Ethiopia · FOOD
Good food experiences fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 10 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Spend 5 to 6 hours with an English-speaking guide exploring Merkato, Atkilt Tera, and Piassa, making injera, eating at Taitu Hotel, tasting Tomoca coffee, and joining a coffee ceremony with honey wine in Sululta.
“no pasaron por mi para el traslado y en el teléfono de 24 horas que se suple atienden no me contestaron”
With local guide Anteneh, explore Addis Ababa by private vehicle and on foot. Visit Mercato, Zoma Museum, Bata Mariam Church, the National Museum, and Mount Entoto. You’ll taste traditional food, watch coffee prepared, and finish with a sunset over the city.
“Because we had a long layover, we spent a day in Addis Ababa. (Thank you Ethiopian airlines, we got hotelroom, transfer, food, and visa free!)”
Spend a long day in Addis Ababa with an English-speaking guide and driver, visiting the Ethnological Museum and Merkato before shopping for ingredients and cooking injera, shiro, and mesir wot at a local home. Airport pickup, lunch, coffee, and hotel or airport transfer are included.
“Spent a long layover day with Joseph our knowledge tour guide and Bart our driver in Addis Ababa. Great tour in terms of locations covered, transportation , detailed information provided. The coffee stop and market were the highlights for me. Would definitely recommend this tour (Ask for Joseph) if you find yourself on a layover in Addis Ababa.”
Spend four hours with an English-speaking local guide learning how Ethiopian coffee is grown, roasted, and tasted, then make injera on a traditional mitad. Guides such as Aelaf, Joe, Mike, and Jonas add city insight, careful coordination, and cultural context. Pickup in Addis Ababa is included.
“The tour was very interesting and gave me a great insight. The guide was perfectly on time and did everything he could to make sure I had a really good experience. I felt a personal connection right away because he was very genuine and easy to talk to. His English was very perfect, which made communication smooth. He was polite, respectful, and we always spoke on eye level, creating a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. I appreciated the valuable local input he shared along the way, which made the tour feel authentic and personal and I learned more about Addis than I ever expected. Overall, a very worthwhile experience that I…”
Spend 6 to 7 hours with Melaku Mehari exploring Addis Ababa’s museums, Merkato, St. George Cathedral, and Mount Entoto. Your private tour includes hotel or airport pickup, transport, entrance fees, lunch, traditional coffee or tea, and bottled water.
“We met Melaku Mehari at the National Museum. He blessed us with tons of cultural and historic education of Ethiopia as well as more of Africa. If visiting, a guided tour with Mr. Mehari is a must. His presence makes for a great experience. Thank you.”
Start at 8:30 am in Addis Ababa’s Atlas neighborhood, then walk and ride between three restaurants for vegetarian food, meat, fish, coffee, juice, and beers from across Ethiopia. Hotel pickup, food, drinks, bottled water, and an air-conditioned vehicle are included. Guides’ names are not provided.
“Die Tour wurde nicht wie bei VIATOR gebucht durchgeführt. Sie war ab Beginn improvisiert, da überhaupt nicht vorbereitet.”
Spend about four hours tasting Addis Ababa with Liyu Ethiopia Tours. Visit Atikilt Tera market, try baking injera with expert women, and eat at Taitu Hotel and Kebede Gebere Welde Butchery. Expect 45 to 60 minutes of walking, drinks throughout, pickup availability, and groups capped at eight.
“Olinol was a fantastic guide—knowledgeable, caring, responsible, and always made me feel safe. The van was clean and comfortable, which made the journey even more enjoyable.”
Spend about four hours with Eshetu of Rotate Ethiopia Tours sampling Ethiopian food, learning coffee preparation, trying injera making, and watching traditional music and dance. The private tour includes airport pickup and drop-off, with time for local life, Merkato, or Atakilti Tera depending on your plan.
“I really like it and im really amazed about it its the greatest one !! It is the best tour company in Ethiopia and it is the leading one”
Start in Addis Ababa’s Atlas neighborhood with coffee or a welcome drink, then visit a family-run restaurant, a famous meat house, a fish restaurant, a juice stop, and a coffee house. Alex may handle arrangements, while the small group format allows time for questions about Ethiopian food and culture.
“My guide was preoccupied with himself and his business, on the phone or talking to others leaving me standing around waiting a lot. We even went to his bank, so unprofessional. Viator refuses to give a refund because we did 2/3 things, basically the guide sucked. So ask first and don’t use or refuse Simeon Tour Group, Awful.”
Spend five hours exploring Addis Ababa through food, a traditional coffee ceremony, and a city walk. You’ll taste bey ay netu and shiro wot, learn how Ethiopian coffee is prepared, and visit Lucy’s famous hominid fossils. Airport or hotel pickup, transport, lunch, drinks, and an English or French-speaking guide are included.
“They sent a driver to take me to a restaurant, then we went to a market. I felt bad for the guy because he was not a guide and doesn't speak very good English. This is was the worst "food tour" I went on and it was not worth 60USD. Also the car wasn't air-conditioned, so I ended inhaling all the dust and fumes from around Addis. I gave it 2 stars for the sake of the nice young man who picked me up.”
Pick a highland town, a church cut out of rock, or a kitchen.
