Helpful Information
Visa Requirements
No visa is required for the nationals of Kenya Djibouti, and The Sudan. In addition nationals of the following countries can easily get a visa on arrival in the airport.
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China. Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korean Republic, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherland, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States of America
Nationals out of the mentioned countries above may apply for a visa at the Ethiopian Diplomatic Mission Offices.
Heights and Temperatures
Region | M above sea level | Average annual temp. in centigrades | General description |
Simien & Bale Mountains | 3’300 or above | 10 or less | cold |
North & Bale Mts | 2’300-3’300 | 10-15 | cool, moderate |
Addis & East | 1’500-2’300 | 15-25 | moderate |
Rift Valley & South | 500-1’500 | 20-25 | warm , moderate |
Afar | below 500 | 28 or above | hot |
Distances in km
from | to | Distance |
Addis Ababa | Langano | 205 km |
Langano | Arba Minch | 300 km |
Arba Minch | Konso | 85 km |
Konso | Jinka | 160 km |
Jinka | Mago Park | 32 km |
Mago Park | Murulle | 95 km |
Karo | Kangatan | 17 km |
Karo | Omorate | 54 km |
Karo | Turmi | 56 km |
Karo | Dimeka | 70 km |
Addis ababa | Gonder | 748 km |
Gonder | Debark | 100 km |
Gonder | Sankaber | 136 km |
Debark | Chenek | 58 km |
Debark | Axum | 260 km |
Axum | Mekele | 300 km |
Mekele | Ahmedela | 210 km |
Ahmedela | Dalol | 36 km |
Ahmedela | Ertale | 160 km |
Ertale | Aberti | 206 km |
Aberti | Mekele | 60 km |
Mekele | Lalibela | 314 km |
Lalibela | Kombolcha | 334 km |
Kombolcha | Awash | 356 km |
Awash | Harer | 270 km |
Harer | Nazreth | 372 km |
Nazreth | Arba Minch | 462 km |
Arba Minch | Jinka | 250km |
Jinka | Mursi -Jinka | 141km |
Jinka | Turmi | 128km |
Turmi | Karo | 160km |
Turmi | Arba Minch | 282km |
Arba Minch | Addis Ababa | 505km |
Money Matters
Currency Information
The national currency of Ethiopia is the Ethiopian Birr (ETB), with an exchange rate of 21 to the USD (April 2016). Birr may not be imported or exported. We advise you to bring most of your funds in cash. US Dollars, Sterling or Euros are all fine. At the airport it can be very slow to exchange money but the various banks in Addis Ababa are a good option. US Dollars, Sterling or Euros should be clean and free from rips or marks. Travelers cheque issued either by Thomas Cook or American Express can also be changed at the airport, but they can be difficult to cash anywhere else. Outside of Addis Ababa, credit cards are not accepted in most establishments, so it’s better to carry enough cash to last for a few days.
ATM availability/Credit Card Acceptance/Travellers cheques
Ethiopia has a dense network of ATMs in Addis Ababa. Credit cards, mainly Visa and MasterCard are useful for cash advances in Addis Ababa and can be used at most ATMs, major hotels and restaurants. However they remain of little use outside the major cities. For credit card transactions you will usually be charged a service fee between 2.5 -10%. Moreover, your bank is likely to charge you a also a fee for withdrawing cash from ATMs and for using your card overseas. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that your credit or debit cards will always work in Ethiopia. You need to check with your bank before departure. Please do not rely on credit or debit cards as your only source of money. Experience has shown that it is wise to withdraw a certain amount of cash upon arrival at the airport for your personal use. We can advise you on the approximate amounts of money you will need on your tour.
Extra Expenses and Spending Money
Bring extra spending money if you wish to buy local crafts such as jewelery, Ethiopian dresses, scarves, carved wooden crosses, basketwork, frankincense, Ethiopian coffee or any other local specialties.