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Going to Addis Ababa, tips needed!
Hello,
I will be spending a 17 hour layover in Addis Ababa on January the 2nd. Since I'm not in the mood of spending those hours in the lounge I figure I'd might make a short visit to the city. But before doing that I have a few questions. How do I get from the airport to the city & vv safe and cheaply? Is Addis Ababa a safe city at day? I'm asking that since I'm carrying around a rather expensive Nikon, but I would love to take some photos when I'm there. Are there any particularly interesting sights to see while there, and places to dine? Lastly is it possible for Swedish citizens to obtain a visa on arrival (price?), and also are there any vaccinations required to enter the country? Anyways hope the questions aren't too much to ask for. Thanks in advance! |
According to the website of the Ethiopian embassy in London, virtually all visitors require a visa, which can in certain circumstances be obtained on arrival. The following conditions apply to visas on arrival, and it seems to me that you would qualify under the second point in the bulleted list (assuming, I suppose, that you are resident in Sweden), but it would be wise to contact the Ethiopian embassy/consulate in Stockholm:
On arrival at Addis Ababa airport Some tourist visas can also be issued on arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, for which a different form is provided. The form available on this website and from the Ethiopian Embassy in London cannot be used for this purpose. Tourist visas can only be issued on arrival to:
If applying for a tourist visa on arrival, visitors will need to bring with them two recent passport-sized photographs and no less than US $20 before their application can be processed. Foreign nationals who are coming from countries that are not listed as tourist generating countries and from those countries that do not have an agreement with Ethiopia regarding the issuance of visas on arrival, can enter Ethiopia by obtaining a visa from a nearby Ethiopian Mission. However, if tourists from such countries wish to get a visa on arrival at the airport, they are required to get approval from the Immigration and Nationality Affairs Main Department in Ethiopia. Requests for such approval can be sent to: Main Department for Immigration and Nationality Affairs, PO Box 3741, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Email: [email protected] Fax: 002511 55 32 09 / 002511 56 49 81 |
Moving Thread to the FT Africa Forum.
Obscure2k TravelBuzz Moderator |
The list above of visa-on-arrival eligible nationalities is not entirely up-to-date. The current list (as of October) is below :
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea (South Korea), the Russian Federation, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America. |
The visa on arrival is dead easy. To the far left of the immigration hall is a separate room where you pay your US$20. Then you still have to clear immigration. Whole process took us around 30 minutes.
Addis is safe. There are taxis available in the arrival hall, as well as tour services. Try one of those. Ask to see the Mercarto - market, drive around the churches and see some of them. Addis can be seen in less the 6 hours. For lunch, try an Italian restaurant called Castillies, or one of the local Ethiopian restaurants. |
LH4116,
Please let us know how the visa on arrival work out for you. I'm going there in Feb with 14 hour layover with ET 787 BOM-ADD-(FCO)-IAD route. I hear some rumors that they won't let you leave unless you have an overnight stay. Mine will be 8am till 10pm. Thanks and enjoy your trip!! |
Originally Posted by sphere
(Post 19961396)
I'm going there in Feb with 14 hour layover with ET 787 BOM-ADD-(FCO)-IAD route. I hear some rumors that they won't let you leave unless you have an overnight stay. Mine will be 8am till 10pm.
http://www.ethiopianairlines.com/en/...t/transit.aspx Just go to the STPC/Transit desk and they will provide you the voucher. |
Originally Posted by B747-437B
(Post 19963812)
Assuming this is on a single ticket and you are flying ET, you will be eligible for the complimentary STPC hotel room, visa and meals from Ethiopian Airlines.
http://www.ethiopianairlines.com/en/...t/transit.aspx Just go to the STPC/Transit desk and they will provide you the voucher. I'll report back next month. Thank you! :) |
Going to Addis Ababa, tips needed!
If you go to merkato be careful of your camera/other belongings. Addis is safe but tourists are certainly targets for pickpockets. Especially when distracted. The derg museum on meskel square is small but a interesting (if dark) historical point worth seeing. The ethnographic and national museums are also interesting and nearby one another. Salems is a shop that has local crafts which are fairly priced-down a side road-off telebole road at the " you go city church" nearby the airport. Dashen is great for local food. Kaldes is the Ethiopian version of Starbucks but you may find better coffee at more traditional coffee shops in addis. I usually buy coffee for souvenirs from tamoca in the piazza but I hear they also have a shop in the newer radisson Blu as well. Have a great visit!
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Can anyone confirm if passport-sized photographs are needed for visa on arrival
From post #2 above: If applying for a tourist visa on arrival, visitors will need to bring with them two recent passport-sized photographs and no less than US $20 before their application can be processed. |
Passport Photos
I was through there on December 21st. No photos needed.
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Originally Posted by Drunkmuppet
(Post 20058712)
I was through there on December 21st. No photos needed.
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Originally Posted by Drunkmuppet
(Post 20058712)
I was through there on December 21st. No photos needed.
Originally Posted by ironmanjt
(Post 20059719)
Early January, no photos.
Thanks for the info |
Is Yellow Fever vaccination certificate required to enter? I will be coming from India.
I am asking this because Ethiopean airline customer service insisted I must have it to enter. |
I've never had to show my yellow fever card in Ethiopia, but I usually arrive from the US or Europe. 1 time from Ghana.
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