From Wikitravel

Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia.

[edit] Understand

With over 4 million people, the city is located in the geographic center of the country. In most areas the rich and poor live as neighbours,though many of the wealthiest people live in the Southeast (Bole) and Southwest (old airport) parts of town. There are more than 120 international missions and embassies in Addis-Ababa, making the city a fore front for international diplomacy concerning Africa. The headquarters of the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa can both be found in the city. The United States and the European Union both have two delegations in Addis, one for bilateral relations with Ethiopia and one for the African Union.

[edit] Climate

Temperatures in Addis Ababa are remarkably constant from month to month due to its proximity to the equator. The average highs are between 63°F(17°C) and 71°F(22°C). The average lows are between 51°F(11°C) and 58°F(14°C). The warmest months being February through May. Temperatures and climate can vary due to elevation.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Bole International Airport, ADD is serviced by several international airlines with daily flights to Europe, United States, and Asia as well as inter-African destinations including Accra, Bamako, Brazzaville, Cairo, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Khartoum, Harare, Johannesburg, Nairobi and many more cities in Africa.

• bmi, fly to London via Amman (Jordan).
• Ethiopian Airlines, +251-11-661-6161, +251-11-661 6666, [1]. This airport is their primary hub. Offers domestic, continental and worldwide flights.

The best way to travel from Europe.

• Emirates [2] - good flights but watch out for chaos at Dubai departures.
• Egypt Air
• KLM good value for short periods
• Kenya Airways
• Lufthansa,as for KLM.
• Sudan Airways
• Turkish Airlines [3] and
• Yemenia

[edit] By train

• Arrive via Djibouti. Over 700km trip that takes approximately 24 hour trip from point to point, stopping about halfway in Dire Dawa. Reservations are strongly recommended.

[edit] By car

• Some of the roads are in pretty poor condition, so keep this in mind when estimating time between destinations.

Best roads out of Addis are 1. To the south west - to Jimma 2. To the north - to Blue Nile Gorge 3. To the south - Mojo road to Harrar, or Langan/ Awassa road 4. To the south - Butajira road. 5. To Shorobit Worst is the North East road to Debre Birhan - badly potholed.

[edit] By bus

• Bus terminals:
  • Autobus Terra near Mercato. This is the main bus terminal where most of the national buses arrive and depart.
  • Ras Mekonin Avenue near the railway station. Buses to/from Adama (Nazret) and Debre Zeyit are here.

[edit] Get around

• Very few streets have names and when they do, they may not be named correctly on a map; use landmarks to navigate the city.
• Blue and white minibuses travel quite efficiently around the town. To catch a minibus stand on the side of the road and hail it. This can be done anywhere it is possible for the bus to stop. The conductor inside will call out the destination, and you get on. There are 3 prices - 0.65 ETB for a short trip, 1.20ETB for a medium trip, and 1.60br for a long trip eg terminus to terminus. You pay the conductor after you get on. To get out say "woraj alla" It is worth having an Ethiopian guide with you if it is your first time using these taxis.
• Small blue coloured Lada taxis are more expensive. They range from 10ETB for a very short journey, to about 35ETB or more for a cross town trek. Negotiation is the norm and you often have to press quite hard to get a bargain as a foreigner. They can be contracted for a single trip,an hour, or a full day, just negotiate.
• Walking in Addis Ababa is a pleasant and sensible way of getting around, however beggars and other hangers-on will most likely bother you.

[edit][add listing] See

• Ethiopian National Museum. See a plaster replica of Lucy, an early hominid. The museum is located between Arat Kilo Avenue and the University of Addis Ababa Graduate School. Walking along the street starting from Meskel Sq. to Sidest Kilo is very comfortable and entertaining. It will give you the chance to see the Africa Hall, the palaces and the Parliament building, the Hilton Hotel, the marvelous architectural adventure of a building hosting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Sheraton Hotel, the first modern school (which Menelik the II built in the 1880s), the Trinity Orthodox cathedral, the National Museum, and the Addis Ababa University (which also hosts a former palace and museum). Arat Kilo Avenue is marked by a statue built in commemoration of the Ethiopian V-day during the Second World War, while Sidest Kilo Avenue is marked by a statue commemorating the ~39,000 residents of Addis Ababa killed by Italian fascist troops. Around Arat Kilo, you will find part of an old town known as Serategna Sefer (literally, the residential area of laborers). If you want to proceed past Sidest Kilo, the road becomes steeper and much of the attractions will be on the right side of the road. The Entoto college (previously Teferi Mekonnen School) and the American Embassy are found on this side of the street. After the American Embassy there is an open market called Shiro Meda where traditional craftsmen sell their home made fabrics, pots and other crafts. The market place is at the foot of the Entoto Mountains that rises up to 3,300m above see level. You can take a taxi or a bus to the mountain unless you are of a mind to try it yourself. On the mountain, you will find the first churches of Addis Ababa called St. Mary and St. Raguel as well as smaller palace of Menelik the II. Walking on the mountain, especially between the churches is refreshing and gives you the chance to see rural life, the city itself, forest and unbelievably beautiful landscape intersected by farmlands and trails of farmers. It is from here that Menelik II and Queen Taitu conceived of the establishment Addis Ababa. You can get a sense of the city plan yourself by looking from here at the current city.

• Africa Hall is located across Menelik II avenue from this Palace and is where the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa is headquartered as well as most UN offices in Ethiopia. It is also the site of the founding of the Organization for African Unity (OAU) which eventually became the African Union.

• Near Holy Trinity Cathedral is the Parliament building, built during the reign of Emperor Haile Selassie, with its clock tower. It continues to serve as the seat of Parliament today.

• Shengo Hall, built by the Derg regime of Mengistu Haile Mariam as its new parliament hall. The Shengo Hall was the world's largest pre-fabricated building, which was constructed in Finland before being assembled in Addis Ababa. It is used for large meetings and conventions.

• Near Bole International Airport is the new Medhane Alem (Savior of the World) Cathedral, which is the second largest in Africa.

• In the Merkato district, which happens to be the largest market in Africa, is the impressive Anwar Mosque. The Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family is also in the Merkato district.

Other features of the city include the large Merkato market, the Jan Meda Race Ground racecourse, Bihere Tsige Recreation Centre and a railway line to Djibouti, while the Entoto Mountains start among the northern suburbs.

• Suburbs of the city include Shiro Meda and Entoto in the north, Urael and Bole (home to Bole International Airport) in the east, Nifas Silk in the south-east, Mekanisa in the south, and Keraniyo and Kolfe in the west.

• Menelik's old Imperial Palace which remains the official seat of government
• National Palace formerly known as the Jubilee Palace, built to mark Emperor Haile Selassie's Silver Jubilee in 1955, which is the residence of the President of Ethiopia.

• The Hager Fikir Theatre, the oldest theater in Ethiopia, is located at the Piazza district.
• Ethiopian National Library.
• Ethiopian Ethnological Museum.
• Addis Ababa Museum.
• Ethiopian National History Museum.
• Ethiopian Railway Museum
• National Postal Museum.
• St George's Cathedral, North end of Churchill Road. Built in 1896 to commemorate Ethiopia's victory over the Italians. Open 8am - 9am, Noon - 2pm. Also houses a museum.
• Holy Trinity Cathedral. The burial place for many famous people and once the largest Ethiopian Orthodox Cathedral. Built to commemorate the country's liberation from the Italian.

[edit][add listing] Do

• Jan Moda Race Ground.
• Bihere Tsige Recreation Center.
• Addis Ababa Golf Club.
• Entoto Mountain: walk from St. Marry church, the first church of Addis and St Urael church and see the city itself from the top of the mountain.
• Lion zoo: near to Addis Ababa university

[edit] Learn

Addis Ababa University is the largest and the oldest university in Ethiopia. It was originally named "University College of Addis Ababa" at its founding, then renamed for the former Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I in 1962, receiving its current name in 1975.

Although the university has six of its seven campuses within Addis Ababa (the seventh is located in Debre Zeit, about 45 kilometers away), it also maintains branches in many cities throughout Ethiopia, leading to the claim of being "the largest university in Africa." The government assigns qualified students to these universities upon completion of secondary school. Students also attend other private colleges, such as Unity College. Addis Ababa University was founded in 1950 at the request of Haile Selassie by a Canadian Jesuit, Dr Lucien Matte as a two-year college, and began operations the next year. Over the following two years an affiliation with the University of London was developed. There is also Theological College of the Holy Trinity, a theological school of higher education located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It provides religious and secular education to both clergy and lay members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, as well seeking to be a center of theological and ecclesiastical study for all Oriental Orthodox Churches as well.

Originally founded as a high school by Emperor Haile Selassie in 1942, the college division was added in 5 October 1960, and the elementary education section eliminated on 18 December 1961 and the college became one of the chartered units of this first National University of Ethiopia.

[edit] Work

• There is a high demand for IT professionals.
• Many start-up companies search for individuals with computer networking and consulting background.
• Addis-Ababa has the highest number of NGO's in Africa, and possibly in entire third world countries in the globe. They are well known for paying good salaries for their employees.
• The unemployment rate in Addis is extremely high. Especially, to those unskilled young men and women.
• Many expatriates work in NGO's and small start-up IT companies.
• Comparing to other African cities, Addis-Ababa has a high number of big, medium and small sized computer training schools, governmental and private learning institutions. Many students who attend there hope to land an IT or consulting job, in the very scarce job market of the city.

[edit][add listing] Buy

• Merkato. The merkato is the largest outdoor market in the world, and you can get anything from tourist goods (t-shirts, wood crafts, etc.) to fabric to metal goods there. Haggling and bargaining are standard procedure, and foreigners (especially those of European ancestry) should expect to be charged higher prices. To ensure a positive experience, maintain a sense of humor, don't be afraid to negotiate aggressively, and above all don't let yourself be bullied by the many "brokers" who frequent the market, and will try to steer you towards certain stores in exchange for a kick-back from the merchant. You will be able to negotiate lower prices if you can avoid brokers, and especially if you have a local friend or guide to buy things on your behalf.
• Friendship Supermarket. Bole Road (airport end). Well-stocked western-style supermarket - and they accept Visa.
• Edna Mall. Bole Road
• Dembel City Center

[edit] Get Money

ATMs/Cash Machines - are still rare in Addis. Found at D.H. Geda Tower (next to Friendship City Center), Dembel City Center (quite hidden, use the main entrance, than to the left, at the window), in some hotels (Hilton, Sheraton, Wabi Shebelle Hotel, Ethiopia Hotel, Semein Hotel). Also near the National Museum (Lucy Gazebo Restaurant) and some branches of Dashen Bank. [4] They ONLY take VISA DEBIT/CREDIT cards. Do NOT depend on them as your only source of cash as sometimes they can be out of order.

Cash on Credit Cards at Dashen Bank in Sheraton but at 6% and US$ 500 max per day. Best place to change Travelers Cheques and Cash are the two private enterprise banks on Hilton Ground Floor, Nib and United. Travelers Cheques in USD are well accepted, in EUR there are sometimes problems.

Abyssinia Bank at Filwoha/Stadium and city end of Bole Rd are also good. UK Travelers recommended to use Nationwide Debit Card - NO commission. Avoid branches of CBE or Awash Bank on main roads - take ages.

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] Budget

Addis has hundreds of Cake and Coffee cafes. They sell various coffees, tea - black unless you ask for milk - and sometimes fruit juices. There are also juice beits .

The cafes along Bole Road and around the Piassa area are of a high standard and relatively inexpensive. Most are very similar to each other. Most cafes serve the common drink called 'sprice juice' (which just which is fruit pulp served in layers in a glass. There are usually 3 layers from a selection of avocado, mango, papaya, banana, guava etc. The juice is eaten with a spoon. It is colorful and tastes delicious. Single fruit juices are also great = orange, papaya, mango, pineapple - beautifully fresh. 7 birr up to 25 birr in Hilton.....

• Cafe Chocolata on Victory Road (near Shoppers Mart supermarket) serves drinks and snacks and is very nice. All the staff are former street girls and prostitutes who are trying to make something of their lives.

• City Cafe on Bole has delicious cakes and pastries as well as high quality Ethiopian espresso coffees. You can sit on the porch and watch the activity on one of the main roads in Addis.

Restaurants that do not have an English menu, are more cheap. Example: Connection between Bole Road and Tele-Bole, next to Bole roundabout, at NOC-Fuelstation, close to German Kantine. You can have lunch (local food, spaghetti) for less then 20 birr. If you don't have a translator, ordering is a lot of fun.

[edit] Mid-range

• Habesha Bole Road. This cultural restaurant has traditional singing and dancing at night. If you're feeling brave, try the gored gored (cubes of heavily salted and spiced raw beef). Waiters are snobish. Expect to feel as if they are too cool to serve you.
• Team Mini Bole Road. This friendly, high quality "cultural" restaurant serving traditional Ethiopian food. Be sure to try the mesir besiga (ground meat with lentils). At night, Team Mini features performances by traditional singers and dancers. The entertainment is not as good as that at Habesha, but the food is generally better.
• The Limetree Bole Road, Boston Partners Building. While Ethiopian food is delicious there comes a time when you will crave western fare. The Limetree provides a beautiful range including gourmet sandwiches, pasta and arabic beef. A favorite hangout of ex-pats and NGO workers, the Limetree is nevertheless one of the best (and surprisingly affordable) resautrant/cafes in Addis.
• Agelgil - off south west end of Maskal Flower Road - across the railway line. In the old Villa Verde compound. One of the cities best Traditional Restaurants. Excellent dancers; everyone gets a good view; customers NOT pushed in like sardines. Good Tej.
• Addis Cuisine. Wollo Sefer. Bole end of Ethio Chinese Friendship Road,on the north side of 6 lane road. Good western and Ethiopian food.
• Canaan - from Airport-Roundabout down bole road, take small road on the left (before Bole Mini). Very nice pizza. Less then Mid-range, a bit more than Budget

[edit] Splurge

• Fisherman Restaurant Mickey Leland Street, Near Atlas Hotel. Is a half Chinese half Tibetan restaurant serving an excellent range of Asian cuisine and specializing in seafood.

• Aladdin Restaurant Bole Rwanda. Serves Middle-Eastern food. Very expensive but authentic and delicious.

• Castellis in Piazza. Top Italian restaurant here since 1942.

• Top View Restaurant. Past Bole airport near gutara. Very good food but can be expensive for a dinner meal.

• Serenade Restaurant. In the amset kilo area, close to Nazareth School. Will need a reservation. plobably the best food in town, middle eastern influence.

[edit] Nightlife

If you want to drink the national drink of Ethiopia, you have to try the 'tej' which brewed from honey. You can also try 'tela' which is like a beer. All kind of drinks are available in all the bars, from blue label to vodka.

• Champions is the lounge across the street from Limetree building. Hookah and drinks are modestly priced and the atmosphere is very "turkish".
• Gaslight is the fancy nightclub at the Sheraton. If the famous owner Al Moudi is in town, you may catch a glimpse of him here. Inside, it feels like an upscale Western disco. Be sure not to wear jeans or sneakers, as they have a fairly strict dress code.
• Memo is a seedy nightclub with a pretty good dance floor. Be sure to try the bozena shiro in the outdoor courtyard.
• Club Deep is the best in Addis. There is a cover charge but the drinks inside are very inexpensive. The music and dancing is great. Like usual, the main problem is the bathrooms.
• Meda Sports Bar and Grill has a large, spacious bar which is comfortable for chatting or watching a game. The downstairs lounge provides a more intimate setting for quiet conversations. And upstairs, the loft has a relaxed, casual dining atmosphere – all the best of Ballston, VA in one convenient stop!
• The Black Rose The energetic atmosphere is both comfortable and fashionable, and the bar serves a variety of drinks. The bartenders mix the best Cosmo this side of the Nile. The live jazz jam session in Addis every thursday night.
• Divine On Bole Road on the top floor of Sheger House, is currently one of the coolest clubs in Addis. It features a very western-oriented playlist along with ample space for relaxing and a pumping dance floor on weekends.
• Bailamos On the top floor of the Novis building on Bole Road is a new (2007) club which features a surprisingly vibrant salsa scene in the Weekends. The club also offers salsa classes.Bailamos has live music every Saturday (Soft rock, salsa, R&B etc...)

[edit] Lodging

[edit] Budget

• Park Hotel, a cheapy starting at 20 Birr, the rooms aren't exactly clean
• Filwoha Hotel, near the hot springs, tel 511404.
• Fin-Fin Hotel, opposite the Filwoha Hotel.
• Hawi, Debre Zeit Road, south of the city center.
• Holidar Hotel, Haile Gebresilassie Road near the Plaza Hotel.
• Yordanos Hotel, Haile Gebresilassie Road, tel 515711, fax 516655.
• Taitu Hotel, Piazza, opposite the National Lottery Authority Head Quarters, they have an annexe with cheap rooms (doubles from Birr 45), but you have to explicitly ask for it. Excellent value for money, very quiet, but toilets and shower are in despicable condition.
• Worku Bikila Hotel [5], about 20 kilometers south-west of Addis Ababa, in Dukem, thriving hotel for budget to mid-range travellers.
• Baro Hotel, Piazza, from Birr 75 (single) 85 (double), a genuine travellers meeting point (whoever happens to travel through Addis Ababa will sooner or later show up there...) and a marvellous courtyard, very friendly staff, but you have to excuse the plumbing...
• Wutma Hotel, Piazza (across the Baro Hotel), from Birr 80 (single), better rooms than the Baro, but less company
• Abrehams Hotel, Piazza, from Birr 25 (single), a dump but has rooms when the others are fully booked.

[edit] Mid-range

• Axum, Haile Gebresilassie Road, tel 188832.
• Balu, Near Piazza.
• Beer Garden Inn, Near the airport, Its menu specializes in German delicacies such as Cheese Noodles and grilled chicken washed down with wheat beer. A half litre cost 11 Birr ­ about one euro.
• Buffet de la Gare, tel 517888, 517125, fax 515959.
• Desalegn Hotel, tel 1624524, (email: desalegn@telecom.net.et).
• Maskal Flower Hotel, near Debre Zeit Road, tel 517187.
• Tourist, near the Grand Palace and Trinity Cathedral.
• Martin's Cozy Place: German Guesthouse Located near the Atlas (almost opposite the side of the hotel) is a favorite for business people or expats having to base themselves in Addis. Martin offers a range of services for tourists and it is a homey place to shack up for a few nights. It costs around 100 ETB a night for a single.
• Yilma Hotel, in the "Mekanessa" area of Addis. This hotel is about $25 USD per night for tourists. They have an excellent restaurant/cafe with cable television that plays news and sports channels and serve food until 10PM-11PM. The staff is very nice and friendly. They have room service for no added charge. The rooms are minimal but have decent bathrooms with hot water heaters for the shower, flush toilets, and tiled floors. Ask for "Fish" the manager and you will surely be treated well.
• Z Guest House, [6]. This a nice family-run bed & breakfast in a quiet residential area of Addis Ababa offering clean rooms and beautiful furnished apartments with fully-equipped kitchens and satellite TV. Starts at $29.95/night for a Single Suite. It’s located less than one mile from Piassa, only about 12 minutes from the airport.

The RAS - see Splurge - should really be here ...if not in Budget. Single rooms c 120br Damu-Damu Hotel.

[edit] Splurge

• Addis Ababa Hilton [7], central Menelik Ave, tel. 518400, fax 510064. The Hilton has many of the amenities you'd expect at an international hotel (airline agents, money changing, restaurant, bar, gym, sauna, swimming pool, high speed internet access), but it's rather mediocre, so you never forget you're still in the developing world.
• Sheraton Addis [8], central Yohanis St, tel 517138, fax 514029. This obscenely luxurious hotel was built by a Ethiopian billionaire, who is also Ethiopia's largest employer after the government. This is the place to go for 5-star opulence. It also one of few places in Addis where you can get cash from an ATM or credit card.
• Carrera Lodge, Rossevelt St, tel 517400, 447400.
• Ghion [9], central Menelik Ave near Maskal/Abbiott Square, tel 513222, 443170. it is not on Menelik Ave. It is on Ras Dasta Damtew just out of Maskal Square.
• Ras, Church Rd just North of the railway station, tel 517060, 447060. One of the oldest hotels in Addis.
• International Hotel, downtown near beginning of Bole Road. About $40 USD per night. Clean and rooms are HUGE with living room, separate bedroom, many bathrooms include large tub. Staff is very nice and rooms have enormous balconies overlooking the green open areas of the Sheraton hotel as well as views of Mt. Entoto. A great place to stay if you need easy access to the Bole Airport without risking traffic delays. [Note: if this is the Atlas International Hotel, the rates as of May 2008 are now higher -- $65 USD for a single, $85 USD for a small double -- cash only, no Visa]
• Faro Hotel, Tel +2511-0116-621186. Brand new Ethiopian/Euro-style "boutique" hotel just minutes away from Bole Airport, Bole Rock Gym, Boston Day Spa, Friendship Center and Lime Tree restaurant -- a great location to base yourself from. Woman-owned, with a welcoming staff. Features Internet in each room, kitchenette in each room, with brand new bathrooms that include modern steam shower units and very comfortable new beds with duvets. Priced $100 USD per night plus 25% tax and service charge. Has full dining facilities; a bar & juice counter in the lobby and will soon have a swimming pool on its roof. Request a room with a view -- a breathtaking sweep of southern Addis Ababa with the mountains in the background. Many smaller hotels require you pay in cash -- Faro takes cash or Visa.

[edit] Stay safe

• Addis is safer than most cities in Africa. Gang violence is unusual. However, you may encounter some pick-pockets and con-artists around inside Bole Airport, Mercato, Piazza areas. Keep your belongings close, and pay attention to your surroundings. The good news is most of these pick-pockets are unarmed and very young boys. If they know that you are aware of what they are up to, they get intimidated and go away.

• The major and important roads and areas are patrolled by the 'Federal Police' or, as the city residents refer them Federal. They have a reputation of being merciless with suspected criminals. In contrast, the Addis-Ababa city police, who most of the time patrol the less important city streets, markets and neighborhoods are more tolerant and less respected police officers.

• There is also, a phone emergency line in Addis. For a traveler from US, it is easy to remember the emergency line, because it is 9-1. (Compares to US' 9-1-1) Major streets are generally safe at night.

• If you see anything suspicious or threatening, notify a city policeman.

• In a total difference of other African cities, in Addis-Ababa, police officers NEVER approach foreigners to ask them to present a passport, ID or "legal" papers. Once you show your passport at the airport, you are free to move around pretty much anywhere. The only time you need your passport or ID is, for hotel registration (booking) and other similar and few instances. (It is important to have your ID with you at all times, however) Many visitors appreciate that they don't have to be questioned who they are or where they are from by a police officer who wants to extract bribe money from them, every time they turn around. This could be one of Addis-Ababa's appeal.

[edit] Cope

Watch what you drink or you WILL be sick! It is important to remember to only drink bottled water- There are many brands to choose from Ambo, Real, Highland but Aqua Safe brand is most trusted. ALWAYS check the plastic seal on all bottles before paying any vendor. Most travelers should be warned against eating vegetables such as those in salads that may have been washed in water. Try limiting fruits and vegetables to those you "peel" such as oranges, mangos, etc.

Be prepared for culture shock - If you take photos of the people, ask first and offer to show them their picture if you have a digital camera with a display screen. Children enjoy seeing their pictures a lot of the time!

Your emotions are real- it is okay to feel overwhelmed if you have not experienced this type of culture difference before. If you are NOT affected by the poverty, then there is something wrong! Be polite but not intrusive. It is OK to ask questions of the locals, but you should be prepared to be hassled a LOT of the time if you are white. Additionally, for foreign travelers who are black, especially American, although possibly able to "blend in", precautions are the order of the day (depending where you are, in Addis on Bole road they are used to seeing foreigners compared to the country side). Remember that you are a guest in their country. This is not like a "vacation" you may have had in the past—don't expect to be treated like a king/queen because you are foreign. Addis Ababa and the country of Ethiopia as a whole is NOT a tourist "hub" and therefore they do not view foreigners as tourists whom they are ready to please and serve on hand and foot. If you prepare your mindset before arrival, you will be better able to cope.

[edit] Contact

[edit] Telephone

The country code for calling Ethiopia is 251. The Ethiopian dialing plan changed on September 17, 2005, such that the two-digit city code changed to three digits (or, from outside the country, one to two digits) and six-digit telephone numbers changed to seven digits. The city code for Addis Ababa, as of Sept. 17, 2005, is 011 (or 11 from outside Ethiopia). An on-line telephone number converter, which will convert an old number to the new number, is available here: [10].

[edit] Mobile

Ethiopia uses GSM network and operated by Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation. Currently there are decent coverage around big cities such as Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, Harar, Dese, Gonder, Mekele, and Nekemete. It is expanding into small cities.

Roaming charges are very steep. For a short visit, your best option for mobile access is to rent a SIM card with a phone . There are only few stores rent SIM cards: you can rent SIM card and phone inside Addis Ababa Sheraton hotel but is it very expensive. Other option is to a rent SIM card and mobile phone from local stores, and one of the store has a website [11]

[edit] Internet

In Addis Ababa, especially in Bole Subcity, you can find quite much internet cafes. Some cafes still use Dial-Up connections, but broadband becomes more popular. A general problem about Internet in Ethiopia is the unstable international high-speed connection. If it is not working, even broadband cafes only delivers Dial-Up speeds and less.

• Arkies Business Center, Piazza, next to 'Taitu Hotels'
• Broadband Internet in DH Geda Tower, next to Friendship City Center / Bole Road. 128kbps, many seats, but mostly completely occupied. The good thing is, that is is easy to find.
• Nina Internetcafe, across from Baro Hotels, inside Wutema Hotels
• TG Business Center [12], Bole, from Airport (Big Roundabout) to the right, junction with Cameroon Road (locally known as "Bole-Tele") has broadband but only 3 seats. Most of the time it is not crowed, so a good connection can be expected