Ethiopia
Travel Destination – Ethiopia
Ethiopia offers travellers a journey through ancient civilisations, striking landscapes, and diverse traditions. Highlights include the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, the castles of Gondar, the ancient city of Aksum, and the vibrant capital Addis Ababa. Natural attractions range from the Simien Mountains and Rift Valley lakes to the otherworldly Danakil Depression. Travel in Ethiopia can be deeply rewarding, but variations in infrastructure, access to healthcare, altitude, and security require careful planning for a safe visit.
Health Risks
Pre-travel preparation
Before travelling to Ethiopia, booking an appointment with a travel doctor is strongly recommended. A travel health consultation allows your doctor to review your vaccination history, recommend destination-specific immunisations, and prescribe any medications you may need.
Your travel doctor can provide personalised advice based on your itinerary, whether you are visiting historic towns, trekking in highland regions, or travelling to rural communities. Ideally, schedule your appointment six to eight weeks before departure to allow time for multi-dose vaccines. If travel is imminent, a last-minute consultation is still valuable for essential health advice and accelerated vaccination schedules.
Insect avoidance
In Ethiopia, mosquitoes are common and can transmit diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya and zika virus. Sand flies can carry leishmaniasis and ticks can carry African tick bite fever. Preventing insect bites is one of the most important health measures for travellers.
Wear long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, and closed footwear, particularly from dusk to dawn. Apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus to exposed skin. Stay in accommodation with screened windows and air-conditioning where possible, and use a permethrin-treated mosquito net if these are unavailable. To provide additional protection while outside, treat clothing with permethrin.
Food and water hygiene
Ethiopian cuisine is well known for dishes such as injera, stews, and legumes, often eaten communally. Good food and water hygiene is essential to reduce the risk of gastroenteritis and other gastrointestinal infections.
Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser before eating. Choose food that is freshly prepared, well cooked, and served hot. Avoid raw or undercooked foods and reheated meals. Fruits and vegetables are safer when they can be peeled before eating. Drink only bottled, boiled, or filtered water, and avoid untreated tap water and ice.
Rabies prevention
Although Australia is free of rabies, rabies is present in Ethiopia and is commonly carried by dogs, as well as other mammals. Travellers should avoid contact with animals, including stray dogs, cats, and wildlife. A travel doctor can advise whether pre-exposure rabies vaccination is recommended, particularly for travellers spending time in rural areas, working with animals, or travelling far from medical facilities. Any bite, scratch, or saliva exposure requires immediate medical assessment. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms develop, so early preventive therapy after an exposure is essential.
Our Travel Doctors
Our fully qualified doctors have an interest in travel medicine and immunisations. And they know travel. Their expert advice will be tailored for you, your travel companions and your trip.
Which shots do I need for Ethiopia?
Yellow Fever
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Yellow fever is a mosquito-borne viral disease that can cause fever, headache, muscle pain, and, in severe cases, liver and kidney failure with a fatality rate of up to 30–60%.
Yellow fever transmission occurs in parts of Ethiopia, and vaccination is recommended for most travellers aged nine months and older. Proof of yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry, particularly when arriving from or transiting through other countries where yellow fever is present. Entry requirements can change, so discuss your itinerary with a travel doctor.
Hepatitis A
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Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver spread through contaminated food and water. Symptoms range from mild illness to severe disease with jaundice and prolonged fatigue.
Hepatitis A is common in Ethiopia, and many Australians are not routinely immunised. Travellers who have not completed a two-dose Hepatitis A vaccination course are generally advised to be vaccinated before travel.
Typhoid
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Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella Typhi bacteria and is spread through contaminated food or water. It can cause infected individuals to have prolonged fever, fatigue, headache, abdominal pain, and gastrointestinal upset.
The risk of typhoid is higher than in Australia. Vaccination is usually recommended for travellers to Ethiopia, particularly those planning longer stays, rural travel, or frequent consumption of local or street food. The vaccine provides up to three years of protection, but food and water hygiene remain essential.
Hepatitis B
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The hepatitis B virus infects the liver and can cause long term damage. It is spread through contact with infected blood or bodily fluids. Transmission can occur through unprotected sex, unsterile medical or dental procedures, tattooing or piercing, or sharing personal items such as razors.
While many younger Australians are vaccinated, some adults remain unprotected. Hepatitis B vaccination may be recommended for travellers to Ethiopia who are not immune. A travel doctor can review your vaccination history and provide personalised advice.
Mpox
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Mpox is a virus that was formerly called monkeypox. It can be spread through close contact with infected people or animals. Methods of transmission include body fluids, sores, or contaminated materials. The illness is characterised by a rash. Other symptoms can include fever and swollen lymph nodes. Vaccination or preventive measures may be advised for travellers at higher risk. A travel doctor can provide personalised advice based on your plans.
Polio
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Polio is a highly contagious viral infection that can cause mild illness or lead to muscle weakness, paralysis and permanent disability. It is spread through contaminated food or water. Vaccination provides effective protection and is part of routine childhood immunisation in Australia. A booster is available for adults who have already completed the course as children. Children who have not completed the full course may be considered for accelerated vaccination schedules.
Cholera
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Cholera is a bacteria that can cause sudden, severe diarrhoea and dehydration. It is spread through contaminated food, and outbreaks can occur in some parts of Ethiopia, particularly where sanitation is limited. Discuss with your travel doctor whether vaccination could be considered depending on your itinerary, activities and health risks. Avoiding unsafe food and water and washing your hands can help prevent cholera.
Routine vaccinations
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Australia's widespread immunisation program contributes to low transmission of many common infections such as measles, mumps, rubella, and tetanus. However, these infections circulate more widely in Ethiopia. Before travelling, ensure your routine vaccinations are up to date. A travel health consultation can identify whether boosters are required for vaccines such as measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), tetanus, influenza, COVID-19, and pertussis.
Vaccination for Meningococcal disease is also recommended for travellers 2 months old or older traveling to parts of Ethiopia in the dry season which is around December to June.
Ethiopia
Other health risks in Ethiopia
Malaria
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Malaria occurs in many parts of Ethiopia and is transmitted by mosquitos, mostly at night. It is a parasitic infection of the liver and red blood cells which causes fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue. Severe malaria can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.
Prevention includes strict mosquito avoidance and taking antimalarial medication when recommended. A travel doctor can advise whether malaria tablets are appropriate for your itinerary and which option is most suitable.
Gastroenteritis
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Gastroenteritis or travellers’ diarrhoea is common in Ethiopia and is usually caused by bacteria in contaminated food or water. Symptoms include diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps, typically developing within 24–72 hours.
Maintaining hydration is the most important treatment, ideally with oral rehydration solutions. Most cases resolve within a few days. Medical attention is recommended if symptoms are severe, prolonged, or associated with dehydration.
Rabies
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Although Australia is free of rabies, the virus is present in Ethiopia and is commonly carried by dogs and other mammals. Travellers should avoid contact with animals, including stray dogs, cats and wildlife. A travel doctor can advise whether pre-exposure rabies vaccination is recommended, particularly for travellers spending time in rural areas, working with animals, or travelling far from medical facilities. Any bite, scratch, or saliva exposure requires immediate medical assessment. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms develop, so early preventive therapy after an exposure is essential.
Dengue
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Dengue fever is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitos that typically bite during the day. Symptoms include cause fever, headache, and severe joint and muscle pain. Prevention relies on avoiding mosquito bites. From the first time they are infected, most people recover in one or two weeks. If people have severe forms of dengue, often in the context of repeat infection, complications can include bleeding and dangerously low blood pressure.
Schistosomiasis
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Schistosomiasis is present in Ethiopia, particularly in rural areas near rivers, where the parasite is transmitted through contact with contaminated water. Travellers are at risk when swimming, wading, bathing, or washing in untreated freshwater. To reduce risk, avoid freshwater exposure whenever possible; choose well-maintained swimming pools or the open ocean instead, use safe water for bathing (filtered, heated or treated).
Non-infectious conditions
Crime and unrest
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Petty crime such as pickpocketing and theft can occur, particularly in busy urban areas. Periods of civil unrest or regional conflict may occur and can change rapidly.
Refer to Smartraveller for the most up-to-date travel advice and safety information before and during your trip.
Altitude sickness
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Altitude sickness can occur in Ethiopia, particularly for travellers visiting the Ethiopian Highlands and popular trekking destinations such as the Simien Mountains National Park, the Bale Mountains, and areas around Ras Dashen, Ethiopia’s highest peak at approximately 4,550 metres. Ascent to elevations above 2,400 metres significantly increases the risk of acute mountain sickness (AMS), especially when travellers ascend too quickly without proper acclimatisation. Studies show that AMS affects around 25% of people who rapidly gain altitude. Common symptoms include headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. In many cases, symptoms improve within 12 to 48 hours if travellers stop ascending and allow time for acclimatisation.
In more serious cases, altitude sickness can progress to high altitude cerebral oedema (HACE) or high altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE). HACE affects the brain and may cause confusion, poor coordination, disorientation, and changes in behaviour. HAPE affects the lungs and can lead to shortness of breath at rest, a persistent cough, chest tightness, and severe breathing difficulty. These life-threatening conditions are more likely at elevations above 4,300 metres, which are reached in parts of the Simien and Bale Mountains. Both HACE and HAPE require immediate descent and urgent medical treatment, as they can be rapidly fatal if not managed promptly.
To reduce the risk of altitude sickness in Ethiopia, travellers should plan a slow, gradual ascent and avoid rapid elevation gains. Rest days for acclimatisation are essential when trekking or travelling at high altitude. A travel doctor may prescribe preventive medications when appropriate. Anyone trekking in Ethiopia’s high-altitude regions, particularly those unfamiliar with AMS, HACE, and HAPE, should travel with a qualified and experienced local mountain guide. The CDC recommends learning the early warning signs of altitude illness, avoiding sleeping at higher elevations when symptoms are present, and descending if symptoms worsen or do not improve while resting at the same altitude.
Deep vein thrombosis
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Long-haul flights to Ethiopia and extended road travel increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis. DVT occurs when slowed blood flow allows clots to form in deep veins, usually in the legs.
To reduce risk, stand and move regularly during long journeys, stretch your legs, and stay well hydrated. Travellers with additional risk factors may benefit from wearing below-knee compression stockings.
Safety on the roads and elsewhere
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Road conditions in Ethiopia vary and traffic accidents are a significant cause of injury. Choose reputable transport providers, wear seatbelts when available, and avoid night driving where possible. Motorbike travel should only be undertaken by experienced riders wearing helmets.
When trekking in highland areas or visiting remote regions, wear appropriate footwear, use sunscreen and insect repellent, and stay within your physical limits. Comprehensive travel insurance covering medical care and evacuation is strongly recommended.