Last Updated on April 14, 2026
Every year, thousands of travelers fly from Tel Aviv to destinations across Africa—most of them via Ethiopia. Whether you’re trekking up Kilimanjaro, visiting the Serengeti, seeing family in South Africa, or heading to Morocco, chances are you’ll be connecting through Ethiopia.
For Israelis, Ethiopia holds an additional layer of connection. Over the past 30+ years, Israel’s Ethiopian community has grown to nearly 200,000 people.
We’ve flown to South Africa several times via Addis Ababa, and this year, when the opportunity arose for a four‑day stopover to experience Ethiopia’s unique culture, food, and sights, we seized it. But planning a visit to Addis is more than simply booking a flight, choosing a hotel, downloading the RIDE taxi app, Google Translate, and buying a $5 SIM card at the airport—careful preparation makes all the difference.
We scoured the internet and watched countless YouTube videos—Mark Wiens’ food adventures, Davud Akhundzada’s experiences, and many others—each heightening our excitement.
Every post on TripAdvisor and similar platforms recommend hiring a local guide. Through a chain of connections, I was introduced to tour operator Dejene Hodes. Born in Ethiopia, he was one of four children adopted by a Jewish-American physician doing humanitarian work in Ethiopia.
Dejene was raised in the US and then returned as an adult to reconnect with his roots. He is deeply knowledgeable about Ethiopia, Israel, and Jewish heritage, and regularly arranges tours for MASA participants. His background made him uniquely suited to craft a personalized itinerary for us.
We spoke, exchanged emails, and he sent links to his website, and YouTube channel to help us make informed decisions. Our interests were broad but with only four days, we didn’t want to travel far outside Addis. Sadly, that meant skipping Gondar, the heart of the Jewish community. Hopefully next time.
From Addis, you can take day trips to the Blue Nile Gorge, the crater lakes at Wenchi or Bishoftu, Debre Libanos Monastery, and more. You can also stay within the city—experience the panoramic views from Entoto Park, visit museums, and enjoy the food. Dejene took our wish list and turned it into an adventure.
Hotels are scattered across Addis, though many are close to Bole Airport. Choosing a local hotel offers a very different experience from staying at an international chain like Best Western or the Hilton.
The shopping culture differs from ours. You won’t find expansive malls, H&M, or Zara, but you will find shops selling traditional Ethiopian clothing—beautifully embroidered fabrics, hand‑woven scarves, and leather handbags crafted by local designers.
And no, you won’t find Starbucks. Instead, you’ll enjoy coffee where it was born. Ethiopia, the birthplace of Coffea arabica, serves some of the world’s finest brews. Small cafés offer rich, aromatic coffee for less than one US dollar—strong enough to power you through the day.
A visit to Tomoca, a family‑owned coffee chain established in the 1950s, is a pleasant interlude. Antique roasters and grinders fill the shop, and my husband declared their coffee “the best cup ever.” We brought home a bag of ground beans and have been savoring it since.
The traditional coffee ceremony is an essential cultural experience. At Entoto Park, we sat on low stools as coffee beans were roasted over coals, ground, brewed, and poured into small espresso‑sized cups. The ceremony also includes the burning of incense resin, which added to the atmosphere.
Ethiopia is also Africa’s largest producer of honey—another must‑buy. We were drawn to the raw honey, thick and white like condensed milk. Since we were on our way to visit family in South Africa, it made a perfect gift.
No trip of ours is complete without exploring the markets. Merkato, the largest market in Africa, stretches for miles and sells everything from Berbere spice to kitchen sinks. Its sheer size felt overwhelming, so we opted for the smaller Shola Market, not far from our hotel.
You can buy live chickens, fresh meat, fruit, vegetables, spices, wool, household goods, and more, but Shola is nothing like an Israeli shuk. Don’t wait to buy souvenirs at tourist shops or the airport—pick up colorful straw baskets at the market. They come in every size, are beautifully woven, and cost next to nothing. At the markets, you may be approached for money, but we chose to buy a bag of fruit and offer it instead—a gesture that felt more meaningful.
Across the way from Shola is an eatery where you can wash down a burger and chips with Spris. Spris is a layered fruit smoothie combining juices such as mango, papaya, or banana with—wait for it—avocado purée and lime.
In every country we visit, we make sure to visit a supermarket. With a reported average monthly wage of $50, the convenience of supermarket shopping is out of reach for most. We found ourselves at Bambis, stocking plenty of canned goods and non‑perishables. The selection of perishables was limited and the fruit at Shola was better, but we ended up buying a tray of passion fruit to take back to our hotel. We tried the local chocolates and chips but couldn’t find any diet drinks or lactose‑free products. We found dried meat that looked like biltong. I’ve yet to meet a South African who doesn’t enjoy biltong, so we bought a packet in the hope it was—it wasn’t.
While on the topic of food, we wanted to taste whatever we could. American hotel chains provide an extensive breakfast, but our local hotel offered a modest breakfast with some traditional and some basic Western dishes.
Two large restaurants provide a tourist‑oriented traditional cultural experience: Yod Abyssinia and Totot—we chose the latter. There was an extensive menu of vegetarian and non‑vegetarian dishes. We ordered the largest platter on the menu (one is more than enough for two people)—Tibs, Shiro (from chickpeas), lentils, greens, and more, all served with Injera. Injera is the staple, and as you eat with your right hand, it forms a handy “pocket” for your food. Everything was tasty. The meal was served on a large flat basket (get one at the market) and accompanied by Berbere, a chili‑based Ethiopian spice blend. Be warned!
I ordered Tej—an Ethiopian drink similar to mead. The waiter told me that it wasn’t alcoholic, but my head was spinning after a few sips. My husband tried the local beers, but his favorite was Habesha, a pale lager.
The evening included more than two hours of thoroughly enjoyable traditional dancing and singing.
Dejene had arranged a countryside tour for us; however, at the last minute, we had to cancel as my husband wasn’t well. But the next day, he arranged for one of his guides–Tekalign Feyisa and a driver to take us to sites we hadn’t yet seen in the city. Teka is a seasoned tour guide specializing in Addis city tours as well as historical, cultural, and nature tours way beyond Addis. He is also a guide at the Ethnological Museum, once the palace of Emperor Haile Selassie. He guided us through its exhibitions and explained the history of Ethiopia, its communities, and its rich culture. It was great to be able to ask questions and get the answers you don’t without a guide.
If you’ve visited the Sterkfontein Caves and Cradle of Humankind near Johannesburg or are interested in anthropology, you’ll appreciate the National Museum, where “Lucy”—the skeletal remains of a female of the hominin species Australopithecus afarensis—is on display. The exhibit includes several hundred pieces of fossilized bone comprising about 40 percent of the three‑million‑year‑old skeleton.
If the Ethiopia–Italo war interests you, you may want to visit the Adwa Museum commemorating the 1896 battle where Ethiopia defeated the Italian colonial forces.
Entrance fees to museums are minimal.
After a full-day’s activity, at Teka’s recommendation, we ended our outing at the Finfine restaurant where my husband and I shared Derek Tibs—a grilled meat dish. Finfine is known for its authentic Ethiopian cuisine capturing the essence of local flavors. The décor and furnishings were traditional: carved furniture, low tables, and elaborate wall and ceiling panels, added to the atmosphere.
We exchanged currency at our hotel; it was easier. You must have local currency as credit cards are not widely used. They’re accepted at hotels but not at all eateries.
Connect the RIDE taxi app to your credit card and you’ll avoid the hassle of negotiating cash fares. We used taxis for most journeys, and they were very reasonably priced — often cheaper than a single adult public transport ticket back home.
Crossing the road was an experience in itself. With unguarded intersections, cars weaving across lanes, and vehicles turning in every direction, it looks chaotic, yet somehow it all flows. We walked whenever possible, though navigating with Google Maps proved challenging — only the main roads seem to have names, while most others are simply numbered.
The majority of Ethiopians are devout Christians with strong ties to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Their faith shapes daily life, including dietary practices: pork is avoided, and numerous fasting days are observed throughout the year, during which people follow a strictly vegetarian diet (hence the extensive vegetarian menu at restaurants).
Addis Ababa has many churches and cathedrals, and one of the highlights of our visit was meeting a friendly woman at the National Museum who offered to take us to the nearby Holy Trinity Cathedral. We couldn’t go inside because a baptism was underway. The grounds are dotted with small shrines, and we watched devout worshippers prostrating themselves in reverence. It was a powerful glimpse into the spiritual life that shapes so much of Ethiopian culture.
During our walks we also visited Unity Park, the Lion of Judah statue, Meskel Square, and Menelik II Square.
With a population of around six million, Addis Ababa is a city of contrasts. Its skyline mixes modern high‑rises with Italian‑influenced Art Deco buildings, simple concrete block structures, contemporary apartments, and modest homes where even basic services like electricity aren’t always guaranteed. The blend of old and new, formal and improvised, gives the city an energy that’s both dynamic and unpredictable. Above all, its people are warm and friendly and we always felt safe.
The Land of the Queen of Sheba was an unforgettable experience. Landlocked, with Djibouti as its sole gateway to the sea, Ethiopia is not constrained by its borders. Opinions about the current government vary, but that tension is part of the country’s evolving story. Much of the infrastructure is being modernized, yet it remains a nation still very much in development. If you’re seeking a destination that feels truly different from anywhere else, Ethiopia more than delivers.
