Senior travel: Addis Ababa
An easier pace for an older traveller: how many stops fit in a day, which places are step-free, and what the guide says about getting around, medicines and stairs.
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Pace for a day
About 2 stops a day. 5 h out − 45 min rest, divided by an average visit of 64 min (from this city’s guide) + 30 min to move.
Places, easiest access first
- Anwar MosqueStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 45 minLevel prayer-hall floor; a few steps at some entrances.
- Red Terror Martyrs Memorial MuseumStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 60 minLevel gallery floors; a few steps at the entrance (check).
- Holy Trinity CathedralStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 65 minSteps at the main entrance; the grounds are mostly level.
- St George's CathedralStep-free: partial (check before you go) · about 65 minSteps at the entrance and an uneven courtyard; the octagonal nave floor is level.
- MerkatoThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 60 min
- National Museum of EthiopiaThe guide has no step-free answer for this one · about 90 min
Getting around in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is hard going on wheels. Pavements are uneven, often under construction, and step-free access exists mainly in newer hotels and malls. Plan door-to-door car rides and pick a hotel with a lift.
- Pavements:
- Uneven, sometimes missing or mid-construction as the city's infrastructure projects continue.
- Getting around:
- App cars (Ride, Feres) are the step-free option. Minibus 'line taxis' are not step-free.
- Hotels:
- International-standard hotels in Bole and Kazanchis have lifts and accessible rooms on request; smaller guesthouses often do not.
- Toilets:
- Accessible toilets in Bole malls and larger hotels; rare elsewhere.
Medicines and health on the ground
The Ethiopia guide lists no medicine paperwork. Check the official customs page for your medicines.
- Altitude:
- About 2,350 m: rest on the first afternoon, drink water, and go easy on alcohol and exertion the first night. Mild headache or breathlessness is common and usually passes within a day or two.
- Malaria:
- Low risk in Addis itself due to the altitude, but relevant for lower-altitude side trips (Rift Valley lakes, Bahir Dar); ask a travel clinic about prophylaxis for those legs.
- Food and water:
- Bottled or filtered water only; busy local restaurants with fast turnover are generally safer than quiet ones.
- Sun:
- UV is strong at altitude even on mild, cool-feeling days: sunscreen and a hat matter more than the temperature suggests.
More: how much medicine to pack, medicine times across time zones.
Ask your insurer
Age limits and prices differ by policy and the guides do not hold them, so put these to the insurer before you buy.
- What is the oldest age the policy covers, at purchase and on the last day of the trip?
- Does the price or the cover change after a certain age?
- Are existing conditions covered, and what must be declared?
- Does the cover include medical evacuation and trip interruption?
Not medical advice. This page does not know anyone’s health. Ask a doctor before the trip, and carry a list of medicines and conditions.