Addis Ababa Airport Layover Tours – Addis Ababa Layover Tours

Great selection of Addis Ababa layover tours

Fast-track your Addis Ababa layover tours

Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia is a matchless, unique place, and we are determined to show transit travelers from abroad how incredibly beautiful the capital city of this great East African nation is. Addis is home to dozens of Africa and the rest of the world organizations. We treasure the warmth and culture of its people, its rich history and beauty.

Addis Ababa layover tour (New)

Tour category
Tour code
Tour overview
Itinerary
Tour category

Addis Ababa layover tour

Tour code

PETLT 01

Tour overview

Entoto Natural Park

If you are looking for a place where you sit up with your friends and disturb others by taking and drinking too much alcohol Entoto Natural Park is not for you. Entoto Natural Park is a big touring park located only a few miles away from the northernmost point in Addis Ababa. It’s a must see if you tour in Addis Ababa or holiday in Ethiopia. The park has hotels, restaurants, ample space and good solid camping ground for tents and an excellent range of facilities incorporating children’s play area, horse riding, barbeque site, and many more.

This natural park provides tranquil space for all book lovers to sit and read. Entoto Natural Park is surrounded by mature eucalyptus and other indigenous trees.

IMPORTANT: We can book hotel rooms for you at one of the best hotels located in this natural park where you'll have a chance to see the view of the city at night.

Unity Park

Addis Ababa has become an environmentally friendly city and urban center. Unity Park which is located in the capital is one of the best Ethiopia tourist attractions. Preservation and promotion of authentic African heritage is crucial for the social, economic and environmental well-being of our time. Preserving and restoring African culture or heritage and the protection of our environment is a huge investment. The splendid display of environmentally friendly urban plans for the 21st century coupled with Ethiopian beauty and rich cultural heritage.     

Itinerary

Morning: After breakfast visit Entoto Natural Park, a relaxing place in Addis Ababa with various forest walks and trails. This park is located in the heart of Mt. Entoto just a few miles away from north Addis Ababa. One can walk, cycle, read, relax and explore while he is at this park.        

Afternoon: After lunch visit the Unity Park which is one of the top tourist attractions in Ethiopia and which also beautifies the historically significant and culturally important city of Addis Ababa. In this activity one can learn that Ethiopia is undoubtedly endowed with the rich and colorful history that makes it unique on the African continent.

For information on local heritage sites, golf, local festivals and more contact us.  


Addis Ababa Layover City Tours
Addis Ababa Layover City Tours

What to do on a long layover in Addis Ababa? Take a city tour!

Most transit visitors' concerns are hotel, transportation and layover tours. If you build Addis Ababa layover into your trip, then your favorite site to go to should be ParagonEthiopiaTours.com for your sightseeing tours of the capital which includes the most important Addis Ababa tourist attractions. That's because we have several optional itineraries which help one to explore the city and make the most use of his time. Don't go to the hotel concierge or the tourism information desk at the airport. Just visit Paragon Ethiopia Tours' website.  

Our Addis Ababa layover and transit tours primarily include wildlife safari and nature attractions around Addis Ababa, and the historic and modern features of the city among which some can be combined with some day trips from Addis Ababa. They also include driving through the most important streets in downtown where you will have a chance to see places that have colonial influences and, more. If you are looking for the most ethnically diverse city in Ethiopia; that is it. We will make your transit tours memorable ones.

Which Addis Ababa Layover tour you would like to book now?

Turn your Addis Ababa Airport layover Tours into fantastic mini-vacation. We are pleased to help you get there and do Addis Ababa Airport transit tours or Addis Ababa city tours be it full-day Addis Ababa city tours or half-day Addis Ababa city tours to explore the city by planning your trips. Your tour begins, from the moment of our meet and greet services at the airport.

Why Addis Ababa Airport private layover tour with us?
You can get the following advantages by booking your private Addis Ababa layovers or Addis Ababa airport stopover tours with our company.

  • You will take the tour the way you want it, we help you create your customized trip itinerary by suggesting activities which you have not considered or thought about.
  • You can schedule your tour for when it works fine for you. Addis Ababa has world-class hotels and we can book your hotel accommodations with these hotels for a competitive rate. 

We have pamphlets which we can hand you upon arrival for Addis Ababa transit tours if you have not booked your layover tour and/or Addis Ababa airport stopover hotels yet. We are sure that Ethiopia will be really in your list to go back and visit.
Layover time needed: You can discover the best of Addis Ababa in 5 hours, 8 hours, 16 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours.
What to see: Museums, historic churches, wild animals, botanical garden, and important monuments and statues.
Tour schedule & information: We offer several layover tours to choose from with recommendations based on the layover time you have available. Please contact us to get more detailed information on that.
Price: Starting from $73 depending on the layover tour. Our layover tour packages include meeting you at the airport, entrance fee for all sightseeing, price of guide, government tax and all to and from Addis Ababa airport transfers.
Luggage: We allow you to bring your luggage with you while you are on your layover tours with us.

Meeting point at Addis Ababa Airport

Pickup point at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport                 

Addis Ababa Layover Tours Itineraries

Addis Ababa Layover Tour Itinerary

Tour Category
Tour Code
Tour Overview
Time Needed
Itinerary
Tour Category

Addis Ababa Airport Layover Tours 

Tour Code

PETLT 02

Tour Overview

Layover Tours in Addis Ababa

This Addis Ababa layover sightseeing tour covers Mt. Entoto, the Ethnographic Museum of Addis Ababa, and the National Museum of Ethiopia.

What to see at Mt. Entoto

Set at the outside of the city of Addis Ababa, is Mt Entoto which is a very well preserved area and where one can enjoy a breathtaking air there. It is also a good point to see the panoramic view over the city.    

What to see at the Ethnological museum of Addis Ababa

This museum hosts Ethiopia’s wealth of cultural resources which include original objects of the “royal collection” of past emperors and kings, and personal belongings of outstanding Ethiopian politicians, cultural and public figures. The exhibits are separated in two main collections:

  • Ethnographic objects.
  • The richness of diverse material cultures and ways of life.

What to see at the National Museum of Ethiopia

It was constructed in order to house archaeological finds from all over Ethiopia, Ethiopia’s artistic treasures, objects from ancient and medieval periods, collection of arts and crafts, and ethnographic display. 

Time Needed

Eight hours and more. 

Itinerary

Addis Ababa Airport Layover Tour Itinerary:

After meet and greet at the airport, drive to the Ethological Museum of Addis Ababa to see Ethiopia’s wealth of cultural resources. These cultural resources are mainly categorized in two groups. They are;

  • Ethnographic objects.
  • The richness of diverse material cultures and ways of life.

Then drive to Mt. Entoto to admire scenic views and a great view of the city if you are hiking enthusiasts. You will do your last minute shopping as time permits. Finally, be transferred to the airport to catch your international flight. This tour last about 8 hrs long. 

Detailed Itinerary

After pick up from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, you will do your layover city tour according to the below timewise itinerary. 

                                    

  • Rest and recover after a marathon flight. (1 hour) 
  • Drive to Mt. Entoto, Addis Ababa's highest peak and a picturesque mountain. Mt. Entoto is the best place to catch a great view of Addis Ababa. The view point is set at about 2,800 meters above sea level which is roughly 500 meters higher than the city of Addis Ababa itself. From the city center of Addis Ababa itself, it takes about one hour to get there by car depending on traffic.
  • Visit Mt. Entoto which is located at an altitude of between 2,650 & 3,200 meters above see level which makes Addis Ababa the 3rd highest capital in the world. You will have a chance to see dense forest of the eucalyptus tree, the panoramic view over the city and enjoy a breathtaking air while you are here. (20 minutes) 
  • Drive to the Ethnographic Museum of Addis Ababa, a vibrant and exciting place to get acquainted with the culture of Ethiopia linking tradition and the knowledge contained in the society. (15 minutes) 
  • Visit the Ethnological Museum of Addis Ababa which holds more than 1,500 objects and is one of the largest and most important collections of works of art and culture in Africa. Its highlight include important objects from the different ethnic groups of the whole nation and the traditional way of life from the late 17th century to the 21st century. The Ethological Museum of Addis Ababa is one of Addis Ababa's state museums and the de facto national collection of Ethiopia. (1 hour) 
  • Drive to the National Museum of Ethiopia. (10 minutes)  
  • Visit the National Museum whose collections comprise materials dating from prehistoric ages till the present including the oldest archaeological collections to the modern day. In this drive to the National Museum, visit some monuments and statues that have great historical significance. (40 minutes)
  • Drive to the Trinity Cathedral Church. (10 minutes) 
  • Visit the Trinity Cathedral Church, the largest Orthodox Christian church in Ethiopia and the second largest in Africa. (30 minutes) 
  • Drive to the African Union Headquarter. (30 minutes) 
  • Visit the African Union headquarter from outside. (It is not allowed to enter and visit this continental body from inside.) (10 minutes)
  • Lunch time and see what Ethiopian traditional coffee ceremony looks like. (1 hour and 15 minutes)
  • Do your last minute shopping. (1 hour) 
  • Be transferred to the airport to catch your international flight which marks the end of your tour. (20 minutes)

Tour Category
Tour Code
Tour Overview
Time Needed
Itinerary
Tour Category

Addis Ababa Layover Tours

Tour Code

PETLT 03

Tour Overview

Addis Ababa is a great place to visit with rich history and attractions. If you have a long layover it is easy to get around, spend a few hours, come back to the airport and get your connecting flight. 

This layover tour with Tour Code PETLT 02 allows one to explore museums, national forests, and/or wildlife safari both in and near Addis Ababa. 

What to see on your layover tours in Addis Ababa

What you can expect to visit at the National Museum of Ethiopia

The National Museum of Ethiopia is a world-class museum. It is truly a hidden gem. On display collections offer artifacts span thousands of years including some from its earliest days of Ethiopian civilization as it is one of the oldest in the world. At this museum, you can also find out the artifacts such as potteries and jewelries and customs that belong to the people of Ethiopia. It’s really pretty fantastic to explore this museum. 

The most famous and precious exhibit at this museum is a fossilized partial skeletal remains of early female hominids. One of the major attractions at the National Museum of Ethiopia is Lucy. She is 3.2 million year old.

What you can expect to visit at the Ethnological Museum of Addis Ababa

The Ethnological Museum of Addis Ababa is easily one of the finest museums in Africa. You can visit a key representation of traditional life primarily in rural Ethiopia, jewelries, traditional costumes from all over Ethiopia, and many more ethnographic objects.

What you can expect to visit at the Born Free Foundation Ethiopia

The Born Free Foundation Ethiopia is a wildlife organization identifies vulnerable animals forced to live poorly conditions. At this organization, one can see rescued lions, cheetahs, tortoises, and many more wild animals.

What you can expect to see at the Suba Forest National Park (Forest of the Crown)

One can explore leopards, colobus monkeys, baboons, four endemic and more than 180 species of birds and several other types of wild animals while he is at this dry Afromontane forest. The area is also an important water supply for the Awash and Blue Nile Rivers. The best time to visit this national park is between October and May.  

Time Needed

8 hours  

Itinerary

Addis Ababa Layover Tours Itinerary

Pick up for your Addis Ababa layover tour is after your arrival at the airport. Since you will be trapped in your seats in your flight for several hours, we mostly recommend our customers do something besides sit during their layovers.

First Stop: National Museum of Ethiopia

After pick up from the airport, you will drive to the National Museum of Ethiopia which houses several archaeological artifacts dating back to the prehistoric period. In this site, you will visit Lucy, the oldest fossil remains of early human ancestors and the most famous exhibit in this museum. This museum roughly takes 45 minutes to visit.

Second stop: Ethnological Museum of Addis Ababa

The next drive will be to the Ethnological Museum of Addis Ababa where you will have a chance to see several historical paintings, and a different set of historically and culturally important pieces.
If safaris are very high on the list of your priorities, you will drive to the Born Free Foundation Ethiopia (35km) west of Addis Ababa or drive to Menagesha Suba Forest National Park (30km) southwest of Addis Ababa to see wild animals. After you finish your tour you will be transferred to the airport to catch your connecting flight  which marks the end of your layover tour.
If you prefer to meet us in the city, rather than at the airport, we will meet you at the time and place of your choosing; maybe in your hotel lobby or any other location that you prefer.

Addis Ababa Airport Layover Tour Itinerary Prices

Group SizePrice Per Person
1 PersonStarting from $123
2 Persons Starting from $73
3 Persons Starting from $64
4 Persons Starting from $59
5 Persons Starting from $53
6 Persons Starting from $49
7 personsStarting from$45
8 Persons Starting from $42
9 Persons Starting from $39
10 Persons Starting from $36

Airport Layover Tours in Addis Ababa

How to Reserve your Airport Layover Tours

The following information are important for us to book your layover tours.

  • Number of people on your tour.
  • How long would you like to tour for?
  • Date of arrival in Addis Ababa.
  • Arriving airline, flight number and time.
  • Date of departure from Addis Ababa.
  • Departing airline, flight number and time.
  • Any special interests or requirements.

Addis Ababa Airport Transit Visa Fees

Addis Ababa Airport Transit Visa Fees

Obtain Ethiopian eVISA and visit Addis Ababa and Ethiopia

Duration of TransitVisa Fee
12 hours €20
24 hours €32
48 hours€40
72 hours €48

Frequently Asked Questions on Layover Tours

FAQ on Addis Ababa Layover Tours

FAQ
FAQ

How much does each tour cost?

The prices of our airport layover tours varies depending on the tour times. Quotations will be available on request according to your shedule.  

Do I need a visa to take a layover tour?

Yes, you do need visa to enter Addis Ababa. And you can obtain your transit visas upon arrival at Bole International Airport.   

Where can I leave my luggage?

Yes, passengers are able to bring their luggage with them onboard the tour vehicle. If your luggage requirements is huge, please let us know its details and we will be more than happy to advise accordingly.

When should I book the tour?

Guides and vehicles are arranged in the order clients book their tours, and if we receive many requests in advance for a particular day layover tour, it sometimes happens that no guides and vehicles are available to confirm the tour. The best time to book is up to 10 days before the date of the tour. We recommend you book the tour as soon as your travel plan is finalized.