Is Ethiopia safe to visit?

Last updated August 23rd, 2023.

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One of the biggest stumbling blocks to people visiting Africa’s treasures are safety fears. This guide aims to answer the question is Ethiopia safe to visit. You should then feel confident that travelling to this east African nation isn’t foolhardy or stupid.

What is Ethiopia like?

If you’ve never visited Africa before, you’ll certainly be shocked by some of what you experience in Ethiopia. For instance, there’s a huge difference between its modern cities and largely unchanged countryside.

This is fairly common in Africa. A lot of what makes Ethiopia unique results from its physical geography.

Situated amid highlands in east Africa, much of the country is a natural fortress. Even today this means long – if beautiful – journeys by road. They frequently wind around mountains and through river valleys to such a degree nausea isn’t unheard of.

A far cry from the famine imagery that triggered Band Aid and Live Aid 40 years ago, Ethiopia is a thriving agricultural community.

It is also one where tribal customs have survived better than perhaps anywhere else in the region. Among them are the tribes of the Omo Valley.

Naturally impressive, lofty mountaintops give way to the Danakil Depression. It is one of the lowest and hottest places on Earth and where our story as a species is thought to have begun.

Elsewhere, there are ancient rock-cut churches belonging to the country’s distinctive form of Christianity. Plus one of the sources of the Nile, and quite possibly, the Ark of the Covenant too.

Beginnings lost in myth

Ethiopia’s history is unlike any other country’s. Indeed, it’s arguably legendary.

The Kebra Nagast is an epic telling the country’s foundation myth. It says the Queen of Sheba was monarch of Ethiopia. She travelled to the Middle East to seduce King Solomon on hearing of his wisdom.

They named the resulting child Menelik. Ethiopia’s last emperor, Haile Gabrielle Selassie, traced his ancestry to Menelik. This didn’t stop him ending his days dumped into a toilet pit when overthrown in 1974. (He is now entombed inside Addis Ababa’s Kidist Selassie, or Holy Trinity, Cathedral).

The same story links Ethiopia with the Ark of the Covenant. The ark carried the Ten Commandments during the time of Moses.

The Kebra Nagast states it was brought back to the country by Menelik. Many believe it still resides in Aksum’s Our Lady, Mary of Zion Church. No one really knows, because no one except its priest is allowed to look inside.

Perhaps this is why the country has a distinct form of orthodox christianity treating the words of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible with equal weight.

Approach any church in the country, and you’ll see just how much respect ordinary Ethiopians have for the faith, bowing and kneeling beside their walls.

The legend of Prester John

Ethiopia’s priestly class has its own written language (Ge’ez); while Ethiopia has its own alphabet.

Christian Ethiopia, surrounded by ‘hostile’ Islamic nations for hundreds of years, is also thought to have led to the legend of Prester John.

Its strength of faith has led to some incredible feats of architecture, not least the rock cut churches of Lalibela. These are rightly enshrined as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and exploring these churches with a knowledgable guide is an absolute must.

If that wasn’t enough, Ethiopia has its own calendar too, of 13 months. Based upon the movements of the sun, it saw the country celebrate the new millennium seven and a half years after those following the (standard) Gregorian calendar.

Independence

The fact Ethiopia remained unconquered by European colonists marks it out as different to other African nations too. It was the only country on the continent not to suffer this fate.

Italian forces tried twice, and failed twice. Although they occupied the country for 22 years, they never truly succeeded in colonising it.

Their efforts are best seen in the Italianate buildings of the capital, Addis Ababa. It’s a name which means ‘new flower’ in Amharic.

That’s not to say Ethiopia hasn’t had long links with the world beyond. The royal castle complex at Gondar demonstrates a Portuguese influence.

And with the source of the Blue Nile at Lake Tana, the country has also seen its fair share of explorers and adventurers come its way.

When Emperor Haile Selassie was overthrown in a coup in 1974, he was replaced with a communist military government known as the Derg.

The Derg was in turn overthrown in 1991, largely as a result of the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union. It was around this time that Eritrea was given independence. Since then, Ethiopia has been largely stable, despite war and instability on almost all its borders.

Is Addis Ababa safe?

Compared to other big cities in Africa, Addis Ababa is relatively safe. It can be quite difficult to decide where the centre of Addis lies, but I consider it to be Meskel Square.

From here, it’s a short trip by car to major hotels and bank branches. It’s also just a short distance to the Italianate architecture of the Piazza area (and some of east Africa’s best pizzas).

Around Piazza you’ll find a lot of smaller, locally run budget-friendly hotels. The area is popular with backpackers for this reason. However, most international grade hotels are found to the southeast of the area.

If you’re new to the city, the best way to explore is probably on an organised tour. They take in sights including the Mausoleum of Emperor Menelik II and the National Museum. This houses the bones of the 3.2 million year old hominid named Lucy.

Guided tours are particularly useful since groups of young homeless children use pedestrian overpasses and other locations in the city to target people for pickpocketing. Pretty determined in nature, they will surround you, and try and distract you as they fish in your pockets or bags.

Even with a guide, you should keep all valuables in internal zip-up pockets whenever possible. It’s also probably worth risking the traffic to avoid using overpasses.

The other major risk is confidence tricksters (i.e. scammers). Here, someone will get talking to you on the street before convincing you to visit their shop (music stores seem popular) or a café. You’ll invariably end up paying for something you don’t want to.

Be wary of anyone who approaches you out of the blue, whatever their age. Stay calm, but refuse to make any payments you weren’t expecting to cover.

Is road travel in Ethiopia safe?

In Addis Ababa, it’s best to use yellow metered taxis than the blue and white alternative. This is because yellow taxis are generally in a better state of repair.

Make sure the driver sets the meter when you depart. In reality, the meter probably won’t work, so agree a price before setting off.

When travelling in a vehicle in cities, keep any bags well protected or hidden, and travel with the windows closed to avoid the risk of bag-snatching at traffic lights and in queueing traffic.

Outside of cities, roads are good and traffic tends to be light. This does mean drivers have to be aware of pedestrians and wildlife even outside of the country’s top national parks.

For this reason, you should resist the temptation to travel anywhere after dark. Roads are generally unlit, and oncoming vehicles don’t necessarily use their lights.

Because of the country’s size, domestic flights are a common way of covering longer distances. Ethiopian Airlines has a good regional network and exceptional safety record.

Places to avoid in Ethiopia

Northern Ethiopia is currently is turmoil due to an ongoing conflict between the forces of the federal government in Addis Ababa and those of the Tigray region. This puts potential destinations such as Aksum off limits for the time being, although Gondar is said to be safe.

Sporadic flare ups can occur in Ethiopia’s eastern Somali region (or Ogaden), and have previously led to the kidnap of foreigners travelling in the region.

The railway town of Dire Dawa is generally safe, Jijiga (for transport to Somaliland) less so. It’s best to consult with those on the ground as to the current situation.

Elsewhere, Ethiopia’s border areas are also often considered unsafe. The exceptions are the main routes connecting to border posts.

In addition, you should also stay away from demonstrations, protests and strikes. They have the potential to turn violent without warning.

Other hints and tips for travel in Ethiopia

Many nationals can obtain a 30-day visa on arrival at Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport when entering the country for tourist purposes. This does away with the need to obtain a visa before arrival.

The scheme is occasionally suspended (most recently during the coronavirus pandemic). Airlines are also increasingly reluctant to allow those without a visa onto flights, so it’s always best to check first.

Mobile phones are revolutionising life in Ethiopia. However, given its mountainous terrain, both phone reception and internet connectivity can be patchy. Don’t rely on having either.

Ethiopia remains a cash society. The Ethiopian currency is the birr. £1 equals around 68 birr, $1 around 55 birr. A cup of coffee at a local cafe with cost around five birr. Birr cannot be obtained outside of the country.

The best currency for exchange is the US dollar, but only the newer multi-coloured notes will be accepted. Notes with even the slightest mark or cut might also be refused by tellers.

Souvenirs include beautifully-worked Ethiopian crosses. If you’re thinking of buying one, you’ll need to pack it in your hold luggage to prevent it being confiscated as a weapon at airport security.

So is Ethiopia safe to visit?

Though not perfect, Ethiopia has come a long way in a short time. At the same time, it manages to protect and maintain the traditions that made it so special to begin with. If you get the chance to visit any part of Ethiopia, don’t miss out!