The checklist as a PDF
Entry, health, money, transport and safety, laid out for print, with their sources and verification date.
Ethiopia
East Africa
Monuments, volcanoes, mountains, lakes, deserts and culture. Rock-hewn churches, cultural landscapes and mountain parks.
- On the map
CapitalAddis Ababa
When to goOctober to January, and September
Suggested length8 days min.
Currencybir
LanguagesAmharic
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
- Addis-Abeba · Lalibela · Parc national du Simien · Aksoum
- Best season
- October to January, and September
- 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
Peak season, pleasant weather.
- Mean maximum
- 23 °C
- Rain
- 5 mm
- Station
- Addis Ababa
Source: Rough Guides
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/ethiopie/conseils-aux-voyageurs-entree-sejour).
- valid for at least 6 months after the date you arrive in Ethiopia
- You must have a visa to visit Ethiopia for tourism or business. You do not need a visa if you have a valid Ethiopian Diplomatic ID Card, Ethiopian Temporary Residents Permit or Ethiopian Origin ID (Yellow Cards).
- To enter Ethiopia, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination if you’re coming from a country listed as a transmission risk. For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Ethiopia guide.
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: On 26 January 2026, the Ethiopian government and WHO officially declared the end of the Marburg virus disease outbreak. This announcement came after no new confirmed cases were reported for consecutive 42 days.
- Only private hospitals in Addis Ababa offer a reasonable standard of basic care for minor health problems. Dentistry is especially scarce. Ambulance services are also limited. Outside the capital, medical facilities are extremely poor.
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 30 Sept 2026 · see the official map
- Red · Zones formellement déconseillées (en rouge)
Région du Tigré
La région est formellement déconseillée. Après deux ans de conflit entre l’armée fédérale éthiopienne et le TPLF (Tigray’s People’s Liberation Front) et malgré la signature d’un accord de cessation des hostilités le 2…
- Orange · Zones déconseillées sauf raison impérative (en orange)
Région Afar
En raison des tensions à la frontière djiboutienne (où des frappes de drones ont eu lieu ces derniers mois), cette zone est déconseillée, sauf raison impérative.
- Yellow · Zones en vigilance renforcée (en jaune)
Les conditions générales de sécurité en Éthiopie permettent :
de se rendre à Addis-Abeba en étant vigilant à l’égard de l’augmentation de la petite criminalité. Il est nécessaire d’y circuler en voiture ;
- Zone · Cas spécifique de la dépression des Danakil
Il est possible de se rendre en région Afar, notamment dans la dépression des Danakil, depuis Semera (déplacement en avion depuis Addis Abeba jusqu’à Semera), accompagné exclusivement de professionnels du tourisme.
Avant son départ, et au regard des conditions climatiques extrêmes, il est également recommandé de s’assurer auprès de son médecin traitant que son état de santé permet l’excursion.
- Mugging (violent theft or theft with the threat of violence) is on the rise. There have been a number of incidents of sexual harassment of women.
- 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.
- Drug offences are treated seriously in Ethiopia. Possession of drugs can lead to prison sentences of 5 to 10 years and potentially large fines. Khat is legal in Ethiopia, but it is illegal to take it out of the country.
Currency
birViafro 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 that you can take into or out of Ethiopia. If you plan to take in specialist equipment, such as filming or audio equipment, the Ethiopian Embassy in London advises you check with your tour operator or local contact before you travel as special customs regulations…
Express card
Structured data from Wikidata and the CIA World Factbook, re-checked at every site update.
- Population · 2025
- 135,472,051
- Time zone
- +2 h from Paris
- Plugs and voltage
- Type C, E, F, G and L plugs · 220 V
- Driving side
- Driving on the right
- Calling code
- +251
- Languages
- Amharic
- Area
- 1,104,300 km²
- Highest point
- Ras Dashen, 4,533 m
- Main religions
- Ethiopian Orthodox 43.8%, Muslim 31.3%, Protestant 22.8%, Catholic 0.7%, traditional 0.6%, other 0.8%
Getting there and around
Airports, roads and transport.
- ADDAddis Ababa Bole International AirportAddis-Abeba13.1 M passengers · official site
- GDQGondar AirportGondar
- MKSMekane Selam Airport
- AWAAwasa AirportHawassa
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 Ethiopia, see information on driving abroad. You can use your UK driving licence to drive for up to 2 weeks. To drive for longer, contact the Ethiopian Ministry of Transport and Logistics to apply for an Ethiopian driving licence.
Destinations
The essentials.
Addis-Abeba
Addis Ababa ( AD-iss AB-ə-bə; Amharic: አዲስ አበባ [adˈdis ˈaβəβa], lit.
Lalibela
Lalibela’s eleven medieval rock-hewn churches belong to a living place of Ethiopian Christian devotion. Their architecture works with the rock itself; Bete Giyorgis, shown here, makes that relationship particularly clear. Approach the ensemble as religious heritage as well as architecture.
Open the destination
Parc national du Simien
Simien Mountains National Park is the largest national park in Ethiopia.
Aksoum
Axum, also spelled Aksum ( ), is a town in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia with a population of 66,900 residents (as of 2015).
Addis Abeba
Filmed by usMust-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,
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.
Ketfo
Kitfo is an Ethiopian traditional dish that originated among the Gurage people. It consists of minced raw beef, marinated in mitmita and niter kibbeh. The word comes from the Ethio-Semitic triconsonantal root k-t-f, meaning "to chop finely; mince".
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
Spris
Le spris est une boisson traditionnelle d'Éthiopie consistant en un mélange de café et de thé. Servi correctement, le café noir ne se mélange pas au thé et stagne au-dessus de la tasse en formant deux couches bien distinctes. On le déguste agrémenté d'une gros (summary in French)
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
Culture and etiquette
Customs, dress, useful words.
- Religions: Ethiopian Orthodox 43.8%, Muslim 31.3%, Protestant 22.8%, Catholic 0.7%, traditional 0.6%, other 0.8%.
- Languages: Oromo (official regional working language) 33.8%, Amharic (official national language) 29.3%, Somali (official regional working language) 6.2%, Tigrigna (Tigrinya) (official regional working language) 5.9%, Sidamo 4%, Wolaytta 2.2%, Gurage 2%, Afar (official regional working language) 1.7%, Hadiyya 1.7%,…
Festivals and events
The big dates.
- National holiday
Derg Downfall Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991).
- Independence
oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world, at least 2,000 years; may be traced to the Aksumite Kingdom, which appeared in the first century B.C..
Peak season (late September to January); Timkat on 19 or 20 January, spectacular in Gondar.
Peak season, pleasant weather; accommodation fills up around the festivals.
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, Ras Dashen, reaches 4,533 m.
135,472,051 inhabitants in 2025 on 1,104,300 km², about 123 per km².
Independence on oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world, at least 2,000 years.
The country on video
Ethiopia, in motion.
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.
GDP per capita (current US$)933World Bank · 2025GDP growth9.8 %World Bank · 2025Inflation (consumer prices)13.2 %World Bank · 2025Unemployment (ILO estimate)3.3 %World Bank · 2025International tourist arrivals518World Bank · 2020
World Bank data (World Development Indicators), consulted on 28 Oct 2026. Tourist arrivals are the latest year published.
Go
Ready to go?
Book your stay and take the right guidebook along: partner links, labelled as such, to current prices.
Affiliate link: Viafro earns a commission at no extra cost to you.The Viafro letter
The journey continues.
A short letter, when there is something to say. One-click unsubscribe.
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 · Ethiopia (Q115)
- World Bank · World Development Indicators
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Ethiopia · Foreign travel advice · Entry requirements (page updated on 26 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Ethiopia · Foreign travel advice · Health (page updated on 26 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Ethiopia · Foreign travel advice · Safety and security (page updated on 26 Oct 2026)
- Rough Guides · Best time to visit Ethiopia
- Wikipedia · Injera
- Wikipedia · Wat (plat)
- Wikipedia · Ketfo
- Wikipedia · Gored gored
- Wikipedia · Spris
- Wikipedia · Fit-fit
- Wikipedia · Addis-Abeba
- Wikipedia · Lalibela
- Wikipedia · Parc national du Simien
- Wikipedia · Aksoum
- CIA World Factbook · Ethiopia (public domain) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- France Diplomatie · Éthiopie · Travel advice · Security (zones, in French) (page updated on 30 Sept 2026)
- Wikidata · Airports of the country (IATA code, traffic) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia (climate normals) · Addis Ababa · monthly normals (Météo Climat{{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.
Explore nearby