PRACTICAL ADVICE

Flight tickets and visa applications Cultural Competence Consultancy will handle your flight bookings and visa application before your departure. Make sure your passport is valid.

Health

Visitors coming to Ethiopia should have in their possesion a valid vaccination certificate against yellow fever. Cholera vaccination is required for any person who has visited a transited cholera infected area within six days prior to arrival in Ethiopia. Malaria precautions should be taken two weeks before if traveling at an altitude below 2000 meters. Visitors should bring a simple first-aid kit with different size bandages, antiseptic cream, anti-histamine cream and/or tablets for insect bites, sun barrier cream and an anti-diarrheal such as Imodium. Visitors may wish to take out holiday health insurance in their country.

Customs

Duty-free import are permitted for up to: - 200 cigarettes, or 50 cigars or 1/2 lb (225gr) of tobacco - 1 liter of alcoholic beverages - 1/2 litre, or two bottles of perfumes Visitors may export souvenirs with a value not exceeding Birr 500, although some articles (such as animal skins and antiques) require an export permit.

Currency

The local currency is the Ethiopian Birr made up of 100 cents. Visitors may import an unlimited amount of foreign currency; providing declaration of such currency is made to customs on arrival. Foreign currency may be changed only at authorized banks and hotels. The currency declaration form must be retained, as this will be required by customs on departure. Visitors, however, will be able to change any excess Ethiopian Birr to foreign currency at the bank in the airport before departure. The Euro, US Dollar and major traveler’s checks are easily convertible in banks and some hotels. ATMs are not in use. Credit card use is only available in 4 & 5-Star hotels in Addis Ababa.

In order to change birr back to dollars on leaving the country, visitors will be asked to produce bank receipts.

Electric Supply


Ethiopia uses 220 volts. Please bring adapters as there is no standard power outlets.

Language

Ethiopia is a multi-ethnic state with a great variety of languages spoken in the country, of which there are 83 with 200 dialects. The main three languages are Amharic (the national language of the country), Tigrigna and Oromigna. English is also widely spoken.

Topography

Ethiopia has an elevated central plateau varying in height between 2,000 and 3,000 meters. In the north and
in the centre of the country, there are some 25 mountains whose peaks rise over 4 600 meters.

Climate

there are two seasons: the dry season prevails from October through May; the wet season runs from
June to September.

Best Time to Visit: Ethiopia can be visited any time of the year as it provides you with 13 months of sunshine or any kind of weather you like. It depends on the region that you want to visit and/or the activities you want to engage in. The weather has a year round temperature of 70F/25C in most of the country, although the southern areas can be warmer during the dry season. Clothing should be conservative, but casual. Good walking shoes are essential. A sweater or light jacket is needed for the cooler evenings.

When planning your visit to Ethiopia you may considered that the rainy season is from June thru August
making some travel difficult but not impossible.

Food and Drinks

The food and drink of Ethiopia reflects the many different cultures. A typical dish is Wot, a hot spicy stew of meat or vegetables, seasoned with a blend of Berbere (chillie powder). It is made with Doro (chicken), and normally served with Injera, the traditional spongy pancake made from a fermented Teff flour batter. Ethiopia produces its own wines; Dukam and Gouder are fine reds, while Axumite is sweeter. Crystals is a dry white wine. The famous honey wine or Tej is found all over the country as is Talla, a local beer, and Katikala, Araki, distilled liquor.

 

Religion

Christianity and Islam are the two main religions in Ethiopia making up 45% of the population each with other religions making up the rest. Most of the Christians belong to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. While visiting churches and mosques shoes must be removed before entering the building. One should never smoke anywhere near a church. Only priests are allowed to step into the Holy of Holies where the 'TABOT' replica of the Ark of the Covenant is kept.