Hostels in Ethiopia Hostels in Ethiopia

You are looking for hostels in Ethiopia? Good news, you have come to the right place.

On this page we list every single city with hostels and other budget accommodations. Hostelz.com helps you to find your Ethiopia hostel and compare its prices on the major booking sites such as Hostelworld, Hostelsclub and Booking.com. So you can sleep on a budget and save money while backpacking Ethiopia.

All Cities in Ethiopia

We list every single hostel in Ethiopia and the world. In total, we have 3 cities in Ethiopia for you. Please note that not all cities actually have a hostel to stay in. Below you can filter for cities with hostels and with no hostels-type accommodation, but guesthouses and budget hotels. This will help your planning.

All Ethiopia hostels on a map

Alright, you are more the visual type? Planning your trip with a map is always handy.

Therefore, this map shows you all cities with hostels in Ethiopia. It will help you to plan your trip. Just zoom in the map and click your destination for more details. Just so you know: If we do not have a hostel in a city, it is likely that there is no hostel in that city.

Our handwritten guide on Backpacking Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a country on the eastern coast of Africa, in what is known as the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Sudan, and South Sudan. Ethiopia is African’s oldest independent country, the birthplace of modern humans, and also has one of the world’s oldest languages. It has the most number of UNESCO World heritage Sites in Africa. Ethiopia is also the world’s oldest monarchy, beginning in 2000 BCE and only ending in a coup in 1974. Apart from a short occupation by Mussolini, it has never been colonised, unlike many other countries in Africa. The capital and largest city is Addis Ababa; other, smaller, cities include the historical centres of Gondar and Axum.

The climate in Ethiopia is tropical monsoon. The Ethiopian Highlands mountain range cover much of the country and as a result, most of the country is cooler than other Equatorial countries. With mild temperatures year round, the country is defined by its two rainy seasons which run from March to May (a light rain) and June to September (a heavy rain.) Geographically, Ethiopia has a wide range of landscapes. It is divided by the Great Rift Valley, a large geographic trench that runs from Lebanon to Mozambique. There are wild jungles in the west and grasslands in the east; deserts and steppes surround the mountains, which are the longest continuous range in Africa. The hottest place in the world is in the north of Ethiopia.

The currency in Ethiopia is the Birr. The main industry is coffee and its exportation, with livestock and other agricultural production rounding out the top ten. The economy was one of the fastest growing world economies in the early 2000s; since then with inflation and other factors the GDP has levelled off and remains quite low. Ethiopia was one of the founding members of the United Nations and is also used as the African base for many international organisations.

Transportation around Ethiopia is mostly via train; in October 2016 the country was linked with Djibouti’s port by high speed train. In the late 1990s, Ethiopia began to improve their road infrastructure and now has over 100,000km of paved roads. Travel times do vary; check before you go. The main international airport is in Addis Ababa; Bole International Airport has flights to and from over 60 countries.

Travellers in Ethiopia that are looking for budget accommodation should centre their search in Addia Ababa. There are very few European-style hostels that many backpackers will be used to; instead of looking for hostels, budget travellers should look for guest houses and bed & breakfasts. In more remote regions and cities, guest houses will be the best accommodation choice.

Once you have your accommodation sorted, begin to explore this vast, unique country. Ethiopia is home to one of the oldest Christian churches, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and has rock cut churches in unexpected places. Amateur archaeologists and history buffs will enjoy seeing these cultural icons, particularly the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Lalibela in the Amhara region. Within the Tigray region, there are more monasteries to explore; some of these take mountaineering skill to reach. Outdoor enthusiasts should visit the Sof Omar Caves, the largest cave system in Africa, in southeastern Ethiopia. Ethiopia is a vast, rich country with plenty to see and do. Budget travellers should experience it at least once and know that whatever you choose to do, you will enjoy it.

expert for Ethiopia hostels

Handwritten by local expert for Ethiopia hostels Jakob Lombardi

Travel Tips for Ethiopia - from the Community

Hey fam! Here are a few more tips from the community, from them to you, and you to them. This space is dedicated for travellers to share their best tips on backpacking Ethiopia. Have a closer look - the Hostelz community share real hidden gems, insider knowledge and overall impressions of Ethiopia. Everyone is welcome to add something useful, funny, unexpected and the "absolutely necessary to know before you go" - share, share and then share a little more!

FAQ on Hostels in Ethiopia

There is a lot of travel planning to do. So let us help you once again by putting together the frequently asked questions:

Finding Hostels and Prices

What hostel booking sites are best to use?

There is several hostel booking sites, such as Hostelworld.com, Hostelsclub.com and Booking.com. While every platform has its pros and cons, there is a universal truth you as a traveler should be aware of: Not a single booking site can always offer the best prices.

This is where Hostelz.com comes in. You can compare all major booking portals with one click.

For you as a traveler, Hostelz.com is the best booking site to actually save money.

How much are hostels in Ethiopia?

Prices always vary, depending on various factors. Weekends tend to be more expensive, same goes for special holidays. Please also take into account local vaction time.

You can search for exacty hostel prices in Ethiopia here on Hostelz.com. Pick your destination and pick a date. The system will track down the prices to give an idea of what budget and prices you can expect.

When to book hostels?

If you want to stay at the best hostels, it is a good idea to have your hostel booked around 1 month before you travel. For the regular hostels, booking one week before should be okay. Yet again, this always depends.

We dedicated a full article to the topic of when to book hostels.

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Safety and Packing

Are hostels in Ethiopia safe?

Generally speaking, hostels are as safe as you make them. We highly recommend always to bring your own padlock, using the lockers and taking care of your belongings. Make sure you pick a safe hostel, offering lockers and a safe location. Please always pay attention to the reviews; they can give you a great insight on what to expect and safety tips.

What to pack when staying in hostels?

There is a few basics you should always pack when staying in hostels.

  1. Padlock
  2. Earplugs
  3. Sleeping Mask
  4. Quick Dry Travel Towel
  5. Head Lamp

There is more actually. We wrote a complete guide with more details. Read our full hostel packing list.

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