TOUR PREPARATION

You need a passport valid for six months and a visa. Americans and Europeans can get a visa on arrival at the airport in Addis Ababa for about 45 euros. Visa fees should be paid in cash.

You can also apply for the visa at the Ethiopian Embassy or the Ethiopian Consulate in person or by post for approximately 36 euros. This should be done 3 – 6 weeks before the beginning of the journey. For your pre-arrival application, you will need a passport valid for six months after the end of the trip, two passport photos, a completed visa application form and a copy of the travel confirmation. For postal submission, you need to provide proof of payment of visa fees with a stamped envelope (registered letter).

Online visa application is also available now. Please refer the following link to apply for a visa. https://www.evisaforethiopia.com/

We are happy to help you with the visa application!

You should be in a good health condition. For exclusive travel wishes, we will gladly provide you with an individual program. The risk of getting sick on the trip is very low.

Since some parts of the country are part of the malaria region, a preventive malarial apoplexy or taking of a standby malaria drug for ingestion is recommended. We advise you to contact your doctor before the start of the trip and seek medical and vaccination recommendations to avoid risks.

Basically, there are no mandatory vaccinations for Ethiopia. However, we recommend the following vaccinations for which most of the costs are covered by the health insurance companies:

Standard vaccinations for adults; Refresh if necessary:

• Polio
• Tetanus
• Diphtheria

Ethiopia specific:

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• typhus
• Meningitis serotype B
• Rabies
• Yellow fever

If you have regular dental problems, we advise you to visit your dentist before the trip. Getting a dental care according to European standards might be difficult. Further information is available at: www.fit-for-travel.de/reiseziel/aethiopien/

Foreign health insurance is not mandatory. Nevertheless, we strongly advise you to avoid possible complications. We are happy to help you choose the right insurance.

The local currency is the Ethiopian Birr (ETB). 1 euro is exchanged for 32 Ethiopian Birr (as of December 2017). Euro and US dollars can be exchanged in any banks against Birr (ETB).

Paying by credit card is unusual and not accepted in most shops and restaurants. In bigger cities, money can be withdrawn at ATMs, but there are always empty ATMs or problems with credit cards. We recommend you to carry cash either in Euros or US dollars. The bills should be as new as possible and undamaged. Ethiopian Birr is a domestic currency and may not be imported or exported. If you carry cash above 3,000 US Dollars, you must declare upon arrival

The current-voltage in Ethiopia is 220 volts / 50 Hz, and European or American plugs can be used. Normally you do not need a plug if you’re from Europea. For sensitive devices, however, it is advisable to carry an adapter, as the current-voltage may fluctuate.

Most hotels have emergency power units in the event of a power cut. It is advisable to bring a pocket or headlamp to use it during a power cut, camping, and homestays in rural villages.

On many international flights including Ethiopian Airlines, you can take two 23 kg free baggage. In addition, a hand luggage with a maximum of 7 kg, whose dimensions (length + width + height) should not exceed 115 cm. In addition, you may carry personal items such as a handbag or camera in the cabin. Dangerous objects or substances should not be included in the luggage. In the hand luggage, liquids, gels, sprays and pastes up to 100 ml may be packed in a transparent, resealable plastic bag (for example, a zipper closure freezer bag) with a maximum filling capacity of 1 liter. For more information on baggage regulations, please visit the websites of specific airlines. Here you can check for Ethiopia Airlines. www.ethiopianairlines.com.

Due to limited space in our vehicles, we ask you to restrict yourself to only one piece of luggage. We also recommend taking either a travel bag or a backpack (no suitcase), as it is easier to store them in a minibus or other small vehicle. A daily bag is always convenient for day trips and hikes.

For specific travels, please also refer to the notes on luggage in each tour description.