Shopping Tours

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In this tour highlight, we’re counting down our picks for Addis Ababa’s best shopping places. Addis Ababa is one of Africa’s metropolitan cities highlighted by CNN that is known for its amazing shopping opportunities at every level. What makes this city great in every way so appealing from a shopper’s perspective is that it has markets to appeal to all tastes, interests and most importantly budgets. Bole Street and Piazza are perhaps the most famous shopping streets in the entire city and these are where you’ll find all the high-end boutiques, illustrious brands and souvenirs. Those looking for a more-well rounded shopping experience should definitely head to the iconic Piazza, Addis Ababa whose popularity means the streets do tend to get crazy busy but it offers a great mix of boutiques and specialty stores.

Two hours 

Shopping in Addis Ababa presents a selection of different goods to buy. These goods include baskets, jewelries, traditional clothes, magnets, Ethiopian artifacts, books, handicrafts, and more. The city has lots of souvenir shops, something like an antiques shop. It really makes fascinating element your visit where you can buy some of these crafted items you only find out here. Morning Star Mall, Dembel City Center, and Addis Mercato are some of the most beautiful shopping malls in Addis Ababa.

Addis Ababa park tours

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There are plenty of great historical and natural sites within Addis Ababa boarders. But, the three most recent parks, Entoto Natural Park, Unity Park and Sheger Park can claim as an Addis Ababa best. These are everybody’s top three favorite Addis Ababa state parks.

On the best that Addis Ababa has to offer in lots of different categories. We organize museum tours, monument tours, shopping tours, and park tours among others.

Entoto Natural Park

It’s the biggest state park in Addis Ababa. It was designated to be a natural park on Aug 25, 2020 for one key reason --- to conserve and protect the beauty and scenic majesty of Mt. Entoto and provide recreation opportunities on this mountain.

Sheger Park

This park is the new landmark of Addis Ababa. It has many salient features; it reflects the civilization, cultural diversity and unity of this great country, Ethiopia. It is like a narrative of the pride of the Ethiopian nation. It shows the best of Ethiopia to all people across the African continent and across the world at large. It’s a people oriented project. It’s a place for recreation and relaxation. In the second phase of construction, there will be a palace of science and technology, a wedding garden and a children’s park. 

Sheger Park is designed to meet the needs of the people. It’s for everyone---children, adults, marrying couples and all sport lovers. Projects like Sheger Park, Unity Park and Entoto Natural Park they will help make Addis Ababa more livable and lovable. This is the green project---the lush trees, blooming flowers, clear waters and green lawns all bring out the natural beauty of the country creating a unique space of harmonious coexistence between human and nature. 

Sheger Park is comparable with the best parks or squares in other parts of the world.

MORNING: After breakfast, visit Entoto Natural Park which is set on the northern outskirts of the capital and surrounded by century-old trees but only a few minutes by car from Addis Ababa. You will be greeted by stunning views, rugged landscape and access to where you will enjoy the complete independence and flexibility that this natural park can offer. It's a  diverse and rich park. You can take full advantage of this natural park that allows to look over breathtaking panoramas.

AFTERNOON: After lunch drive to Unity Park. If you’re all about history and mystery, step back in time at Unity Park in Addis Ababa and see what life was like in Ethiopia several tens of years back. You will also have a chance to see wild animals and indigenous plants while you are in this stunning park.     

City Museum Tours

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The National Museum of Ethiopia and the Ethnographic Museum of Addis Ababa are among the top museums in Africa and the most popular in Ethiopia.  Paragon Ethiopia Tours can arrange tours offering very different experiences of these important museums. During the high season, up to 3,000 people can visit them each day.

You can consider one of our private tours to avoid crowds inside the museums. They are a bit expensive, but if these museums are important part of your trip or Addis Ababa city tour, they're worth the expense.  

Three hours

Detailed Addis Ababa City Museum Tour Itinerary: After pick up from hotel, drive to the National Museum of Ethiopia to see archaeological, historical, and artistic items. You will visit a pale-ontological exhibit of fossilized evidence of the massive saber-toothed feline Homotherium and the gargantuan savannah pig Notochoerus, Lucy, locally known as Dinknesh whose skeletal remains have been unearthed in Afar Region and the oldest known human remains in the world, is the centerpiece of it at the basement of the museum. In the ground floor, you will see historical exhibits dating from pre-Axumite era artifacts to the royal collections of Haile Selassie I up to 1974.

At the first floor, you will experience Ethiopian art from the 14th century to the contemporary time period, including that of the late Maitre Artist Afewerk Tekle. The second floor will give you a chance to see a collection of traditional weapons, utensils, jewelry, musical instruments, and from ornamental vases through to magnificent gold and silverware of past Ethiopian emperors. There is a secret video dedicated to this museum. This tour is available seven days a week from 09:00 am – 05:00 pm.

Not far from the National Museum of Ethiopia is the Ethnological Museum, displaying the second largest collection of Ethiopian antiquities in Ethiopia. The next drive will take you to this museum which is one of the most important points of interest in Addis Ababa. Guarded by the statue of the Lion of Judah, the Ethological Museum shares a building with the Institute of Ethiopian Studies.This museum is more of cultural museum. In this attraction, you will see the fascinating traditional life cycle of Ethiopian people which is displayed with different artifacts and handicrafts used in childhood, adulthood and death at the first floor. In the second floor, you will visit religious art of different kinds, looms, spinning machines, some examples of jewelry and adornments. There are sections displaying tools and utensils, saddles and bits, and boats and ploughs. This museum also exhibits old currency and postage stamps. This tour is available six days a week, from Monday through Saturday from 09:00 am – 05:00 pm. IMPORTANT: Religious and public holidays might affect this sightseeing spot.

NEW: Emperor Menelik’s palace in Addis Ababa was built 110 years back by Emperor Menelik II who ruled Ethiopia from 1889 till 1913. This palace was fully opened in October 2019 following an investment of 6 million dollar in exquisite new visitor facilities, beautifully restored and refreshed interiors and glorious gardens to explore year round.  

Addis Ababa City Monuments & Statues Tour 

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The Black Lion Monument, the Equestrian Statue of Emperor Minilik II, Yekatit 12 Monument, and Tiglachin Monument are the most recognizable icons of Ethiopia and the rest of African nations representing the victory of Ethiopians over the colonial powers who came to Ethiopia to invade it during the scramble for Africa. 

These statues are located in Addis Ababa and were dedicated at different times to commemorate those patriots who lost their lives when fighting with the invaders.  

Six hours

Detailed Itinerary: One can visit the Lion of Judah Statue, the Black Lion Monument, the Equestrian Statue of Emperor Minilik II, Yekatit 12 Monument, Tiglachin Monument, and Tewodros Square in these city tours of Addis Ababa. Most of these major tourist attractions in Addis Ababa are located at the heart of the city. These tours will give you a chance to see the city’s most popular monuments and statues in a special way.
After pick up from hotel, drive to Menelik II Square to see the equestrian statue which was established to commemorate Emperor Menelik II who defeated the Italian force at the Battle of Adowa in 1896. Menelik II was the first African leader to defeat a colonial power. This sightseeing spot is available seven days a week. Then drive to the Lion of Judah Statue to see a symbol of Ethiopia’s monarchy and a real black beauty with the stylized fur of the lion made out of black cubes. It was looted in 1935 by the Italians and set up in Rome but was returned in the 1960s. Finally, you will drive to Yekatit 12 Monument which is located near the main campus of Addis Ababa University. Yekatit 12 Monument is a marble obelisk dedicated to the Ethiopians who were massacred by Italian forces after 1937 assassination attempt on Viceroy Graziani shows the horror in bronze. This attraction is available seven days a week.

Addis Ababa City Nature Tour 

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At Addis Ababa Botanical Garden, we have the public come and enjoy themselves and learn about plants. It is incredible to understand what our natural world gives us. You can walk through the native wildflowers and see huge trees and many other flora species. This botanical garden is the perfect place for recreation and documenting, preserving celebrating the beauty of plants and nature.  

8 hours and more.

Detailed Itinerary: Addis Ababa Park, Gulele Botanical Garden, and Mount Entoto are some of the best places of interest one can see in his nature tour of Addis Ababa.
After breakfast, drive to Mount Entoto where Addis Ababa city was started. This place is located at an altitude of between 2,650 and 3,200 meters above sea level. It is covered with dense eucalyptus trees, and you will be filled with the smell of this tree while you are there. After you finish this sightseeing, drive to Gulele Botanical Garden. This botanical garden can be easily visited from the downtown of Addis Ababa city. One can see various species of plants whose survival is threatened here. The vegetation here is broadly categorized into dry evergreen Montane plants. It is one of the few best places in Addis Ababa for relaxation and restful enjoyment. All the attractions mentioned under this tour are available seven days a week.

Addis Ababa City Wildlife Tour

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The Lion Park in Addis Ababa has hosted genetically unique lions which one can not find them elsewhere in the world. One can have a unique experience in this city tour.

Three hours and more. 

Detailed Itinerary: After breakfast, drive from your hotel to the Lion Park which is located near Yekatit 12 Martyrs Square (Sidist Kilo) in Addis Ababa to see lions and lioness in their cage. In this attraction, you will have a chance to see Ethiopian Black lions, apes, tortoises, and other fauna species.

The best way to visit Addis Ababa is using our sightseeing tour buses which pass by main tourist attractions. Paragon Ethiopia Tours also provides VIP Addis Ababa private tours, all around tours, downtown tours, uptown tours, night tours, and guided walking tours of Addis Ababa city. Our night tours include dinner. Please visit our website to get more travel tips on Addis Ababa.