| DOCUMENTS
You can get it at the airport for 20$
or 17euro (you have to pay with one of these currencies).
It quite straightforward but be prepared with an address
of any hotel in Addis since you need to write it.
I tried to get a multiple entry visa, but they only
issue one single entry ones.
MONEY
At the time of travelling (oct07) 1$=
9Birr and 1euro= 12Birr. There's a money change at
the airport exactly where you get the visa, where
they have no commission and the official change rate.
HEALTH
I had the usual vaccinations: Ephatite
A, B, Typhus, Tetanus and Meningitis furthermore I
took Lariam prophylaxis against malaria. If you are
heading to Djibouti take into account the yellow fever
certificate is required. I hadn't my mosquito net,
but in some malaria-risky places (Dire Dawa, Bahar
Dar) I used the one of the hotel.
Fleas or mattress bugs can be quite a problem in the
hotels, I think it has been a good idea to bring my
bug powder. Also the carpets of the churches in Lalibela
seem to be the paradise for bugs: you'll feel quite
itchy.
GENERAL
TIPS
Ethiopian bus
In Ethiopia by law buses or minibuses cannot travel
after 6.00pm, so all the long distance means of transport
leave at 6.00am and they stop for the night along
the way. Sometimes you cannot by the ticket in advance
so you need to be at least at 5.20am at the bus station
to fight for your seat.
Merkato in Addis Ababa
Merkato in Addis Ababa it's the paradise of pickpockets;
the trick used was a man falling down in front of
you, you bow to help him and a friend of him behind
you emptied your pockets
Ethiopian train
Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa are connected by passenger
train. They leave twice a week and from Dire Dawa
depart at 5.00 pm travelling the whole night
Boat trip in Bahar Dar
Bahar dar: the 100bir boat trip from Ghion hotel lasts
4h and it takes you to 4-5 monastery, I think it's
more than enough (I didn't even entered the last one).
If you ask they will also take you to exact point
where the blue Nile begins and to see the hippos of
lake Tana.
Blue Nile waterfall
Blue Nile waterfall: I got to the waterfall by public
bus from Bahar Dar, but once there locals wanna-be-your-guide
were so a hassle and the waterfall so badly indicated
that I regretted I didn't take a guided from the beginning.
Ethiopian Airlines
Ethiopian Airlines works quite well, especially with
the flights connecting the north of Ethiopia with
Addis Ababa. There's at least one flight per day from
Addis Ababa to Bahar dar, Gondar, Lalibela, Axum,
at the end it's the same flight with four stopovers.
With Ethiopian airlines you can change the date of
the flight according to the availability without extra
charge or even change the destination or the departure
just paying the difference.
| Djibouti- Addis Ababa (1way) |
142 euro |
3 times/ week |
| Rome- Addis Ababa (2ways) |
700 euro (tax incl) |
3 times/ week |
| Addis- Dire Dawa (1way) |
88 euro (tax incl) |
1-2 times/ day |
| Addis- Gondar (1way) |
100 euro (tax incl) |
1-2 times/ day |
| Bahar Dar- Addis (1way) |
90 euro (tax incl) |
1-2 times/ day |
| Lalibela- Addis (1way) |
95 euro (tax incl) |
1-2 times/ day |
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