Ethiopia
Addis Ababa
Coffee culture, museums and a highland gateway with deep history.
Know before you go
Welcome to Addis Ababa
Ethiopia's highland capital, sitting at around 2,400 metres and quite unlike the rest of the region. The coffee ceremony originated in this country, the food is distinct from anything else in East Africa, and the National Museum holds some of the most important early-human fossils ever found.
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Make Addis Ababa work for you
Highlights
- The National Museum, home to Lucy - one of the most significant hominin fossils found anywhere
- The Ethnological Museum in Haile Selassie's former palace
- Merkato, one of the largest open-air markets on the continent
- A coffee culture in the country where coffee originates, with the ceremony taken seriously
- Holy Trinity Cathedral and the Entoto hills above the city
Getting around
- Bole International is a major African hub with wide regional connections.
- Ride-hailing apps operate and are the easiest option.
- A light rail system runs across the city, cheap and useful on its routes.
- Traffic is heavy and the city is spread out.
Good to know
- Two to four days, usually as the gateway to the historic northern circuit.
- The altitude is serious - 2,400 metres. Take the first day gently.
- Ethiopia uses its own calendar and a twelve-hour clock starting at dawn. Confirm times carefully.
- Fasting days mean much of the country eats vegan - excellent news if you do too.
- Check current travel advice before booking; conditions in parts of the country have varied.
Take the altitude seriously for the first day or two. Check your government's current travel advice for Ethiopia before booking, as guidance for parts of the country has changed in recent years.
Find your base
Addis Ababa area by area
Bole - near the airport, most international hotels and restaurants
Piazza - the old Italian-era quarter, historic and walkable
Kazanchis - central, business hotels and conference venues
Plan around it
Book nearby
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Before you book
Addis Ababa questions, answered
Is it a stopover or a destination?
Both. Many travellers transit Bole, but the museums, food and coffee culture justify two or three days, and it is the gateway to the northern historic route.
Will the altitude affect me?
It can. At 2,400 metres some visitors feel breathless or tired on the first day. Rest, drink water and avoid heavy exertion initially.
Orientation
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