Erta Ale, Danakil, EthiopiaVideo: Alton Chang, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Find your Bliss in Ethiopia
Ethiopia, made simple: rock churches, coffee and high mountains, without the worry
Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, home to its own alphabet, calendar and clock, and a land of rock-hewn churches, castles, highland peaks and ancient walled cities. It is unlike anywhere else in Africa, and that is exactly why first trips raise questions. This guide answers them, from the e-visa and cash to safety and getting around.
Your trip, step by step
- Before you flyE-visa, cash, health, altitude and the dry season, answered
- LandingBole airport in Addis Ababa and your first hour explained
- Your days in EthiopiaThe capital, the historic north, Harar and the mountains, planned with care
- Home againDeparture tips, coffee to pack and a calm last day
Where to go, eat and stay
- Plain answersClear, honest guidance on the questions first-timers actually ask.
- Official sourcesEntry, health and safety facts point you to the official pages to confirm.
- No price surprisesWe explain what costs more and what costs less, so your budget holds.
- Free to useEvery guide and the trip planner are free.
Our promise
Ethiopia should feel like a once-in-a-lifetime discovery, not a gamble. We answer the tricky questions about the calendar, the clock, cash, regional safety and domestic flights before they start, so you arrive ready to find your Bliss.
Coming home to Addis Ababa, Gondar, Mekelle, Dire Dawa or Hawassa from the United States, Canada, Europe or the Gulf? This guide was written with you in mind too.
How to use this guide
Four steps from first idea to a trip that feels easy.
- Choose your placesAddis Ababa, Lalibela, Gondar, the Simien Mountains, Bahir Dar and Harar: start with the destinations that fit you, and check current safety advice for each region.
- Sort the essentialsThe e-visa, cash, health advice, altitude and the dry season, checked against official sources.
- Pick your placesUse our places to visit list for coffee houses, restaurants, markets, churches, hikes and stays.
- Plan your routeUse the free trip planner to shape your days around domestic flights, festivals and rest days at altitude.
Everything your Ethiopia trip needs
Free tools and guides for every stage of the journey.
Destinations
Addis Ababa, Lalibela, Gondar, the Simien Mountains, Bahir Dar and Harar, each explained in depth.
Explore destinationsPlaces to visit
More than a hundred coffee houses, restaurants, markets, churches, hikes and stays, from classics to hidden corners.
See places to visitFlights and stays
Search flights into Addis Ababa and stays across the country.
Plan travelPlaces finder
Restaurants, sights and stays mapped around each base.
Find placesFree trip planner
Tell us your dates and interests and build a route that fits.
Plan your trip
The classic Ethiopia trip
Rock churches, castles and the roof of Africa
Most first trips begin in Addis Ababa, with its museums, coffee ceremonies and the vast Merkato market. The famous historic route then links Bahir Dar and the island monasteries of Lake Tana, the royal castles of Gondar, the high cliffs and gelada monkeys of the Simien Mountains and the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. In the east, the walled city of Harar has a different feel altogether. Some northern regions carry official travel warnings, so always check current advice before you book.
- Lalibela's churches carved down into solid rock
- Gelada monkeys on the Simien escarpment
- A real coffee ceremony in the land where coffee began
- Timkat and Meskel, two of Africa's great festivals
Start with the destinations
See how the capital, the north and the east fit together.
Ethiopia destinationsPlan with confidence
Your route, without the worry
Distances in Ethiopia are huge, roads are slow and safety varies by region. Our free planner helps you build a realistic route around domestic flights, festival dates and current travel advice.
- The right season for festivals and trekking
- Realistic travel times between regions
- Where to base yourself
Where to go in Ethiopia
From the capital's coffee houses to rock churches, royal castles, highland peaks and an ancient walled city.
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
A fast-growing highland capital with world-class museums, coffee houses, live music and the biggest market in Africa.
Read the guidePhoto: Mjr74, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Amhara
Lalibela
A mountain town of medieval churches carved down into solid rock, still alive with worship after eight centuries.
Read the guidePhoto: Thomas Fuhrmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Amhara
Gondar
Ethiopia's seventeenth-century royal capital, with stone castles, painted churches and the gateway to the Simien Mountains.
Read the guidePhoto: Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Amhara
Simien Mountains
A national park of jagged peaks, sheer escarpments and grassy plateaus, home to geladas, walia ibex and Ethiopian wolves.
Read the guidePhoto: Charliefleurene, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Amhara
Bahir Dar
A relaxed lakeside city of palm-lined avenues, the gateway to Lake Tana's monasteries and the Blue Nile Falls.
Read the guidePhoto: Radosław Botev, CC BY 3.0 pl, via Wikimedia Commons
Harari
Harar
An ancient walled Muslim city of colourful lanes, mosques, markets and the famous hyena men.
Read the guidePhoto: Elias Tesfaye (Shagiz Adonay), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A note from our founder
A note from our founder
My first time visiting Kenya, I was genuinely surprised with how fast it began feeling like home. The people are so friendly, the food is delicious and familiar, and the accommodations are modern and upscale.
During my travels throughout the continent, I commonly hear tourists share stories about being scammed or taken advantage of, which is both frustrating and disheartening.
Living in Kenya for the last 2 years, I have had the great fortune to meet a network of wonderful Kenyans who have continuously help guide my family's journey. Their shared knowledge has not only greatly enhanced our overall experience here, but it has also saved us tons of time, energy, and resources.
With BlissPoint Travel, my hope is to build a global community that is willing to share useful, uncommon knowledge so that we can all blissfully enjoy the wonders our world has to offer.
Questions we hear most
Is Ethiopia worth visiting?
Yes. Few countries match its history, food, coffee culture and mountain scenery, and Ethiopian Airlines connects it to much of the world. Plan carefully, though, because safety varies by region and distances are long.
Do I need a visa for Ethiopia?
Most visitors need a visa, and Ethiopia runs an official e-visa website. Rules vary by passport and can change, so check the official Ethiopian e-visa site and your own government's travel advice before you book.
What currency is used in Ethiopia?
The Ethiopian birr. Bring clean US dollars or euros to change at banks or the airport, use ATMs in cities, and carry cash for smaller towns, since cards are accepted mainly in larger hotels.
Is Ethiopia safe for tourists?
Addis Ababa is generally calm for visitors who take normal care, but several regions, including parts of Amhara and border areas, carry official warnings. Read your government's current travel advice before you book and again before you travel.
When is the best time to visit Ethiopia?
The dry season from about October to March is the most popular, with clear skies for trekking and the Meskel and Timkat festivals. The main rains fall from about June to September in the highlands.
Why does Ethiopia have a different calendar?
Ethiopia uses its own calendar, about seven to eight years behind the Western one, with a New Year in September. Time is also counted from dawn, so always confirm whether a time is in local or international time.
Ready to find your Bliss in Ethiopia?
Use the free trip planner to turn ideas into a route that fits your dates and budget.