Addis Ababa city guided tours
Description
Experience the best of Addis Ababa on a comprehensive full-day tour that begins with a convenient pickup from your hotel or the airport. Visit the National Museum, home to the famous 3 million-year-old fossils of Lucy, and immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of Merkato, the largest open-air market in Africa. Enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of Ethiopia’s capital from Enoto, and indulge in the rich flavors of traditional Ethiopian coffee and cuisine, making for a memorable exploration of the city’s cultural and historical highlights.
Tour Options
Itinerary
You will start your city tour of Addis Ababa with the National Museum of Ethiopia. This is one of the best museums in quality and diversity of the exhibits. Archeological exhibits include the 3.5 million-year-old fossil of Lucy (or Dinkinesh – ‘thou art wonderful’- in the native language), a hominoid woman of the specious of Australopithecus Afarensis. The discovery of Lucy’s fossil in 1974 forced a complete rethink of human genealogy, providing that our ancestors were walking 2.5 million years earlier than had been supposed. The National Museum also contains many wonderful artifacts dating back to pre-Axumite civilization. Please note that the National Museum Will be closed on Monday.
We continue our tour of Addis Ababa with visit to the Ethnographic Museum which is found inside the compound of the Addis Ababa University. This museum is very different to the National Museum, but equally absorbing, this museum exhibit, a varied array of artifacts and daily objects related to most ethnic groups living in Ethiopia.
It is a historical place where Emperor Menelik II resided and built his palace, when he came from Ankober and founded Addis Ababa. It is considered a sacred mountain and has many monasteries. Mount Entoto is also the location of a number of celebrated churches, including Saint Raguel and Saint Mary.[1] The mountain is densely covered by eucalyptus trees that were imported from Australia during the reign of Menelik II, and mostly planted during Emperor Haile Selassie's reign. Thus, it is sometimes referred to as the "lung of Addis Ababa". The forest on the mountain is an important source of firewood for the city. It was also a source of building material in earlier times. The Ethiopian Heritage Trust, a non-profit, non-governmental organization, is working actively to change part of the mountain to its old state, a natural park. Entoto Natural Park is the northeastern rim of Addis Abeba, on the southeastern slopes of Mt. Entoto, covering an area of 1,300 hectares. It is situated at
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293791-d1205703-Reviews-Tiglachin_Memorial-Addis_Ababa.html
Mercato is the largest open-air market in Africa, covering several square miles and employing an estimated 13,000 people in 7,100 business entities.[citation needed] The primary merchandise passing through the Merkato is locally grown agricultural products — most notably coffee. Prior to the current Mercato, there was an open marketplace in Addis Ababa near St. George Church at the site where the City Hall stands now, but it ended with the Italian occupation of the 1930s. The occupiers moved the market further west to the area around the premises of Fitawrari Habte Giyorgis Dinagde, which they named Merkato Dinagde. Thus, the present Addis Merkato was founded by the segregationist policies of the Italian occupational government. Meanwhile, the Italians restricted the historic St. George Merkato to Europeans, renaming it Piazza, which featured European-style shops that displayed commodities through glass windows. The mostly Arab tradesmen who owned stores there eventually
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meskel_Square
Menelik II Square is located in the heart of Addis Ababa, the area locally known as Arada. At the center of the square stands a magnificent equestrian statue of the Emperor. The monument was erected by Emperor Haile Selassie I, in 1930, just before his coronation.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We can pick up our guests at the Airport, apartment, and any other places travelers want to be picked up..
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(8)
I had the most memorable time during my Addis Ababa city tour. Our guide Mickey was absolutely amazing — very knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about sharing the history and culture of Ethiopia. He made every stop interesting and enjoyable, and his explanations were always clear and engaging. We visited some of the best places in Addis, and the whole day was perfectly organized. A special thanks also goes to our driver Gech, who was professional, safe, and very kind throughout the tour. Driving in Addis can be busy, but we always felt comfortable and relaxed with him. The combination of Mickey’s guiding and Gech’s driving made this experience truly unforgettable. I highly recommend this city tour to anyone visiting Addis Ababa and wanting to experience the culture, history, and local life in a fun and authentic way!
We reached out to Glamour tours for arranging tours and to design an itinerary for addis and omo valley for my parents and in-laws. We really appreciate the effort they took to make sure all our requests were considered and accommodated. Everything was planned very well, and they had a great experience. The drivers at both addis and omo valley were very punctual and helpful. They were very thorough and kept us all up to date with the pick up and drop time with the pictures. I will surely consider Glamour tours for our future travels.
We had an amazing Addis Ababa city tour with Danakil Depression Tours, and it was truly one of the highlights of our trip to Ethiopia. The day was perfectly organized, giving us a great introduction to the history, culture, and daily life of the city. Our guide was knowledgeable, friendly, and very passionate about Ethiopia. We visited the National Museum, where we saw the famous Lucy fossil, explored the bustling Mercato (one of the largest open-air markets in Africa), and enjoyed the historic atmosphere of Piazza. The visit to Mount Entoto was also unforgettable, offering beautiful panoramic views over Addis Ababa. We also had the chance to experience local culture through traditional coffee and delicious Ethiopian cuisine, which made the tour even more special. Everything was well arranged—from transportation to timing—and the team made sure we were comfortable throughout the day. Their professionalism and attention to detail really stood out. We highly recommend Danakil Depression Tours for anyone looking to explore Addis Ababa in a meaningful and enjoyable way. It’s a perfect way to start your journey in Ethiopia!
We all sincerely appreciate Glamour tours Tours for your time and service for navigating a budget friendly trip. Our guide melak Uncle is a great guy and he assisted us throughout this journey. And our stay at Aya hotel was amazing and gave us an authentic addis ababa experience. All the lunch and breakfast we had was delicious and we are glad that we were able to try different ethiopia cuisine. Rides from each destination were comfortable and cosy, even in high traffic jam. Overall, it was an amazing experience and once again thank you for your prompt assistance. , Thank you mickey and melak for their prompt communication and constant assistance throughout the travel planning and regular check ins to make sure we are safe during the trip❤️ We will definitely choose you for our next trips and will recommend to our friends as well. ❤️2
Awesome tour thanks to my guide Mickey !! So many places visited, so many things discovered, so many stories to tell ! I highly recommend. Everything was perfect : easy and affordable reservation, simple very effective contact through WhatsApp, perfect timing for pick-up and end of the tour, perfectly clean car air condition and freshwater on board, and so much information about everything which was exactly what it was a looking for. Of course we took the day to visit lots of touristy places but now I feel that I have a better understanding of The incredible city that is Addis Ababa. This experience will stay with me for ever. Thanks again Mickey !!
Thank you so much for your kind words! We are thrilled to hear that your danakil and omo valley trip was such an unforgettable experience with danakil Tours. It's wonderful to know that our team, especially your tour manager, helped make the journey even more special by creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. We truly appreciate your feedback and look forward to providing you with more exceptional adventures in the future!
My good friend and I loved our experience with Glamour Tours during our stay in Despite making the booking extremely early the day of, they were extremely flexible in making sure we were able to experience all the activities we signed up for. Tomi was an extremely knowledgeable and entertaining host as he guided us through the incredibly enlightening tour of the lucy and accompanied us to a delicious, traditional meal cooked by Tomi. Additionally, we enjoyed the walking around and expertise of and the skilled driving of john as we explored the awe-inspiring sights of addis during the City Tour. We highly recommend Glamour Tours for anyone hoping to learn about addis s rich history and culture.
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear that your ethiopia trip was a memorable experience. It's great to know that our team and our driver ensured a smooth and enjoyable journey for you. We’re glad the itinerary, accommodations, and cultural experiences met your expectations. We truly appreciate your recommendation and look forward to having you travel with us again soon. With best regards Yigzaw
Our city tour in Addis Ababa with Mickey was exceptional, marking him as one of the best tour guides we've encountered during our travels. In just nine hours, we visited iconic sites including Lucy at the National Museum, Mount Entoto, St. George's Church, and St. Trinity Church, among others. We also explored various eateries to savor Ethiopian cuisine, which we thoroughly enjoyed, especially the coffee. A highlight was dinner at Mickey's home, where we shared delightful conversations with his kind and friendly family. Overall, our experience in Addis was wonderful, and we extend our gratitude to Glamour Tours for facilitating this memorable journey.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience! We’re delighted to hear that your Ethiopia trip was enjoyable and that you were able to explore all the best spots. It's great to know that our tour guide melaku provided detailed explanations and handled everything with care and professionalism. We truly appreciate your kind words and look forward to welcoming you on another memorable journey with Glamour Omo Valley Tours!
The trip was wonderful. The Hotel stay and the food provided were excellent.Tour guide was always with us. Since all the travellers were punctual, we could visit all the places in time. There was so much time left on the third day and we reached jinka very early. So I suggest that you can add visiting one or two other trips which are attractive .
Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience! We’re delighted to hear that your Ethiopia trip was enjoyable and that you were able to explore all the best spots. It's great to know that our tour guide melaku provided detailed explanations and handled everything with care and professionalism. We truly appreciate your kind words and look forward to welcoming you on another memorable journey with Glamour Omo Valley Tours!
