Best time to visit Ethiopia

Ethiopia’s weather patterns are almost entirely opposite to the majority of the main safari countries, with the best time to visit being from roughly the end of September to April. As well as beautiful weather and balmy temperatures, there are several festivals at this time of year adding another drawcard to the season. November and December are wonderful times to visit the Omo Valley and the Danakil Depression too – it’s cool and there’s hardly any chance of rainfall. In the highest areas of the country (Bale and Simien mountains for example), the temperatures are significantly lower and a jumper and scarf will come in handy at all times of year! For the central and northern parts of the country, the rainy season is from roughly June to September. The rain comes in short, sharp bursts and can make travelling tricky with flooding a real issue. Travel at this time of year is probably best avoided.