Ethiopia Travel Forum

Will be going to Langano for an extended visit, up to one year. Need suggestions on what I should/could take with me to make things easier for us.

Thank you

Hi,

I'm preparing my equipment for a trek in the Simien Mountains and want to carry my small Camping Gaz Stove. Anyone knows if Camping Gaz Cylinders are available there (maybe in Bahir Dar, Gondar or Debark)?

Thank you

Paolo

I will like to know the average costs of rooms per night in medium hotels in Addis ababa and possibly their location,most espectially those with night clubs where a tourist can relax. thanks.

Hey everyone,
Im Gilad, im 23 and im going to arrive in ethiopia this thursday (yeah, i know its a short notice..)
i want to travel in ehtiopia for about a month, and then move to Uganda.
Im looking for travel partners atleast for the beginning, but i will be happy to keep on travel together.

so if you are going to get to ethiopia in the next few days or if you just got there, i'll be glad to hear from you!
this is my mail: rozenberg.gilad@gmail.com you can contact me there or on facebook!

I was told that no "professional" cameras are allowed in Ethiopia. I am traveling with 11 people. All humanitarian media photographers of different levels of professionalism.

What are the real rules and what can we do to bring in our Nikons and Canons to Ethiopia? We are not working there. We are volunteering visiting a fistula hospital in Addis to do stories about the great work the hospital is doing helping babies and mothers in childbirth and doing free surgeries to cure birth injuries.

HELP!! I leave in 18 days!

Hi,

I'm looking for a 1 month trekking with two friends in Africa.We thought of ethiopia as it seems to offer amazing nature and mountainous landscapes.
We actually want to walk for about a month without guide.
Do you recommend this country and do you think it's feasable going from one village to another during a month? Where should we go?

Thanks for your help,
Ben

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a travel to Ethiopia next nov/dec for about 3 weeks. I would like to share my travel with one or more friends (he/she).

My plan is still open. Forsure I'll visit some important spots and cities (eventually renting a car), but one part of the travel will be a trek in some area of Ethiopia, e.g. Simien Mountains (any suggestions welcome).

About me: I’m an accustomed “senior” traveller an have travelled and hiked in many places, with friends or alone. I’m Italian and speak also english, german and french.

Please contact me if you're interested.

Hi There,

I'm moving (alone) to Addis soon as an expat for 2 years.

I'm coming November and will probably stay in a hotel/or Appartment temporarily until I find a permanent residence.

I will appreciate any feedback from people living there in terms of social life , transportation, housing rent, internet access/prices (are we able to get internet on a mobile phone ?), weather and security.

Hobbies and sports ?

Do you still have Electricity/Water cut ?

What do I need to pay attention to ?

Thanks

Hello,

I am searching the whole www to find out if it is possible to rent a car without a driver in Ethiopia. Anybody has any contacts? Or advise?

We live in Africa so we are used to very bad road conditions and we have driven in plenty of other countries so for us the issue of safety/bad roads etc does not make a difference as we experience this on a day to day basis.

We like to rent a car without a driver so we are free to go where we want to without planning to much. Or is it possible to get around in taxi for reasonable prices? Or would this be very expensive?

Please help me....

Hi,

Are there interac ATM machines in Addis Ababa and other tourist detinations such as Gondar, Lalibella, etc. that will use preferably bank cards? Visa cards?

Are there places to look for other tourists while in Ethiopia that are looking to share in cost of renting a 4WD for going to the OMO VAlley with an Ethiopian driver or sharing in costs for a local tour to the Omo Valley?

Thanks in advance,
Garry

We are hoping to celebrate our 10th anniversary by visiting Ethiopia and are starting preliminary research on our possible itinerary. Due to childcare constraints -this is an 'adults only' event- we are sadly limited to 2 weeks some time in 2011 (recommendations on the best time of year to visit welcome!).
We are looking for a balance between culture and wildlife and would also like to consider hiking/pony trekking in either the Bale Mountains National Park or the Simien Mountains National Park
A very rough first pass (and probably overly ambitious) itinerary looks like this:
Addis Abeba for the town and museums (2 days)
Head northward via Blue Nile Gorge to Lake Tana (Bahir Dar), (2-3 days)
Gonder then Simien Mountains, (2-3 days hiking or driving through)
Aksum
Adwa (optional)
Lalibela – the churches
Return to Addis by plane
Addis southward /eastward to Awash (which is close to where my husband's grandfather had a coffee plantation)
Sekele Wildlife sanctuary at Awasa – short transit
Bale Mountains (ideally including horse trekking)
Any comments/guidance on the itinerary and modes of transport gratefully received!

Several Addis Ababa hotels -- including Harmony and Sheraton -- report "no rooms available" in most of January 2011. Does anyone know if some big event is scheduled for that month?

I am a UK student who is travelling to Addis in October for a 10 day trip. I'm working on a dissertation for my university course and it would be very helpful to have internet access while I'm there so I don't fall behind on my work.

What is the best way to get internet as a tourist? I've heard of CDMA and that they allow rental, but it seems very complicated. Is there an easy way?

I may go to Addis-Ababa for work. I first would like to know if the city is safe. Some say it is one of the most secured city in Africa, but I read on the official French government website that some troubles occurred in 2008 and 2009 (explosions). What's your opinion about that?
Thank you for your help.

Hi All,

I am considering a flight between India and Africa. Ethiopian Airways fly between Mumbai and Nairobi via Addis Ababa for around 375USD

Do you think it would be possible to delay the connecting flight to Nairobi for a few days in order to spend some time exploring Addis Ababa/Ethiopia?

What would you recommend seeing within 5-7 days? I understand Ethiopia is a large country and there are large distances between different regions.

I appreciate any help provided. Many Thanks!

im off to ethiopia for near a month to see the bale, simean mountains and the danakil.

just wanted to ask those who have travelled ethiopia what there favourite nature adventures other than the ones above are and what you recommend.

cheers

Hi - following DAO's recommendation I went off for a meal at Tblisi, but simply could not find it. I turned off bole road following the pizzeria signs, but couldn't see it anywhere "near" the pizzeria. Must have asked 50 people where it was, but nobodt knew. So - DAO or anyone else - do you have some more precise directions?

thanks

does anyone have some good links about this place.

just wondering if anyone has been hiking there and if its true that a scout is compulsary and for what reasons ie bandits, animals? is it possible to bribe scouts to let u go alone?

cheers

I plan a very short trip to Ethiopia in late june. I will possibly fly into Addis Ababa on the 23rd and need to be in Naoribi by 2nd July. I am mainly interested in visiting the Omo Valley and visiting the tribes. Could any one suggest a possible itenerary for me? I want to travel as cheaply as possible so could anyone recommend a cheap tourist bus or a local bus? Is it safe for a lone female traveller? Is there campsites available in this region? How long should it take to Naoribi overland? Is there any travellers in this region around this time who would be interested in joining me. Appreciate any help I can get. This is my first big solo travel experience.

Hello!
I am planning a trip to Ethiopia ( unfortunately very short but SWEET!) and I would like to ask if there are some interesting villages and fun places to stay, which are in the highlands area not very far from Addis Ababa? maybe within 100 Km? I want to meet local people and maybe stay in a village overnight (?)
I am MOST interested in going to places like Lelibela and Axum but my time is too limited and will make another trip for those. ( Could I ask, is Lelibela nice to go now or is it a big TOURISTY TRAP now? )

I welcome ANY suggestions!
Thanks

Hey All,

I was wondering if anyone has gone on Seble Shopping Tours. I'm signed up for next week, and I wanted to know if anyone had any tips, or recommendations of where to go? Also if the tour is worth it. Thanks!

TravelChild

Hi all,
Some friends and I will be travelling in Ethiopia in January and we are interested in learning the process of making Tej and learning to cook some traditional meals. Has anyone done this and can you recommend anyone you have met that may be interested in helping us.
Thanks!

Hello;

I am a graduate student and have been awarded a research grant to study indigenous health care systems in Rural Ethiopia (ie. Traditional Medicine). Now my question is this, when I am in major cities such as Addis, Jimma & Mekele - I have no problem finding accomodations, I can just open my lonely planet guide. However, a great deal of my research will require me to live in rural Ethiopian villages for days at a time, what should I do about accomodations there? Is it advisable to make a contact in a bigger city and ask if he/she has relatives or knows someone in the village I am going and ask them if i can stay there. Should I go to the village and just offer to pay a family a reasonable amount to stay with them for a few days? A little confused. I leave Dec. 31st so I am trying to solidify my plans asap. Thanks for all your help.

Considering a trip to Addis Ababa. Looking for good hotels and good rates. Anyone know of anything?

Hello,
I am going to Ethiopia for the month of November to work on a film and I am looking for first hand advice about the country. My main concerns/questions are as follows:

-Weather: I am told it is going to be warmer during the day and a little cooler at night but I was curious how cool or how warm? Any specific tips for clothes items or materials that would be recommended?

-Communication: I hear the internet is limited and that late night works the best, any recs on where to get internet access? I also hear the postal service is quite reliable so I'll probably be sending letters. Any tips on communicating back to the US?

-Photography: I plan on bringing my film camera and some rolls of film. I am sure there are none but does anyone know of any photo stores or photo labs in Addis Ababa? if not I plan on shipping my film back to the US. Ideas?

-Money: How much should I expect to pay for an average meal? An average beer? I plan on dealing in cash most of the time, of course, and I want to make sure I bring enough(was thinking about $500-$700 for 4 weeks). My lodging and travel is being paid for but I want to make sure have enough for meals, drinks and other touristy stuff I'll be doing on my days off.

-Misc: Can anyone recommend a guide book or phrase book so that I don't look like an ugly american? Also, any thoughts on different meds to bring with me?

Hi,
I plan to travel around northern ethopia for 4 weeks over Christmas and want to know if it is easy to get around using public transport. I will be flying from A/A to Bahir Dar and then again from Lalibela back to A/A but travelling overland from Bahir Dar to Lalibela via Axum etc. Are all the sites accessible via public transport and if not, how to organise local guides.
All I have found at the moment is expensive tours which is not for me. Help?

I'm travelling between Dubai and Tanzania and there is a stop at Addis Ababa. I'm thinking of extending this stop to a couple of days so see the capital.

Can UK passport holders (but residents of Qatar) get a tourist visa on arrival at the airport? If so, how much is it and is there a long queue?

Regards

Jason

Hey there:

It's not clear from the travel guide I own whether it is possible to rent a car for travel outside Addis without having to pay for a driver. I'm sure a driver would come in extremely handy at times. But my girlfriend and I have traveled many less developed countries safely and relatively easily in rented cars, and we'd prefer to drive ourselves. We live in snowy rural Minnesota (USA of course) and both drive 4x4 vehicles, so we're experienced with backroad travel difficulties. Like most Yanks we have little vacation time and need to cover much ground.

So...where is a reliable outlet from which a smaller 4x4 can be rented. We aren't necessarily seeking something new or expensive, not looking to attract any more attention than we have to.

Any tips on traveling this way? Are we insane for trying it? If we have to hire a driver as well, how does this work as far as hotel, eating, tips etc? Thanks a ton for your comments. gp

i planing to visit adis next month for the first time to have fun,i have heard that the bole road is the crowded with restaurants and cafe ,i like to sit in these cafe and enjoy watching people and being charmed by the beautify of Ethiopian girls , i would appreciate if you could recommed nice hotel or guest house supplied with not water on this vivid road or nearby(walking distance)and close to this restaurants and cafe