Addis Ababa City Tour with Ethiopian Cooking Class

Museum, market shopping, cooking three dishes, and coffee ceremony in one day

A full-day class in Addis Ababa combining city exploration with hands-on Ethiopian cooking and the traditional coffee ceremony. You visit the Ethnological Museum and Africa's largest open-air market to source ingredients, then prepare injera, shiro, and mesir wot at a staff member's home before participating in the coffee ritual. English-speaking guide and driver included, with lunch and coffee provided.

The experience

The day starts at your hotel or airport with pickup, then moves to the Ethnological Museum, housed in the former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie on the campus of Addis Ababa University. The museum holds anthropological and cultural objects that frame Ethiopian daily life and traditions. From there, you drive to Merkato, the largest open-air marketplace in Africa, established by the Italians around 1937 and now employing an estimated 13,000 people across 7,100 business entities. You shop for the ingredients you'll need to cook: a practical step that connects the market's scale and energy to the food you'll prepare.

At a local staff member's home, you make three Ethiopian dishes from scratch. Injera is the spongy flatbread that serves as both plate and utensil. You'll eat it with your fingers in the traditional way. Shiro is a chickpea powder-based dish with its own depth of flavor. Mesir wot combines split red lentils simmered in spicy berbere sauce, building layers of heat and color. After cooking, you sit down to eat what you've made. The day closes with the Ethiopian coffee ceremony, a ritualized preparation and serving that is central to Ethiopian hospitality and social life.

Your guide speaks English throughout, and the driver handles all transport. Lunch, bottled water, and Ethiopian coffee are included. You bring your own appetite and willingness to work in a kitchen that is not your own.

What’s included

• English-speaking professional guide and car with professional driver.
• entrance fee to the Ethnological Museum and ingredients purchased at Merkato.
• lunch with bottled water and Ethiopian coffee.
• hotel or airport pickup and return transfer.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:00, 08:00, 09:00 and 10:00

Book up to6h before

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Under 11: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 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. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Aman Ethiopia Tours And Travel Agent

Is this one for you?You do the cooking yourself at a local home rather than watching a demonstration, so this suits anyone who wants to learn by doing and take the skill home. The day is full (museum, market, cooking, eating, and ceremony), so it works best for travelers with a full day to spend and interest in both the city and the food itself.

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Top questions

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 Ethnological Museum and why is it significant?

The Ethnological Museum is the first university museum in Ethiopia, located on the campus of Addis Ababa University in the former palace of Emperor Haile Selassie. It houses anthropological, musicological and cultural objects that document Ethiopian heritage and daily life.

How large is Merkato and what will I do there?

Merkato is the largest open-air marketplace in Africa, covering several square miles with around 13,000 people working across 7,100 business entities. You shop for the specific ingredients needed to cook the three Ethiopian dishes later in the day.

Which three dishes do I learn to make?

You prepare injera (the spongy flatbread eaten with your fingers), shiro (a chickpea powder-based dish), and mesir wot (split red lentils simmered in spicy berbere sauce). You cook them at a local home and then eat what you've made.

What happens during the Ethiopian coffee ceremony?

The coffee ceremony is a ritualized preparation and serving of coffee that is central to Ethiopian culture and hospitality. You participate in it as part of the day's experience at the local home.

What is included in the price and what do I need to arrange separately?

Included are the English-speaking guide, professional driver, hotel or airport pickup, entrance to the museum, ingredients purchased at the market, lunch, bottled water, and Ethiopian coffee. Dinner, alcoholic drinks, and personal expenses are not included.