Travel Tips

Location
Ethiopia is located between latitudes 3º and 14.8º and 33 and 48º longitude in the Eastern part of Africa (horn of Africa) covering an area of 1.2 million square kilometers, bordering Sudan, Djibouti, Kenya and Eritrea with border length of 5.311 Kms.

The city of Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the federal capital city founded at the foot of the Entoto hill and is surrounded by mountains. It is situated at a height of an altitude of 2500 meters above sea level and annual average temperature around 15º c. Addis Ababa is a big, sprawling city with three million inhabitants million, and grows annually by 3%.

Accommodation
Ethiopia has international class hotels as well as budget hotels that cater to the needs of all travelers.

Airport
Bole Airport is the main airport with worldwide connections. It is 8km from the center of Addis Ababa. Domestic flights are available to all regions and most tourist sites of the country.

Airport Tax
A $20 departure tax will be paid at the airport on departure (payable in USD cash only). As it is often difficult to change large notes at the departure tax office, it is advisable to bring as $20 note.

Entry Requirements
A valid passport is required by all visitors and a visa is required for all foreign visitors. Please ensure that you have a valid entry visa prior to arrival. Visas can now be issued upon arrival for visitors coming from countries that are listed here Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korean republic, Kuwait, Luxemburg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russian federation, south Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States,

Customs
Personal effects are admitted free. Personal articles and samples including those by businessmen and business travelers,Camera, computers and other high-tech gadgets should be declared on arrival. Visitors are allowed to take with them souvenir not with more than 500 birr. To get permit to take wild life and wild plants, Please counsel the Ethiopian wildlife conservation organization.
(Tel: 00251-1-517922/514389 Fax: 00251-1-514190. P.O.Box 386, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia)

Vaccination and medical assistance
All Visitors must be in possession of valid vaccination certificates against yellow fever, and vaccinations against hepatitis and cholera are recommended. Malaria prophylaxis is not needed in Addis Ababa. However, malaria precautions should be taken before visiting the lowlands.

Banking
At Bole Airport, and in all major cites and many towns, there are branches of Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE). There are around six private banks in Addis Ababa with branches in major towns in Ethiopia. Foreign Exchange: Foreign currency may be exchanged at the CBE, Hilton Hotel and Sheraton Hotel. Current exchange rate is approximately 8.60 Ethiopian Birr for one USD. In Ethiopia it is not lawful to exchange money at unapproved location. There is no limit of the amount of foreign currency imported into Ethiopia, but it must be declared on arrival.

Climate
Ethiopia has two main season, the dry season from October through to May, and the rainy season from mid –June to September. Temperatures are pretty pleasant all year round. However, during October to December it can get chilly in the evenings and early mornings. What to wear: Light clothes are recommended during day time in the dry season. For the rainy season a light raincoat and umbrella are essential and a sweater for chilly evening. The sun can be strong in high latitudes, so a strong sunscreen is important.

Time Zone: GMT/UTC +2
Ethiopia is 2 hours ahead of GMT. However, apart from a different calendar, a day will be in two 12-hour cycles ( as in much of East Africa). Therefore midday could be 6 o’clock.

Communications
Telephone, postal, fax and email services s are available in Addis Ababa and other major towns of Ethiopia. The IDD code for Ethiopia is +251, followed 1 for Addis Ababa.

Weight and Measure: Metric

Travel to and in Ethiopia
Air: Ethiopia’s national flag carrier is widely recognized as one of the world’s best airlines, with a net work covering 50 destinations. Visitors are encouraged to use ET for their international flights since priority is given to these clients when flying on the domestic circuit. Most travel between major towns and sites is easily accessible by air and prices are relatively cheaper by international standards. ET has an excellent safety record and is noted for its excellent services.

Land travel
Addis Ababa is connected to most cities and towns by road. Buses run to most major and small towns in the country every day.

Driving
Driving in Ethiopia is on the right. A valid international driving license is required. Car hire (with or without driver) is available in the main centers.

Taxis
In Addis Ababa the NTO (National Tour Operators) provides taxis at the main hotels and the airport, although independent an communal cabs are available. Always check the fare and the destination before you travel NTO taxis have fixed rates and can issue receipts. However the communal cabs all coloured blue with white tops do not have receipts. The mini van communal cabs do not negotiate prices, they have fixed prices from one destination to the other and are the cheapest taxis, fares ranging from 0.75 to 3. Saloon taxis (also all coloured blue with white tops) can be contracted just for yourself or your party, on either an hourly basis for Birr 20 to 25 or a flat rate of Birr 25 to 50 depending on distance of the destination and time of day. In the evenings, especially late at night prices tend to go up slightly.

Language
The official language of Ethiopia is Amharic, with its distinctive alphabets, although over 80 local languages are spoken. English is understood in most hotels and major towns. Arabic, French and Italian are also understood.

Food
The Ethiopian staple food consists of injera, a flat, rounded pancake made of Teff, the only grain to have symbolic yeast. It is a nutritionally high quality food. Various side dishes of meat, pulses and vegetables along with sauces which are generally spiced are also served with injera. The injera is either topped with these side servings or it can be torn off and used to pick up the sauces and fillings.

Restaurants
The restaurants catering for all tests: Indian, Chinese, African, Italian, Mediterranean and different European dishes. Restaurant prices vary from area to area. There are Ethiopian traditional buffet restaurants with national music dancing shows.

Tipping
Most hotels and restaurants have a service charge, however depending on the size of the bill visitors might want to leave a small tip for the service. It is customary to give tips up to 10% of the value of the bill.

Crime
Addis Ababa is considered to be one of the safest cities in Africa but pick pocketing and petty crimes may occur. Please do not leave you valuables unattended. It is advisable to leave your valuables at the hotel’s safe-deposit box in your room or at the reception.

Traditional courtesies
Recognition of traditional courtesies is important when visiting another country. When greeting a handshake is common, often followed by pleasant discussion on personal matters before getting down to business. The offer of tea or coffee is normal. Smoking is not popular amongst traditional people, or in front of priests. Shoes are often taken off on entering churches, and always on entering mosques.