Dear Traveller, Welcome.

You will be met on arrival at Bole International Airport by a Travel Ethiopia PLC representative who will welcome you with warm hospitality.

Bole International Airport has recently forbidden all non-travellers from entering the terminal. After collecting your checked luggage and clearing customs, please proceed to the parking lot to meet our representative.

A valid passport is required for all visitors and a visa is required for all foreign visitors. An online E-Visa is available at evisa.gov.et for US, Canadian and many other nationalities ($62 for a 30-day tourist visa).

30-day tourist visas are also available on arrival at Bole International Airport for citizens of the USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, China, Japan, Korea, Israel, Kuwait, Russia, the UK and most EU nations. Bring $50 USD in cash.

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry and have at least 2 blank pages. Bring a photocopy of your passport's picture page and keep it separate from the original. Air tickets must be in the exact name on your passport.

Doctors and dentists are available throughout the country, with the main hospitals in major towns. Treatment standards are limited - bring sufficient supplies of any regular medication.

A yellow fever certificate is no longer mandatory unless you arrive from an endemic country. Both yellow fever inoculation and malaria prophylaxis are recommended by the CDC - review the CDC guidance and consult your travel doctor.

Malaria risk varies by altitude. The Historic Route (Bahir Dar, Gondar, Axum, Lalibela), Danakil Depression and most national parks (including Bale and Simien) are considered malaria-free. The South Omo region is malaria-prone and requires anti-malaria prophylaxis.

Travel Ethiopia is an eco-minded operator and a member of Travelers Against Plastic. Please bring a reusable water container - every vehicle carries a 20-litre purified water dispenser for refills throughout your trip.

Bottled water is available on request for travellers who prefer it.

Much of the northern circuit sits between 5,000 and 8,000 ft (Addis Ababa is 7,600 ft). Simien excursions reach +/- 10,000 ft.

Most fit travellers experience only minor headaches or a slight wooziness on arrival. Drink plenty of fluids, keep activity low on day one, and aspirin can help with altitude headaches.

Telecommunications are generally good. Country code is +251; Addis Ababa's area code is 1 (or 011 from within the country).

You can buy a local Ethio Telecom SIM if your phone is unlocked and GSM-capable. 3G/4G coverage is good around major cities. Wi-Fi is available in most major hotels for FaceTime, WhatsApp and Skype calls, though speeds can be slow.

The climate is temperate in the highlands and hot in the lowlands. The high plateau averages lows of 43°F (6°C) and highs of 79°F (26°C). Lowlands and Red Sea coastal areas can reach 140°F (60°C). Addis Ababa stays around 59°F (15°C) year-round - bring a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses for the equatorial sun.

Dry season: October to May. Wet season: June to September. Short rains in March/April, especially in the south. Climate is shaped more by altitude and cloud cover than by season.

220 V AC, 50 Hz. Power sockets are type C, E, F and L. Supply can be erratic - travel with a flashlight and spare batteries, and don't rely on electric razors or hairdryers.

Ethiopia is generally a very safe country, though casual theft and pickpocketing occur. Wear a passport pouch under your clothing for your passport, tickets, credit card and most travellers' cheques. Stay alert in crowded markets and minibus stands.

Security at airports and public buildings is tight, with bag inspection and body scanning standard practice. As a responsible tour operator, we would not suggest any trip we did not consider reasonably safe.

The local currency is the birr (notes: 200, 100, 50, 10, 5, 1; coins: 50, 25, 10, 5, 1 cents). It is not available outside Ethiopia. US dollars are accepted at hotels, ticket offices and souvenir shops - local currency is best for small purchases, meals and donations at churches.

We do not recommend traveller's cheques. Bring plenty of $10 and $5 notes for tipping. Keep bank receipts if you might need to convert birr back to hard currency on departure.

Banks open from 8:00 am until at least 4:30 pm, Monday through Saturday. Foreign-exchange counters close from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm. The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) branch at Bole Airport is open every day.

ATMs are available in Addis Ababa and along the Northern Route (Gondar, Bahir Dar, Axum, Lalibela). Visa, MasterCard and Union Pay debit are accepted but unreliable outside Addis - stock up on cash before leaving the capital. Major Addis hotels and malls accept credit cards.

Forex ATMs are available at: CBE Hilton, CBE Addis Ababa, the Airport, Yod Abyssinia, Saro Maria Hotel, Ethiopia Hotel, Taitu Hotel, Marriott Executive Apartment, Friendship International Hotel, Ghion Hotel, Tracon Building (Churchill Road), Concord Hotel and Harmony Hotel.

Light cotton clothing, sunglasses and a hat for warm lowlands; light or medium-weight clothing in the highlands. Bring a light jacket - temperatures drop at night, especially October to December. A light raincoat is essential during the wet season.

Shorts are not appropriate for churches, monasteries or mosques and women must cover their heads. Shoes must be removed before entering - bring an extra pair of socks for these visits.

On domestic light-aircraft flights, checked baggage is limited to 20 kg per person (including camera gear and hand luggage). Flights to remote areas such as Gambella may impose a 10 kg limit. Only soft bags are accepted - hard suitcases will not fit.

Ethiopian Airlines performs luggage and body searches. Any item that could be considered an antiquity will be confiscated unless you produce a receipt.

Ethiopia lies in north-eastern Africa between latitudes 4 and 18 north, covering 1,251,282 km² and bordered by Kenya, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan and Djibouti.

Addis Ababa is the capital and headquarters of the African Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa - often called "the political capital of Africa".

Air: Ethiopian Airlines (70+ years, excellent safety record) is the quickest way to reach northern historic sites. Domestic discounts are offered to passengers using EAL for their international flight.

Road: The most scenic option but slow - Addis to Axum takes three days by road vs two hours by air. Public and private buses run between most towns.

Rail: A 756 km electric railway links Addis Ababa with Djibouti for passengers and freight (inaugurated 2018).

Hotels: Standards vary outside the capital (northern hotels are generally better than southern ones). Camping is unavoidable in the Omo and Mago areas; elsewhere expect en-suite rooms with toilet and shower.

Food: A traditional meal is shared from one large round plate, eaten with the right hand. The staple is injera, a sourdough pancake made of teff (rich in iron, calcium and potassium) served with meat or vegetable sauces. Vegetarians should try "fasting food" - a colourful spread of salads, vegetables and pulses.

Tej (honey wine) and tella (local beer) accompany traditional meals. Ethiopian wines include Dukam, Gouder, Crystal and Axumite. Don't drink tap water - bottled water is widely available and safe.

Coffee originated in Kaffa province. Espresso-style buna is rich and sweet. Popular bottled lagers: Dashen, Castel, Bati, Bedele, St. George, Harar and Heineken.

Ethiopia is the only African country to have escaped colonial rule (apart from a brief Italian occupation 1936-41). It defeated colonial Italy at Adwa in 1896 and was a founding signatory of the UN Charter.

Ethiopia is widely considered the cradle of humanity - "Lucy" (Dinknesh), a 3.2 million-year-old Australopithecus afarensis skeleton, is on display at the National Museum in Addis Ababa.

Ethiopia is a land of rugged mountains, broad savannahs, lakes and rivers. The central plateau ranges 2,000-3,000 m; Ras Dashen reaches 4,543 m. The Blue Nile (Abay) flows 1,450 km from Lake Tana to join the White Nile at Khartoum.

Agriculture accounts for 42.9% of GDP and 90%+ of exports - coffee, leather, oilseeds, pulses, chat, flowers and livestock lead the way. Gold is the second-largest export.

Ethiopia has more than 100 million people across 80+ ethnic groups - the Oromo and Amhara are the largest. A handshake greeting is standard, followed by polite personal conversation before business. The offer of coffee or tea is a sign of welcome.

Respect privacy - especially when photographing - and avoid making promises you can't keep. Bargaining is taken seriously; only bargain if you genuinely intend to buy.

Ethiopia retained the Julian calendar when the Christian world adopted Gregorian in 1582. It runs 7-8 years behind - New Year's Day falls in September. The calendar has 12 months of 30 days plus a 13th month of 5 (or 6) days.

Major holidays include Ethiopian Christmas (Jan 7), Timket / Epiphany (Jan 19), Adwa Victory (Mar 2), Meskel (Sep 27/28), Ethiopian New Year (Sep 1), plus Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and the Birth of the Prophet Mohammed.

Ethiopia is GMT+3, 8 hours ahead of US Eastern Standard Time and 11 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time. Daylight stays near 12 hours year-round - in Addis the sun rises around 6:30 am and sets around 6:45 pm.

Ethiopia has up to 90 languages and 200+ dialects. The official working language is Amharic, with Tigrigna, Guragegna, Sidama, Somali and Oromiffa also widely spoken. Ge'ez - the language of ancient Axum - is the only indigenous written language in Africa.

From the Danakil Depression (125 m below sea level) to Ras Dashen (4,533 m), Ethiopia's ecosystems range from arid badlands to indigenous rainforests. Highland mountains carry pyracantha, jasmine, poinsettia and evergreens. Caraway, cardamom, chat, coriander, incense, myrrh and red pepper grow widely.

Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity and Islam are the predominant faiths and have coexisted peacefully since their founding. Christianity dominates the north and centre; Judaism and Animism are also practised.

Ethiopia produces distinctive collectibles: religious icons, hand crosses, antique jewellery in gold and silver, leather goods and pure cotton textiles - all genuine souvenirs unique to local cultures.

Saint Yared devised Ethiopian musical notation in the 6th century - 1,600 years before Europe. Highland secular music and dances build on his legacy. The most common folk dance, esskista, centres on shoulder movements and runs through the traditions of all highland peoples.

Please do not give money, candy or gifts to children directly - it encourages begging. Instead, bring pencils, pens, crayons, erasers, simple English books or "magic slates" and give them to your guide, who will distribute them through local schools.

Lenses in the 135-300 mm range plus a wide angle work well. Ethiopia is relaxed about photography except at museums, military and government sites. Always ask permission before photographing individuals - among Afar and Omo communities a small fee (around 5 birr) is expected.

Never photograph military installations, airports, aircraft, bridges or government buildings. A good pair of binoculars is essential for birdwatching.