I’m no authority in what places are the must-dos. But I can tell you which are the ones I went to. I’ll sprinkle in some basic information along the way and tell you about my experience. Your trip will be different but I thought I’d share mine.

I was fortunate enough to go to Addis Ababa for work. It is the capital of Ethiopia and its largest city. I have a long list of countries to cross in my African checklist and Ethiopia was the second.

What surprised me the most about the capital was how elevated it is (and therefore how cold it can get.) The lowest point is 2,300 meters above sea level at the Bole International Airport, while the highest is at 3,000 meters above sea level at the Entoto Mountains.

If you want to look at the photos I took in Addis Ababa, you can visit this link.

In the meantime, here are 5 places I visited in Addis Ababa:

Unity Park

Unity Park can be overwhelming for the tourist seeking a specific kind of adventure. There is a garden, a zoo (or two), an aquarium, pavilions representing the different regions of Ethiopia, a palace dating back to one of the country’s great emperors (Menelik II), an exhibit for the victims of the Derg regime, and a cafe. Some will find this confusing, while others will appreciate the availability of choices.

I went here twice (once on my own and the other time with colleagues). I thought the 20 USD price was steep. But given the multitude of options, that is money well spent. I would say the VIP price isn’t worth it (although that I did with my colleagues). Much of the information you get by paying the premium can be read either onsite or online. And the additional access to the insides of one building doesn’t add much to the experience.

Highlights are largely subjective. I found the torture exhibit the most fascinating. I’m into history that’s not familiar to me, especially the injustices the world often overlooks. The palace with the banquet was also a nice visual treat for my very basic architectural taste.

The others were not my cup of tea. The pavilions seemed too vanilla and sanitised. And I have great sympathy for animals in captivity, especially if constrained in a cramped space.

Yod Abyssinia

As a colleague of mine said, “When in Ethiopia, do as Ethiopians would.” That’s a common sentiment for visitors like me – the need for a genuine local experience.

And while Yod Abyssinia is far from pristine, it’s a quick dip into the country’s culture. Yod Abyssinia is clearly designed for foreigners. The crowd is filled with expats and foreign tourists. But that also makes it convenient.

The performances are curated to give you a glimpse of their traditional dances. If you’re lucky enough, you might get invited to dance on stage or they end up coming to you. The food and drinks are local (or as some would call it, “authentic.”) I would caveat I’m not the biggest fan of this cuisine.

But time and money are well spent considering the level of professionalism that the people on stage and the service crew demonstrate.

Entoto Park / Mountains

Who does not like a quick panoramic view of a city? If you’re into taking these kinds of photos, this place is your best bet. I preferred the shot above of what can easily be construed as Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. But is actually in Ethiopia.

If you explore enough, you’ll realise it’s a good way to do some cardio. The walk can literally take your breath away. What did you expect from the highest point in a city that is a minimum of 2,300m above sea level? And what I didn’t know beforehand was the fact that this place is a training ground for many runners who want to improve their adaptability to cold climates and high places.

Red Terror Martyrs Museum

You won’t get a marked pathway to get the best chronological experience. Neither do you have a thorough explanation of the historic artefacts in front of your eyes. But going to a city without seeing pivotal pieces of what shaped its present day seemed like a big miss for me.

The museum’s name pretty much sums up what you’ll witness. The contents explores the terror experienced by Ethiopians during the Derg Regime. You can see some of the devices used for torture, photographs of victims (and even skulls if you prefer that), and just many things left for you to digest on your own.

The place runs on donations. And I’d urge you to go and give some if you can. And if there aren’t enough people, you’d be lucky to get a private tour from the person guarding the establishment. He’d be willing to answer any questions you might have. The entire place will take you an hour to finish so I’d recommend it.

Friendship Park

I’ve seen light and fountain shows in fancy big cities. But I’d take my experience in Friendship Park any day.

Part of it is the different music that’s not “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. And the other is the amount of joy and gratitude people seeing it here have vs other places where such a spectacle is taken for granted. If you want to see it, make sure you’re in by 7pm and that the show is running on that day. Apparently, it’s not daily.

If you just want to take a stroll, that’s also fine. There is a rostrum, a flower garden, a lake, and a lot of nature.

In case you’re wondering whose friendship the park is running on, it’s the Ethiopian government with the Chinese. You can have an opinion on the politics. But clearly the place is magic for a lot of locals.

All photos were taken on October/November 2022.