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Eritrea · Foreign travel advice · Health (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Eritrea · Foreign travel advice · Safety and security (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- Wiktionary · Checked entries (Arabic)
- Wikipedia · Injera
- Wikipedia · Zigni
- Wikipedia · Gored gored
- Wikipedia · Shiro (food)
- Wikipedia · Fit-fit
- Wikipedia · Wat (plat)
- Wikipedia · Asmara
- Wikipedia · Massawa
- Wikipedia · Dahlak
- Wikipedia · Keren
- CIA World Factbook · Eritrea (public domain) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- France Diplomatie · Érythrée · Travel advice · Security (zones, in French) (page updated on 15 Sept 2026)
- Wikidata · Airports of the country (IATA code, traffic) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia (climate normals) · Asmara · monthly normals (NOAA{{cite web) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
Information checked on 28 Oct 2026. Check the official source before you travel. Viafro gives no safety rating and publishes no price without a source.
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