Skip to main content
Missions101 is part of the Adventures In Missions network.

Ethiopia

Safety

U.S. State Department | Ethiopia

See above link for information on Safety and Security

Carry a copy of passport with you.  Officials have been know to check foreigners and if there is not proper identification they will be taken to the police station until the proper documents are presented.

Safety in Ethiopia
What do other Racers need to know in order to be safe? Current safety protocols/precautions in place? Any relevant issues/concerns? Any precautionary suggestions?

People’s Opinions

  1. This month was really intense. It was not safe for my team to go out even in small groups. During the day, we were mostly safe as a team, but at nighttime, we had to have a local with us. The locals were aggressive(grabbing a bracelet off a wrist or trying to take our stuff) and inappropriate (man touching himself and then touching us). We stood out like crazy, and while many people were great, many weren’t. At the Addis Ababa airport, (Kenya Air) we were told to check our carry-on backpacks because “there’s no overhead room” and I left an extra iphone 5 and the team baby phone in my backpack, and it was stolen. I really didn’t expect someone to steal from my checked bag. In general, take every precaution.

Health

CDC Travelers Health | Ethiopia

Health in Albania
Any special health concerns?

Sun Shine Clinic
House N. B 1-8-1
PO Box 70329
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
+251 11600092

Bethel Teaching General Hospital
Fikre Mariam Abatechan St.
PO Box 9011
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
+251 113495475

British Embassy Clinic
Fikre Mariam Abatechan St.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
+251 11157954

Hayat Hospital
Bole Sub City
Kebelel 03, PO Box 15836
+251 11620882

Myungsung Christian Medical Center (Korean Christian)
Kebele 11
PO Box 15478
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
+251 116295421

Noble Higher Clinic
PO Box 2380
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
+251 11125363

People’s Opinions

Visa Info

U.S. State Dept Visa Info | Ethiopia

Visa Info in Ethiopia
Do you need one? Where did you get it? Cost? Resources/sources:

US citizens may obtain a visa at the airport for $70 as of 11/2014.

People’s Opinions

  1. We arrived into Ethiopia through the Addis Airport. The visa process was a breeze! Our squad was prepared with extra pictures, copies of passport, Yellow Fever vaccination, but only ended up really needing the name of our accommodation for the night (along with the phone number). They required us to pay in USD and don’t accept credit card without a chip.

Currency Info

Oanda Currency Converter

Currency Info in Ethiopia
Name of currency? Where can you exchange money?

People’s Opinions

  1. The currency is called Birr. You can exchange USD to Birr at the airport when you get there or at any local bank.We experienced problems in changing money back to USD. They will try to tell you that they can’t exchange your money. So try to only take out as much Birr as you will use while you are there. Don’t take out more than that. We were finally able to exchange money back to USD at the airport, but it took a lot of work.

Communication

Communication in Ethiopia
Did you have cell reception / Internet service? Where? Carrier / Provider, where did you get phones / SIM cards, cost? Country code?

People’s Opinions

  1. Sim cards were 60 birr and you just purchase minutes via little cards. If you buy a 15 birr card, its 15 minutes. You don’t use minutes when someone calls you, and texts use minutes (not exactly sure how many but its less than one minute per text I belive).
  2. SIM cards cost 60 Birr per card.Our international sims didn’t work while we were there.

Transportation

How did you get to Ethiopia….

Transportation in Ethiopia
What transportation did you use to enter the country? Where were you coming from? What transportation was used to move throughout the country? Be sure to include the cost per person in USD and contact info if applicable.

People’s Opinions

  1. My team had Ask The Lord, and we went from Addis Ababa to Awash (a town in the Afar region). We paid a LOT of money to get there and back. Without a local Ethiopian to help us navigate finding a ride, it would’ve been actually impossible.

Culture

 
People are so friendly and very nice always! They are eager to say hello, and girls you may get proposed to. When people worship they are very passionate. If you have the chance to go to a local church, do it! Girls: It is unacceptable for Christians women to show their knees or shoulders, so no tank tops or shorts.  Men should also plan to wear pants all the time. Also, if you are a Christian, it is frowned upon to dance to or sing to secular music.

Culture in Ethiopia
Anything Racers need to be aware/respectful of? Suggestions/Recommendations?

People’s Opinions

Shipping / Mailing

DHL | Ethiopia

Shipping / Mailing in Ethopia
Company used and contact info? How did you get packages to them?

Tips

People’s Opinions

  1. Learn to say hello, and how are you in Amharic. The people love it when you greet them in their language and are more apt to be friendly that way. Smile, and speak to the beggars and the street kids because they are people too.

Additional Info

Be careful when communicating even when talking with people you think speak English just fine. When you ask a question 9 times out of 10 they will directly think you want the thing, and will immediately start trying to make it happen for you. For example, can we go to the National Park—they’ll immediately start trying to make plans and arrangements for you instead of just answering the question. If you ask, where can you buy bananas—they’ll feel that they need to take you to buy bananas. If you ask, would you like us to ____, they’re probably going to say yes. They want to please you and help you, and it could easily become a situation where we are taking up a lot of their time and efforts and stress them out, without ever intending to. Be careful about the questions you ask, because they’ll probably misunderstand.

Additional Info in Ethiopia
Anything we’ve left out? Any additional suggestions to make travel easier for others?