Addis Ababa Layover Tour | Private Tour from Bole Airport

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3 to 5 hours Private & customizable Easy

Tour overview

Addis Ababa Bole International Airport is one of Africa's busiest connecting hubs, and a long layover is a great chance to see Ethiopia's capital. Your guide meets you in the arrivals hall, shows you the city in a private car and brings you back to the airport in good time for your next flight.

Choose your option

Quick taste (about 3 hours): coffee ceremony, Ethiopian meal and one or two sights
City highlights (4 to 5 hours): Entoto viewpoint, National Museum, Holy Trinity Cathedral, lunch and coffee ceremony

Who this tour is for

This tour is for layovers of 7 hours or more. We plan the timing around your flights so you are back at Bole Airport about 3 hours before an international departure. With a longer layover, we can also arrange our full-day city tour or a day trip to Debre Libanos Monastery and the Portuguese Bridge.

Visa and entry

Flying Ethiopian Airlines with a connection of 8 to 24 hours on one ticket? The airline's free stopover programme includes a transit visa, a hotel room, meals and airport transfers. You usually get the voucher at check-in, or you can ask at the transit desk in Addis Ababa. Ethiopia has also approved a free stopover visa of up to 7 days for Ethiopian Airlines passengers, so ask us for the latest. For shorter connections or other airlines, you will need the Ethiopian eVisa or, for some nationalities, a visa on arrival. Send us your flight details and nationality, and we will help you check what applies to you.

Good to know

Fasting and vegetarian meals are available
Bring your passport and your onward boarding pass
Tell us your flight numbers so we can plan the timing

Itinerary

Day 1: Airport Pickup and Your Layover Tour

Your guide meets you in the arrivals hall after immigration.

Quick taste, about 3 hours

Traditional coffee ceremony at a local coffee house
Ethiopian meal at a local restaurant
One or two sights, such as Holy Trinity Cathedral or a city viewpoint

City highlights, 4 to 5 hours

Drive up Entoto Mountain for views over the city
National Museum, home of the famous fossil Lucy
Holy Trinity Cathedral
Ethiopian lunch and a traditional coffee ceremony

We bring you back to Bole Airport about 3 hours before your international flight.

Included

Pickup and drop-off at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport
Private vehicle and driver
English-speaking local guide
Entrance fees to the sites visited
Ethiopian meal and coffee ceremony

Not included

Ethiopian visa, if you need one
Tips
Personal purchases
Anything not mentioned above

Traveller reviews

What our travellers say

Tripadvisor ★★★★★

“Took a 12-day trip with three friends all around Ethiopia with New Ethiopia Tours and would highly recommend them. Bre was professional, communicative, and easy-going. He was willing to work with us to fulfill all our requests, to pivot when unexpected issues popped up, and was just a generally great person to have on our trip with us. He went above and beyond to make sure we had an amazing trip even when the weather and health issues had other plans for us. Throughout the trip, I felt safe and respected. This was my first time in Ethiopia and I am glad I went with Bre and New Ethiopia Tours. I highly recommend them to anyone looking to book a tour in Ethiopia.”

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Google ★★★★★

“Great car, great guide, and customised the trip for me. Thank you very much.”

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“Recently spent 9 days visiting Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Gonder, Simien Mountains and Lalibela, all organised by New Ethiopia Tours.

Birhanu and the team took care of every detail, were able to answer any questions and attentive to any special requests eg. vegetarian meals! Accommodation was all a high standard, transport all felt very safe and was impressed by how smooth everything went.

A special mention to our guide for the whole trip Henok, who was exceptionally knowledgeable and passionate about the history and culture of this unique and fascinating country!

A reliable and professional tour operator and would highly recommend!”

“The guid Ebraham was very helpful and tried his best to make my trip wonderful. I would recommend him for everyone.”

“I recently spent almost two weeks in Ethiopia (Addis, Bahir Dar, Gondar, Lalibela, and the Danakil Depression). Everyone from accommodation, currency exchange, local guides/transportation, and domestic flights was organised by Birhanu and his team. I was very impressed at how smoothly everything went, and Birhanu was always extremely helpful and communicative. Would absolutely recommend to anyone wanting to visit Ethiopia.”

“Title: Birhanu and Solomon - The Perfect Guides to Ethiopia ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you’re planning a trip to Ethiopia, Birhanu and Solomon from New Ethiopia Tours are exactly who you want leading the way. They’re incredibly knowledgeable, personable, and generous, making every moment of the journey memorable.

From the start, they made us feel welcome, like we were exploring with friends rather than guides. Their deep understanding of Ethiopia’s culture and history, paired with their warm sense of humor, kept the trip both educational and fun.

Whether it was helping us navigate bustling markets, sharing fascinating stories, or going out of their way to ensure everything ran smoothly, they truly went above and beyond. Each stop felt thoughtfully planned, yet they still managed to keep things flexible and relaxed.

If you want a seamless and enriching experience, Birhanu and Solomon are the perfect choice. Highly recommended!”

“Very good experience with this local tour operator. Very reattive to my messages and professional during and after the booking Process i did the city tour and dankil depression. Happy for the services and timing. I reccomend this company as reliable and organised. Thanks”

“Thanks to Mule and Birhanu, we had an amazing experience in Addis and the surrounding areas. They helped us truly connect with the people, landscapes, and local customs in a way we could never have done on our own. They’re super professional, friendly, and know every little corner. If you’re thinking of exploring Ethiopia for real, don’t hesitate—reach out to them. Booking their services was the best decision of our trip. Highly recommend!”

“It was such a wonderful experience! The tour guides are very elaborate and patient with the different questions. They were also recommended very nice restaurants for us 👌🏾”

“We were honored to have had an amazing and hospitable tour guide experience during SHAPE Africa event. Birhanu is amazing. He takes good care of you, ensuring that everything goes smoothly and eloquently.”