Prepare for the Best Day Tour in Addis Ababa
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- 6 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
See the highlights of Addis Ababa without worrying about getting lost with this private tour, which includes transportation. You’ll learn about history at the National Museum of Ethiopia, take in the views from the peak of Mount Entoto, check out the wares for sale at the massive Mercato open-air market, and visit the sacred St. George's Cathedral, with a stop at the celebrated Tomoca Coffee along the way.
- Tour Addis Ababa in the comfort of an air-conditioned vehicle
- Pick-up from your hotel or the airport is included
- Private tour ensures plenty of flexibility
- Admission tickets and coffee tastings are included
What's Included
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- All Fees and Taxes
- Coffee and/or Tea
- Bottled water
- Lunch
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Dinner
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
We pick up guests in any hotel and drop them off anywhere they want at the end of the tour.
Itinerary
1
National Museum of Ethiopia
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Mount Entoto
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Mercato Market
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
4
Tomoca Coffee | Atlas Branch | ቶሞካ ቡና | አትላስ
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
St. George's Cathedral
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Panagiota_A
Addis Abeba is an amazing city and I couldn’t have a better tour guide as Desale and Kulen as a great driver. Desale was very knowledgeable and explained me a lot about the history and the culture of Ethiopia. He ensured that I enjoyed every moment and ensured that I didn’t missed all the important sights. He is very professional and was very flexible to adjust the program to my needs. I was astonished on his presentation & explanation at the museum and in all other places we visited
Reviews
4.9
based on 112 reviews
Panagiota_A, Mar 2026
Addis Abeba is an amazing city and I couldn’t have a better tour guide as Desale and Kulen as a great driver. Desale was very knowledgeable and explained me a lot about the history and the culture of Ethiopia. He ensured that I enjoyed every moment and ensured that I didn’t missed all the important sights. He is very professional and was very flexible to adjust the program to my needs. I was astonished on his presentation & explanation at the museum and in all other places we visited
Brandon_Z, Dec 2025
If you’re looking for a tour of Addis, look no further. Gashaw was the best guide we could have imagined! He is insanely knowledgeable on everything Ethiopia, from current events to ancient history, and clearly has a passion for sharing that knowledge. He was super open to changing around the itinerary throughout the day based on the things we showed interest in, and could tell when we were getting tired and were ready to call it a day (but he totally would have kept going if we wanted to). He also generously got us lunch which wasn’t supposed to be included in the tour price, and went out of his way to take us extra places that weren’t part of the original plan. He was also totally open to me filming for my travel vlog YouTube channel and would give me a heads up when we were coming up on something that would make good video content so I could get the camera rolling. This experience exceeded every expectation we had, and we’ll be recommending him and Aspire Ethiopia Tours to everyone we know.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
It was indeed a great couple of hours visiting the highlights of Addis Ababa. Thanks to your YouTube videos, we have became famous and people are finding us easily. We hope to welcome you back in the future
Yohann_F, Sep 2025
I spent one of the most wonderful day in my life with Gashaw (the guide), he was completely devoted to his job and his passion to make you understand and discover the Ethiopian culture and lifestyle. I totally recommend Aspire Ethiopia Tours for all your tours in Ethiopia, they are the best and Gashaw make fall in love of Ethiopia and you will want to be back. Do not hesitate, visit Ethiopia with Aspire Ethiopia Tours.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
We thank you very much for sharing such a nice review of your experience with us in Addis Ababa. We are happy to know that you have enjoyed Addis Ababa and hope you will retun to Ethiopia in the future. Meanwhile, stay blessed and happy.
Regards,
Aspire Ethiopia Tours
Kenneth_B, Sep 2025
There are a TON of walking Ethiopia tours to choose from. Quite frankly it’s overwhelming. After reading through a ton of them and selecting this one, I feel as if I couldn’t have made a better choice. Gashaw was a fantastic tour guide. Very informative and knowledgeable and takes you to all of the hot spots.
More importantly he took his time and I never felt rushed. Often with these tours it’s just rush from place to place, get you in and out and seems robotic. He answered every question (I had many), offered suggestions, advice and provided anything that I needed.
I asked him where I could get my beard cut and he even took me to the barber shop! Also asked if I should need anything else after the tour, to not hesitate to reach out.
Although there are endless people offering the same tour, please do this one. You won’t regret it. We all need to support exceptional service when we receive it and that’s exactly what this tour and Gashaw is.
Look no further! The best city tour in Ethiopia is here!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Wow! Thank you very much for sharing such beautifully written review of your time with us. I am really happy to know that you have enjoyed the day and it was my pleasure to show you around my friend. Enjoy the remaining days in Ethiopia and I am sure you will have great times.
Suzanne_S, Dec 2024
We had a 7 hour layover in Addis Ababa and had a wonderful, exhilarating time on this tour. Driving through the streets of Addis Ababa and the market are beyond description. Gashaw was our driver and was very accommodating. He was willing to adjust the trip to what we wanted to see. Be sure to see the market. I've never experienced anything like it. If you have limited time, I would skip the National Museum (though there are some interesting parts to it) and see if there is more to see on Mount Entono. The coffee stop was awesome and I fell in love with Ethiopian coffee. If I went again, I'd try to have an Ethiopian meal. Overall, this tour was a great way to spend a long layover in Addis Ababa!
Fernandomanuel_H, Dec 2024
The attention was excellent, the tourist guide was super patient and eager to show the best of the wonderful Addis Ababa
Laura_B, Oct 2024
Good trip. Lots of things to see. Tour guide was good. The market is interesting. Food fantastic. Recommend
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Thank you for your time visiting Addis Ababa with us and for sharing the review with our future guests.
Carlos_C, Oct 2024
My guide Desale and the driver were both excellent. Very good attention and all they showed to me was great. Very recommended
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Thank you Carlos for your review of the day in Addis Ababa with our guide. We are happy to know you have enjoyed your time.
Elsa_C, Oct 2024
My husband and I booked this Addis Ababa day tour to see the highlights of the city during our layover in Ethiopia. We were more constrained on time and had about 4 hours to see as much as we could which we were initially stressed about. However, Gashaw was super accommodating and very efficient in taking us to see all the highlights we would’ve seen during the full tour (except for the Cathedral) at a quickened pace. We were so thankful that he was able to condense it so we could make the most of our layover and see the highlights of Addis Ababa. Gashaw was super informative and it was awesome to be taken around by him. Thank you Gashaw!!
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Hello Elsa,
Thank you for your review of your impromptu tour of Addis Ababa visiting the famous landmarks, squares and sightseeing of things in Addis Ababa. We are happy to know you made the best out of your limited time.
Mark_K, Aug 2024
My wife and I took this day tour of Addis Ababa with Gashaw from Aspire on a wintry day of heavy rain. We didn’t feel cheated a bit by the weather because Gashaw was so knowledgeable about European history and so thoughtful about providing an umbrella escort from our car to the Tomoca café. He also offered lots of flexibility about the length of time in each spot and responded to our interests by taking us to a fantastic traditional Ethiopian restaurant steeped in history.
I greatly appreciated how candid Gashaw was in sharing his opinions. My wife especially valued Gashaw’s insights about Ethiopian culture and how easygoing and patient he was with her many questions about the joys and challenges of life in Addis Ababa.
We highly recommend this tour with Gashaw.
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Dear Mark,
We thank you for your time to review your tour of Addis Ababa with our guide. We are happy to know that you have enjoyed your same-day tour of the city covering all the highlights and hidden gems. We hope to welcome you back in the future.
Regards,
Aspire Ethiopia Tours
Betheal_A, Jul 2024
This was a great tour! Very organized. Gashaw was funny and knowledgeable. He took his time to explain everything. He was very attentive to the groups needs. Learned a lot of history ! I would highly recommended this tour!
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Thank you Betheal for your kind words about the city tour of Addis Ababa with our guide. We are happy to know that you have enjoyed your day.
Brad_K, Apr 2024
I feel much gratitude for such a great day in Addis Ababa with this tour. My guide Gashaw was easy to talk to and incredibly knowledgeable and the history and culture of Ethiopia. He was kind, flexible and professional. He even adapted the itinerary based on my interests and took me to some places I never would have found on my own. Thanks for a great day!
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you very much for sharing your review of the city tour of Addis Ababa with our guide. We are happy to know that you have enjoyed your day visiting the different parts of Addis Ababa. We hope to welcome you back for longer trips in the future. Thank you again.
Aspire Ethiopia Tours
Irma_V, Mar 2024
Booked the tour while being on a business trip as I wanted to see most of Addis Ababa in the short time that I had. Great choice of the tour that was. The tour guide was very knowledgeable about the history of Ethiopia and after only a few hours I almost became an expert on the country’s history, culture and general day to day life. I managed to see most of the sightseeing spots of Addis Ababa with convenience of being driven around the city and having a friendly company. I very much enjoyed the Entoto Park and the panoramic view from the hill as well as St George’s cathedral and the relaxed Sunday vibes of its garden with locals enjoying their time chatting, singing. I had a great experience and glad I did it, as I am sure travelling on my own I wouldn’t manage to see as much as I did.
The tour is organised by #aspireethiopiatours and you can check them out on instagram. I highly recommend them should you wish to have best experience in Ethiopia.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Thank you so much for such a great review of your experience with our guide in Addis Ababa. It's always nice to know our guests enjoyed their time, making the best out of their limited time as you mentioned. We really hope to welcome you back in the future for longer trips.
Best regards,
Aspire Ethiopia Tours
Abigail_Z, Mar 2024
Overall, the experience was great. I was planning on visiting all of the places myself anyway — but it was nice to have reliable transportation (although no AC in vehicle, which was promised), admission into everything, and have a local by my side. They even were flexible enough to switch up the itinerary due to forecasted rain to make sure I was able to experience everything. All that being said, the only downfall was my guide — he took food off of my plate during lunch, frequently found him looking me up and down, and I felt very uneasy with him on multiple occasions because of this and his flirty comments. Part of the reason I booked a tour in the first place was to explore Addis more comfortably, but ended up feeling more uncomfortable with him. Not worth require $90 — I’d like to see something like this closer to $50, which more accurately covers the value of the experience.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Hello,
Thank you for your honest opinion of the tour. We are sorry to know of the discomfort caused by our staff. It's unfortunate experience because usually he does his job properly: you can check with our previous review, just before you. You are the first person with the lowest rating we are having from, which I think should have been avoided if he must had shared the bill or whatever.
However, I will make sure he knows that you did not enjoy his company at all and must improve his attitude. I apologize once again on behalf of the company and I promise it will not happen again. I wish there comes another opportunity to welcome you and compromise it. Thank you again.
Regards,
Gashaw N.
Aspire Ethiopia Tours
Erik_I, Nov 2023
great tour to Addis.
The guide was knowledgeable and took us to great places. Detailed explanations and good car.
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Thank you very much for your brief review of your day with our guide in Addis Ababa. It is great to know you have enjoyed your time. See you next time.
Rita_S, Apr 2023
We recently had the pleasure of experiencing the Best Day Tour in Addis Ababa, which included visits to Entoto Park, St. George's Cathedral, and Mercato Market. It was an unforgettable experience that exceeded all of our expectations, thanks to our exceptional guide. Everything about the day was just as promised from the pick-up at our hotel, transportation and lunch!
Our guide, Sisay, was knowledgeable, friendly, and incredibly passionate about sharing the history and culture of Addis Ababa with us. From the moment we met him, it was clear that he was committed to ensuring that we had a memorable and authentic experience. Sisay's expertise and enthusiasm made the tour not only informative but also incredibly engaging and enjoyable. We left with a newfound appreciation for the history and culture of Ethiopia and a deeper understanding of the country's rich traditions.
Response from Host, May 2023
Hello Rita,
Thank you for your time to write such detailed information in your review of the time spent in Addis Ababa with our guide. We are happy to know that you have enjoyed everything here and hope to see you again. Best wishes.
Aspire Ethiopia Tours
Kenda_D, Dec 2022
We had the amazing Gashaw as our tour guide and he made us feel like VIPs! He was incredibly knowledgeable and provided a well-balanced day for us to enjoy! I recommend this tour of Addis a 13/10 - an absolutely must if you want to get a true feeling for all the city has to offer!
Response from Host, Dec 2022
13/10 !!! That is awesome Kenda. We love your ratings and thank you for the nice words in the review. We are glad to know you have made the best out of your time in Addis. Hope to welcome you back in the future.
Regards,
Aspire Ethiopia Tours
Amit_K, Jul 2022
The tour was comprehensive and really interesting! Highlights were definitely the museum, coffee & Entoto.
Response from Host, Jul 2022
Dear Guests,
We appreciate your precise information about your time visiting Addis Ababa. It was a pleasure showing you around and we hope to welcome you again.
Stuart_M, Jul 2022
Adisu, my guide, was informative and knowledgeable. I had a really enjoyable day and would highly recommend the tour.
Response from Host, Jul 2022
Thank you very much Sir for leaving your review in here. We are glad to know you have enjoyed your time with us.
ArvinC_F, Apr 2022
My guide, Addis, kept communication open, arrived on time, explained everything carefully, answered all my queries, and respected my diet restrictions. More than that, he helped me with my plans for my tour of Lalibela. The guide he recommended was very helpful, as well. Highly recommended!
Response from Host, Apr 2022
Hello,
Thank you very much for writing such a nice reviews of your time with our guides in Addis Ababa and Lalibela. We are glad everything went well for you. We hope to welcome you for longer trips. Thank you.
Aspire Ethiopia Tours Team
Kaz_O, Apr 2022
The tour was pretty informative as well as flexible - highly recommended. I was able to get to know about Ethiopian spirits, history and culture, including traditional Honey wine, which definitely made me want to share with my people. Thank you !
A petit tip for those who want to try a special coffee drink which is "Sprice" ( Ethiopian coffee + black tea ) at a coffee shop it would be better to order with sugar - and you will see :p
Response from Host, Apr 2022
Dear our guest,
We thank you very much for sharing your experience with us to our future guests. We are happy to know you have enjoyed Addis Ababa city tour with our guide who improvised based on your time and interest to taste some of the unique cuisine and drinks. We hope to welcome you for another tour.
Karl_T, Mar 2020
Our Guide Gashaw turned a busy and somewhat intimidating city into a very entertaining and educational tour. We had a great experience and would highly recommend!
Response from Host, Mar 2020
It is amazing to know you have enjoyed Addis Ababa tour with our guide. Glad to know the guide make you feel comfortable while touring Addis Ababa. We will be happy to welcome you all back to Ethiopia in the future. Regards,
Aspire Ethiopia Tours
Jonas_N, Mar 2020
Had a very nice day with our guide Beky and his brother! We enjoyed the city of Addis Abeba with him and got much background about the city and the culture. He tried to get out the most of the day for us! Recommended to all visitors of Addis !
Response from Host, Mar 2020
Thank you for sharing your review with our future guests. It is great to know you have enjoyed your time with our guide Beki and the driver. We hope you will plan another trips with us in the future. Thank you.
Aspire Ethiopia Tours
Cherrie, Feb 2020
This was an awesome tour with a great price! My guide was Gashaw who was awesome! He personalized my tour to see a village and the people of the countryside. The market was a little intimidating at first as a solo female traveler, but with Gashaw as my guide I felt safe. I would definitely recommend him and this tour!
Response from Host, Mar 2020
Dear Guest,
We would like to thank you very much for your time to share your reviews with our future customers. We are very happy to know you have enjoyed your time with our guide in Addis Ababa. We really hope to welcome you again in the future and show you around the beautiful Ethiopia. Thank you.
Team Aspire
smdewis, Jan 2020
Although this tour centres around Addis, the knowledge you gain of the country as a whole spreads further than the city boundaries.
Without the guides knowledge and easily approachable manner, I would of missed alot the museums had to offer, for example learning about the drums in the national museums enhanced my trip to St George's Church.
The whole day flew by and the resturant and coffee locations chosen by the guide were impeccable.
The guide put safety first, managed the time well, was genuinely friendly and helpful and really gave me a sense of Addis in one day, that might of escaped me if I had gone it alone.
I took several tours in Ethiopia, for me, this stood apart for its professional approach and left me very feeling very lucky to of gained such insight into a beautiful culture, people and city.
Response from Host, Jan 2020
Hello Dewis,
Thank you very much for your amazing review of your experience with our guide. We are pleased to know you had a great time touring Addis Ababa with our expert guide. It is amazing how much you have learnt in short time. We are hopeful that you will come back to Ethiopia for longer trips. Best wishes
Hujansan, Jan 2020
I wanted to get oriented in my first day in Addis and this was perfect. Guide Gashaw had studied tourism and English lit, was very knowledgeable and made good conversation about anything. The tour was very flexible but with recommended sites to see. Going on Sunday meant there was less traffic but the market was a bit quiet, we made up for it with other things overall it was a great day and I learnt so much about Ethiopia and Addis.
Response from Host, Jan 2020
Hello Guest,
We very much appreciate your time to write the nice review of Addis Ababa tour with our guide. It is nice to know you have enjoyed the tour. We are open to welcome you again in the future. Best regards
Barbara_D, Dec 2019
To get a feel for Addis Ababa I decided to book a day tour. My guide for the day, Habtamu, was great!! He was punctual and very informative and flexible! I’m not much of a market person so he took me to the smaller souvenir shops and even stopped for a tasty coffee break! Our visit to the museum was great! Definitely worth the price.
Response from Host, Jan 2020
We are very happy to know you have enjoyed your time with our guide. Thank you very much for letting other people know how good we are. We hope to welcome you again in the future.
chik0chan, Dec 2019
Recently me and my family had an AMAZING experience at Addis Ababa. Our tour guide Gashaw showed us around beautiful Addis and its historical and amazing landmarks. He allowed us to visit any location for as much time as we liked. We were also driven around local towns to experience the local lifestyle. My family enjoyed the whole experience and we would love to visit Addis Ababa again.
Response from Host, Jan 2020
Hello family,
Thank you for your time to write this review about your experience with us: we are glad you enjoyed it. We would very much welcome you back in the future. Thank you
Lindsay_B, Nov 2019
My guide Teddy, and our driver Solomon, were incredible. I felt safe and well-looked after, while still getting an authentic tour of Addis. We had a great lunch at the first restaurant in Addis, and went to the spice market. The spice market was insane, but I never once felt overwhelmed or hassled, which is definitely due to Teddy's guidance. He's knowledgeable and engaging, and Solomon was funny and a great driver.
Response from Host, Nov 2019
Hello dear Customer,
We would like to thank you very much for writing such a great review. We are happy you enjoyed your time with our guide and driver. We hope to serve you with longer trips in the future.
Regards,
Aspire Ethiopia Tours
Revicita, Oct 2019
Gashaw is a wonderful guide! Young, smart, full of energy! He is so knowledgeable about history and culture, and really makes these things accessible. He is very flexible - I wanted to see less of the standard sites, and more of Addis neighborhoods and green spaces. He was totally accommodating and by the time we started the trip, he felt like an old friend! Loved asking him about different parts of Ethiopia that I could not visit, and also enjoyed him pointing out things like restaurants and the National Theatre for future visits. I will recommended him to any future friends and colleagues and would absolutely book again. He really is a gem!
Response from Host, Oct 2019
Hello there,
We truly appreciate your review and the way you explained all the activities in Addis Ababa. We are happy you enjoyed traveling with Gashaw, and he was able to customise the tour based on your interest. We really hope to serve you with longer trips in the future and fee free to contact us about anything you want from Ethiopia.
Thanks once again!
Aspire Ethiopia Tours Team
From $90.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Prepare for the Best Day Tour in Addis Ababa
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Attractions in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Mt. Entoto Tours & Tickets
- Entoto Maryam Church Tours & Tickets
- National Museum of Ethiopia Tours & Tickets
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- Red Terror Martyrs’ Memorial Museum Tours & Tickets
- Meskel Square Tours & Tickets
- Holy Trinity Cathedral (Kidist Selassie) Tours & Tickets
- Menelik II Square Tours & Tickets
- IES Ethnographic Museum (Addis Ababa University) Tours & Tickets
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