Asmara City Tour: Tank Graveyard, Metal Market & Orthodox Church

Four stops that show Asmara's 30-year independence war and its living craft tradition

An Asmara city tour with a live guide covering the Tank Graveyard, Medeber metal market and the Orthodox church, lasting between four and eight hours depending on your pace. The tour includes bottled water, snacks, Eritrean coffee, an air-conditioned vehicle and bicycle use. Pickup is available. English, Italian, French and German guides are on offer, and children from age one are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Asmara's historic sites

• Visit the Tank Graveyard museum
• Explore Medeber Metal Market
• See the biggest Orthodox church

The experience

The Tank Graveyard opens the tour as a museum of war machinery: a stockpile that documents thirty years of Eritrean struggle for independence. It is a living testimony to how costly and large-scale the conflict was, and the scale of what sits there makes the history concrete in a way few monuments manage.

Medeber, the metal market, is a working artisans' workshop where blacksmiths, carpenters and metalworkers operate in the old-time way. Everything here is recycled and upcycled. Nothing is new. The craftsmanship and ingenuity on display (turning scrap into tools and goods) is what draws visitors to linger and watch the work happen.

The tour also takes in Eritrea's largest Orthodox church. Between stops, you'll drink some of the best coffee in the world and move through the city in an air-conditioned vehicle. A bicycle is available for use during the tour if you want to cover ground on your own. The whole outing runs between four and eight hours, so you can choose how deep you want to go.

What’s included

• Bottled water and snacks throughout the tour.
• Eritrean coffee at a stop.
• all entry fees and taxes.
• air-conditioned vehicle transport.
• use of a bicycle during the tour.
• pickup included.

Options for this experience

2 options

Asmara City TourGuide in 4 languages · 07:30Pickup is included.

Special interestGuide in 4 languages · 07:30Accommodation can be arranged for cycling or hiking, and the tour can be extended to multiple days. Meals can be included, and we can arrange unique food and culinary tasting activities. We can also take you out of Asmara. Travel is by 4x4 drive or minibus, with an air-conditioned vehicle. We can arrange entrance to various sites, including events and festivals. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (25 to 50 years) · Senior (51 to 80 years) · Youth (13 to 24 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (1 to 2 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 9 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Eritrea Visit

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to understand Asmara's recent history and see how local craftspeople work today: the Tank Graveyard and Medeber workshops are not sites you'd find on a standard sightseeing loop, and they require a guide who can explain what you're looking at. The four-to-eight-hour window lets you decide whether you want a quick overview or time to sit and watch the metalworkers.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French, German and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 24 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (1 to 2 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Tank Graveyard in Asmara?

The Tank Graveyard is an open-air museum of war machinery and tanks that documents Eritrea's thirty-year independence struggle. It stands as a physical record of the scale and cost of the conflict.

What can I see at Medeber, the metal market?

Medeber is a working artisans' workshop where blacksmiths, carpenters and metalworkers operate. Everything made there is recycled or upcycled from scrap materials, and you can watch the craftspeople at work.

How long does the Asmara city tour take?

The tour runs between four and eight hours, depending on how long you spend at each stop and your own pace through the city.