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Ethiopian Airlines is one of Africa's largest and best airlines, with an extensive network of flights throughout Africa, as well as to Djibouti and Yemen. Departure tax is $10.

You can get to Ethiopia from Djibouti by road, but it's pretty exhausting - a bus-train combination tends to work better. Buses run between Addis Ababa and Nairobi, but the trip can be slow as you often have to wait for a convoy to assemble - it's necessary to travel in convoy through the more dangerous areas.

Money & Costs

Currency: Birr

Meals


• Budget: US$1-2

• Mid-range: US$2-5

• Top-end: US$5 and upwards
  
  Lodging
  

• Budget: US$2-5

• Mid-range: US$5-20

• Top-end: US$20 and upwards

If you want to live like a local, Ethiopia goes very easy on the wallet. If you're staying in small hotels, eating street food and travelling by bus, you can get by on about US$12 a day. Doubling that budget will allow you to stay in slightly classier hotels and eat in restaurants, but you'll still be restricted to bus travel. If you're willing to pay around US$70 a day you can stay in quite upmarket hotels, jet between towns, eat whatever you want and hire a guide.

US dollars travellers' cheques should do the trick just about anywhere in Ethiopia, although it's sensible to keep a bit of cash on hand to cover you in really out-of-the-way places. There's really no point taking a credit card with you.

If you use a guide while visiting one of Ethiopia's historic sites, they'll expect a tip - about US$1 an hour seems to be the going rate. Tips aren't expected in restaurants, but they will be happily received. Bargaining with taxi drivers and souvenir-sellers for a better price is quite acceptable.

Events

On 19 January, Ethiopian Christians celebrate Christ's baptism at the festival of Timkat. During the festival, which runs for three days, priests remove the symbolic Ark of the Covenant from every church and parade it to a nearby consecrated pool. Giant Masses are held, accompanied by late night picnics. Ethiopian New Year, Enkutatash is celebrated on 11 September, which is also the feast of John the Baptist. Enkutatash is a spring festival, with kiddies dancing in the streets, handing out flowers and miniature paintings, bonfires and plenty of singing and dancing. On 27 September another Christian festival, Maskal, commemorates the finding of the True Cross on which Christ was crucified. Town squares are filled with huge piles of maskal, or 'cross', daisies, which later become giant bonfires. Ethiopian Orthodox Christmas is celebrated on 7 January.

Traveling guidelines

Visas: Everyone except Kenyan nationals needs a visa. Visas are single entry.
Health risks: Bilharzia (schistosomiasis), contaminated drinking water, AIDS, malaria, parasites, land mines. Yellow fever vaccinations are compulsory.
Time: GMT/UTC + 3 hours
Electricity: 220V or 240V, 50 Hz
Weights & measures: Metric

Ideal time to visit

Ethiopia is pretty pleasant all year round, with temperatures in Addis Ababa averaging around 20°C (68°F) no matter what season it is. Fairly heavy rain falls in the middle of the year, so it's probably best to avoid June and July.