Addis Ababa Tour: Museum, Merkato & Mount Entoto
Lucy's fossil, a cathedral, Africa's largest market, and a hilltop view of the capital in one day
A full-day guided tour of Addis Ababa includes the National Museum of Ethiopia, Ethnographic Museum, Merkato open-air market, St. George Cathedral (or B'atta Le Mariam Church), and Mount Entoto viewpoint, with hotel pickup and drop-off plus an English-speaking guide. Lunch at a historic restaurant is included. Mount Entoto entrance and food are optional purchases. The tour runs 6 to 7 hours and operates with a shared minivan.
Options for this experience
2 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Full day city tour of Addis Ababa
- Start at National Museum of Ethiopia
- Pass by Yekatit 12 Martyrs Square Monument
- Pass by Chiromeda market (optional stop)
- Pass by Myazia 27 Square Monument
- Drive uphill to Mount Entoto viewpoint
- Visit Ethnographic Museum at Addis Ababa University
- Visit St. George Cathedral or Bata Mariam Church
- Visit Merkato open-air market
- Visit Tiglachin Memorial
- National Museum of Ethiopia Entry included 1h
- Mount Entoto 1h
What’s included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off.
- round-trip shared transport in an air-conditioned minivan.
- English-speaking guide.
- entry to the National Museum of Ethiopia, Ethnographic Museum, and St. George Cathedral or B'atta Le Mariam Church.
- lunch at Addis Ababa Restaurant with a choice of menu or vegan buffet on Wednesdays and Fridays.
- visits to Merkato, Yekatit 12 Martyrs Square, Myazia 27 Square Monument, and Tiglachin Memorial.
- Mount Entoto viewpoint access (park entrance is optional at 20 USD per person).
Times
- Every day 09:00 09:30 10:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00
Before you book
Operated by Addis Ethiopia Tours
Prices and times updated today
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The experience
The day starts at the National Museum of Ethiopia, where the centerpiece is Lucy: the 3.5 million-year-old fossil of a hominoid woman whose 1974 discovery rewrote what we thought we knew about human ancestry. The museum holds pre-Axumite artifacts and a breadth of exhibits that make it one of the best in the region. From there, the route passes Yekatit 12 Martyrs Square and a stop at Chiromeda market, where local artisans sell hand-made traditional clothing and textiles (this stop is optional). The guide then drives uphill toward Mount Entoto, Emperor Menelik II's former camp, where eucalyptus trees cover the slopes and the air shifts as altitude drops. The panoramic view of Addis Ababa and the surrounding countryside opens up from the top, though entering the park itself costs an extra 20 USD per person.
After Mount Entoto, the tour moves to the Ethnographic Museum, housed inside the Addis Ababa University compound. Unlike the National Museum, this one focuses on the daily objects and artifacts of Ethiopia's many ethnic groups, offering a different lens on the country's cultural layers. Lunch follows at Addis Ababa Restaurant, the first restaurant established in the city over 120 years ago. On Wednesdays and Fridays, a vegan buffet is available. Otherwise, the menu spans traditional dishes. Tej, the local honey wine, is worth trying if you want it.
The afternoon continues to St. George Cathedral, one of the oldest in Addis Ababa, though due to ongoing renovations, the tour visits B'atta Le Mariam Church instead, a striking Ethiopian Orthodox site with circular architecture, intricate murals, and stained-glass windows depicting biblical scenes. The route then takes you to Merkato, Africa's largest open-air market, where almost every commodity imaginable is for sale. A final stop at Tiglachin Memorial, a monument to Ethiopian and Cuban soldiers from the Ogaden War, closes the day before the driver returns you to your hotel.
Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see the major landmarks and museums of Addis Ababa without planning the route or managing multiple ticket lines: the guide, transport, and most entry fees are arranged, so the day holds together without you building it.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (1 to 2 years): free.
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 Lucy and why is she in the National Museum?
Lucy is a 3.5 million-year-old fossil of an Australopithecus Afarensis woman discovered in Ethiopia in 1974. Her skeleton forced scientists to rethink human genealogy. It proved our ancestors were walking upright 2.5 million years earlier than anyone had believed. The National Museum displays her remains as one of its most significant exhibits.
Is lunch included in the full-day tour?
Yes, lunch is included at Addis Ababa Restaurant, a historic venue that opened over 120 years ago. On Wednesdays and Fridays, a vegan buffet is served. Other days, you choose from an extensive menu. If you book an afternoon departure, you must have lunch before the tour starts, as no lunch stop is included in that option.
What is Merkato and how much time do we spend there?
Merkato is Africa's largest open-air market, located in Addis Ababa. It sells almost every commodity imaginable, from textiles and spices to household goods and crafts. The itinerary includes a visit to the market as part of the full-day route, though the exact time spent there is determined by the guide and the group's pace.
Do we have to pay extra to go up Mount Entoto?
Mount Entoto is included in the tour route. You drive uphill to see the panoramic view of Addis Ababa and the surrounding countryside from the top. However, entering the Entoto park itself costs an additional 20 USD per person, which you can choose to pay or skip.
What happens if St. George Cathedral is closed?
St. George Cathedral is currently closed for renovations. Instead, the tour visits B'atta Le Mariam Church, also known as the Church of St. Mary of Zion. It is an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo church known for its striking circular architecture, intricate murals, and stained-glass windows depicting biblical scenes.
Is the guide included and what language do they speak?
Yes, a Blue Badge guide is included and speaks English. The guide may be multilingual, and all entrance fees except Mount Entoto park are covered by the tour price.
Addis Ababa Tour: Museum, Merkato & Mount Entoto
6h–7h · EN
from US$ 69 per person
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