Ethiopia · City Tours

9-Hour Addis Ababa City Tour with Lucy, Entoto and Merkato

9 Hours Round trip from Addis Ababa Challenging pace

The journey

Trip highlights

01 See Lucy's famed fossil remains at the National Museum of Ethiopia
02 Take in magical views over Addis Ababa from Mount Entoto at 3,200 m
03 Browse traditional textiles and local goods at Shiro Meda and Addis Mercato
04 Visit Holy Trinity Cathedral and see its crowns, icons, and manuscripts
05 Enjoy traditional Ethiopian dishes and a typical Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony

Discover Ethiopia's natural, historical, and cultural hub on this tour of Addis Ababa. Visit the National Museum of Ethiopia to see the famed fossil remains of Lucy, stop at Holy Trinity Cathedral, and take in the views from Mount Entoto. Admire the architectural brilliance of churches and monuments, stroll through Addis Mercato, and enjoy traditional Ethiopian dishes. The experience also includes a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony.

Next, we will visit the top of Mount Entoto, 3,200 meters above sea level, where you will observe magical viewpoints of the capital and walk around in the fresh air.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 9 Hours

Tour type Private

Activity level Challenging

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Yes

Cities Addis Ababa, Mount Entoto

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Addis Ababa City Highlights and Mount Entoto

The tour will begin from your hotel, or depending on where the clients stay. Our first visit will be the National Museum of Addis Ababa, which shelters the fossil remains of Lucy, 3.25 million years old and the oldest hominid. You will also observe pictures of cultural and ethnic groups and learn about ancient life experiences.
Next, we will visit the top of Mount Entoto, 3,200 meters above sea level, where you will observe magical viewpoints of the capital and walk around in the fresh air. You will also see birds of the area, such as the Abyssinia catbird, white-backed black tit, sunbird, and others.
We will then continue to visit one of the oldest churches in Addis Ababa, St. Raguel or Elias, famous for its beautiful hand-painted wall paintings and aged history. Afterwards, we will make a short stop at Shiro Meda local market, noted for its great collection of traditional hand-woven cotton clothes.
We will also see the Holy Trinity Cathedral, famous for its stained-glass windows and rich museum displaying crowns, icons, manuscripts, and more. This is also the site where the grave of Emperor Haile Selassie I is situated.
Lunch will be at one of the best traditional Ethiopian restaurants, where visitors can taste different varieties of Ethiopian dishes and drinks and share new life experiences. Afterwards, we will attend a typical Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony.
We will continue the tour by driving to Merkato, the most famous and largest open-air market in Africa, and visit its most interesting cultural sections, such as the spice market, hand-woven basket market, the chat mild stimulant chewed by locals market, and the second-hand items market.
Lastly, we will enjoy observing attractive ancient buildings, monuments, and the coldest house. We will visit the city's historical and major landmarks, such as the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the headquarters of the African Union, and Meskel Square, the main square in the city.