Overland Ethiopia Travel

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Currency to display:

Visiting Ethiopia

Give a brief overview of what it's like to visit. How easy is the border, how safe is the country, are there great things to see and do, etc.

Entering Ethiopia with a Car or Motorbike

Correct as of: June 2013

Required Paperwork

(To check if you need a travel Visa for Ethiopia, application instructions and fees see: Ethiopia Visa online application at VisaHQ.com)

Process at border

Briefly describe the process at the border to enter with a vehicle

Cost of entry

State the cost for a vehicle to enter

Permitted length of stay

State the permitted length of entry for the vehicle

Extension of stay

Describe the process to extend the permitted length of entry for the vehicle, if possible.

Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country

Describe if/how a vehicle can be stored, and for how long.
Also mention if the owner / temporary importer can leave the country while the vehicle is in storage.

Exiting with a vehicle

We found that when entering Ethiopia we were aked if we wanted to use the carnet. It became clear why we were asked. If you leave via Moyale they can discharge it at the border and if you do not leave via Moyale and instead Turkana then you cannot as there is no border. Tell them you are leaving via Turkana and do not complete the carnet papaerwork. We had a real problem discharging the carnet when we left via Turkana and had to get the nearest customs office. When you enter Kenya the same applies. You need to get the carnet done in Nairobi. This is a bit tricky as nobody knows where to get it done. If i can find the info I'll post it on both the Ethiopia customs office and the one in Nairobi.

Done in Jan 2011.

Driving in Ethiopia

Recommended books for Overlanding in Ethiopia

Lonely Planet Ethiopia & Djibouti (travel Guide)
Lonely Planet Ethiopia & Djibouti (travel Guide)
by Lonely Planet
From $27.99 on Amazon
Work Less To Live Your Dreams: A Practical Guide To Sa...
Work Less To Live Your Dreams: A Practical Guide To Sa...
by Dan Grec
From $click on Amazon
Overlanders' Handbook: Worldwide Route And Planning Gu...
Overlanders' Handbook: Worldwide Route And Planning Gu...
by Chris Scott
From $22.49 on Amazon
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook: A Route & Planning Gu...
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook: A Route & Planning Gu...
by Chris Scott
From $click on Amazon
East Africa Handbook: With Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda And...
East Africa Handbook: With Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda And...
by Michael Hodd
From $71.22 on Amazon

Travel insurance for Ethiopia

World Nomads offer the most flexible Travel Insurance at the best prices for multi-country / multi-year trips. You can buy, extend and claim online, even after you've left home.

Vehicle insurance requirements

COMESA or “Yellow card” insurance is required.

Cost of vehicle insurance

See the prices listed on the COMESA Insurance page.

Where to purchase vehicle insurance

Describe where insurance can be purchased.

Driving license

State the kind of driving licenses required. i.e. International Driving Permit.

Driving side of road

Right.
Unknown if RHD vehicles can be driven in Ethiopia.

Mandatory items in vehicle

State any mandatory items that must be carried in the vehicle. (i.e. safety triangle, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, etc.)

Roads

General Road quality

Give a brief description of the general road quality. Mention if one way streets are common.

Road signs

Briefly describe the overall quality & existence of road signs for directions and hazards.

Toll roads

List the frequency and approximate price of toll roads.

Bribery in Ethiopia

Briefly describe how common bribery is and whether it should be expected, and the best way to deal with it.

Checkpoints

describe the frequency of checkpoints (police or military and what to expect.

Traveling with pets

List the entry requirements and anything else required to travel with a pet.

Gas price in Ethiopia and Diesel price in Ethiopia

Last updated: October 2012

Currency and unit to display:

Gasoline Grade Price
Unleaded €0.90 EUR per Liter[1]
Diesel €0.77 EUR per Liter[1]

Gas and Diesel Availability / Frequency

Briefly describe if gas shortages are known to occur.
Also state the approximate average distance between gas stations. This is a very rough estimate.

Gas and Diesel Quality

Discuss if gasoline / diesel considered "clean" or "dirty", and generally high or low quality.
State the sulfur content of diesel, if known.

Safety and Security Considerations

Driving at night

Discuss driving at night and if it should it be avoided. Mention why.

Vehicle parking

Discuss if vehicles can be parked on the street, if they are considered "safe" at night. If vehicles can not be parked on the street, list the other options that exist.

Special driving considerations

A List of special things to be careful of (i.e. Unsigned speed bumps, abnormal road rules, people or animals on the road, etc.).
List any roads that are not recommended to drive for safety or other security reasons.

Security advisories and information

Camping in Ethiopia

Describe if organized "pay" camping is common. List the facilities commonly found at these campsites.
List the approximate average price range of camping in organized campgrounds.
Also discuss the possibility of "wild" or "roadside" camping. How common is it? Is it considered safe, or a bad idea.

Camping guide books

List and link to books specifically for camping.

Drinking water

Describe if the regular tap water is safe to drink. If not, describe where safe water can be purchased and the approximate average price range.

Navigation

Paper maps

Reise Know-How are amoung the best paper maps. Purchase paper maps before arriving in Ethiopia

Ethiopia / Somalia / Djibouti / Eritrea 2015 (english,...
Ethiopia / Somalia / Djibouti / Eritrea 2015 (english,...
by Reise Know-How Verlag
From $9.05 on Amazon
Nonfiction Reading And Writing Workshop Springboard: A...
Nonfiction Reading And Writing Workshop Springboard: A...
by National Geographic Learning
From $14.95 on Amazon
Ethiopia (bradt Travel Guide)
Ethiopia (bradt Travel Guide)
by Philip Briggs
From $14.83 on Amazon
Bradt Ethiopia (bradt Travel Guide)
Bradt Ethiopia (bradt Travel Guide)
by Philip Briggs
From $50.61 on Amazon

GPS Maps of Ethiopia

Tracks4Africa are the undisputed best GPS maps for Africa.
Tracks4Africa is an SD Card for Garmin GPS, and contain Routable turn-by-turn maps with 809,000 kms of roads and over 129,000 points of interest.

Gps Map Of Africa
Gps Map Of Africa
From $click on Amazon

GPS co-ordinates for camping, propane, gas, repairs, etc. in Ethiopia

  • iOverlander is a website and iPhone application designed by Overlanders, for Overlanders. It contains GPS co-ordinates and reviews for camping, hotels, propane, water, mechanics, borders and much more.

Link to sites that have a list of GPS co-ordinates (or directions) for camping locations (including "wild" campsites), propane filling, gas stations, repair shops, places of interest, etc.

Special Overland Travel interests

List any special items / places that are popular with Overlanders

Vehicle Maintenance

Dealers

4x4s / Trucks

Motorbikes

Local Garages

Add known good mechanics here.

Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Ethiopia

Buy
Describe how a foreigner can buy a vehicle. List any difficulties or limitations on where the vehicle can be driven.

Sell
Describe how a foreigner can sell a foreign-plated vehicle, or list not possible.'

References

Links to the source of any information - blogs or discussion forums, etc.

  1. 1.0 1.1 World petrol prices, gas prices, diesel prices|MyTravelCost.com

Helpful External links

Add any helpful external links here.