Addis Ababa Travel Risk — Elevated Risk (55/100)
Is Addis Ababa safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Addis Ababa scores 55/100 on our travel risk index (Elevated). The US State Department rates Ethiopia Level 3 (Reconsider Travel, updated 27 Aug 2026); the UK FCDO advises against all travel to parts of the country (updated 7 Oct 2026); Canada says: avoid non-essential travel (with regional advisories). No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Official US advisory · Level 3
Reconsider Travel
This decision takes precedence over the analytical composite shown on this page.
Natural disasters (score 25)
Government advisory (score 55)
September 27, 2026
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 55 out of 100 (elevated risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is government advisory at 55/100; the lowest-rated category is natural disasters at 25/100; last updated September 27, 2026. For official nationwide security advisories, entry requirements, and health notices, see the Ethiopia travel risk page. Real-time conditions below include live weather, official advisory levels, GDACS disaster alerts, and current news.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is Addis Ababa to visit in 2026?
Addis Ababa is currently under a US State Department Level 3 Reconsider Travel advisory. That official decision takes precedence. The 55/100 elevated composite remains visible only as analytical context and must not be read as permission to disregard the advisory. The highest-rated risk category for Addis Ababa is government advisory (55/100), and the lowest is natural disasters (25/100). This page was last updated on September 27, 2026; the baseline category scores reflect analytical indicators, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
Driven by: security (79/100) and natural hazards (39/100).
A score of 55 is higher than the scores of 77% of the 241 countries we cover.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 16, 2026
Addis Ababa currently maintains an elevated risk level with a baseline composite score of 55 out of 100 and a U.S. State Department advisory level of 3. Recent safety headlines include security alerts issued by the U.S. Embassy in October 2026 alongside ongoing regional concerns such as an active drought.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 16, 2026 03:37 UTC
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Government advisory (score 55/100): Read your country's current official advisory within 7 days of travel. Register with your embassy on arrival if available.
- Political instability (score 50/100): Avoid demonstrations and political gatherings. Monitor news the morning of travel. Have a flexible departure plan.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Day vs Night Safety in Addis Ababa
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Daytime conditions are generally secure along major corridors and commercial districts. Keep bags zipped and avoid displaying high-value items openly.
Risk levels elevate noticeably after dark outside main central zones. Avoid walking alone through unlit parks, alleys, or quiet transit stations; favor pre-booked door-to-door transport.
Safety by Traveler Type in Addis Ababa
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
LGBTQ+ travelers
Local laws and social attitudes toward LGBTQ+ travelers vary widely by country and are not captured in our category scores. The official advisory/political indicators are elevated. Read your government LGBTQ+ travel guidance carefully and weigh trip purpose against current conditions.
No group-specific warning is triggered in Addis Ababa for solo travelers (Crime 35/100 · Transport 45/100), women traveling solo (Crime 35/100), families with children (Health 45/100 · Natural disaster 25/100), older travelers (Health 45/100 · Transport 45/100) and business travelers (Digital 40/100 · Money 45/100 · Transport 45/100): these scores sit in the low-to-moderate range, so standard precautions apply. Local laws affecting LGBTQ+ travelers and gender-specific incident rates are not captured in our scores; check your government's travel guidance.
Score layers
Safety categories
Source: Grounded open data research & citations
Quick facts
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | medium |
| Public transport | medium |
| Tourist scam risk | medium |
| Night safety | medium |
| Last updated | September 27, 2026 |
Live conditions in Addis Ababa
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Today's weather
☁ Overcast
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| Today's high / low | 21.9°C / 11.1°C | Wind now / max | 3.2 km/h / 17.1 km/h |
|---|---|---|---|
| Humidity | 93% | Precipitation today | 0.7 mm · 41% chance |
| UV (max today) | 7.7 | Sunrise / Sunset | 06:12 / 18:08 |
Source: Open-Meteo (free public weather API) · fetched 2026-10-16 03:19:21 UTC · cached
Air quality
Air Quality
Moderate
| PM2.5 / PM10 | 28.1 / 36.8 µg/m³ | O₃ / NO₂ | 13 / 14.8 µg/m³ |
|---|
Source: Open-Meteo Air Quality · fetched 2026-10-16 03:19:21 UTC · cached
Official travel advisory
Level 3 · Reconsider Travel
Ethiopia - Level 3: Reconsider Travel
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Disaster alerts
Active Disaster Alerts
-
Drought is on going in Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan, Chad ORANGE · country-wide · 2026-07-03
The Drought notification level is Orange.
“~N km away” = event centroid within ~500 km of this location; “country-wide” = a national/regional alert that may not be near this specific city. Source: GDACS · fetched 2026-10-16 03:37:34 UTC
Natural hazard calendar & history
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Droughts | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Earthquakes (M5.5+) | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Most flood events within 100 km of Addis Ababa happened in August (1 of 1 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
Significant Earthquakes (USGS M5.5+ within 150 km)
1 major seismic event recorded within 150 km over the past 5 years.
- Largest: M5.9 on 14 Feb 2025 (128 km away) — USGS details
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Ethiopia travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Ethiopia entry requirements.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-10-02
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Vietnam, Maldives, Bolivia, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Mar
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-09-23
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-15 19:24:31 UTC
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit Addis Ababa
The most weather-stable two-month window for Addis Ababa is February–March, when typical daily temperatures run from about 10°C to 23°C and monthly rain averages 58 mm.
Seasonal planning flags include heavy rain season in June–September; monsoon in June–September. These are climate patterns, not forecasts.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Aug 16, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Practical safety map
Safety infrastructure nearby in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa has 10 hospitals, 10 police stations, 5 embassies, 10 pharmacies and 5 fire stations within 7 km of the city center in the latest OpenStreetMap extract.
The interactive map loads when it approaches the viewport.
Facility list (works without JavaScript)
- Hospital: Unnamed hospital
- Hospital: Unnamed hospital
- Hospital: Unnamed hospital
- Hospital: Unnamed hospital
- Hospital: Addis General Hospital
- Hospital: Ethiopian Cardiac Center
- Hospital: Ginbot 20 Health Center
- Hospital: Teklehaimanot General Hospital
- Hospital: yehuleshet referral hospital
- Hospital: Yordanos Hospital (Orthopaedic)
- Police: Unnamed police
- Police: Abinet Area Police station
- Police: Addisu Mikael Area Police
- Police: Federal Police & Interpol
- Police: Federal Police Commission Crime Prevention
- Police: Lideta Sub City Community police station
- Police: Mesalemia Area Police
- Police: Piassa arada polis station
- Police: Police Commission
- Police: Quwasmeda Area Police
- Embassy: Embassy of Sweden
- Embassy: Embassy of the Czech Republic
- Embassy: immigrants assessment centers
- Embassy: Libyan Embassy
- Embassy: Nigerian Embassy
- Pharmacy: Deraretu Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Ethio Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Gishen Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Harar Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Kenema No 2 ከነማ መድሃኒት ቤት ቁ.2
- Pharmacy: Kenema Pharmacy No 1
- Pharmacy: Lion Pharmacy አንበሳ ፋርማሲ
- Pharmacy: St. Lalibela Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Teklehaimanot Hospital Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Tiru Pharmacy
- Fire station: Addis Ababa City Administrative Council Office
- Fire station: Addis Ababa Fire and Emergency Management Authority
- Fire station: Addis Ababa Fire Stations Head Quarters | የአዲስ አበባ የዕሳትና ድንገተኛ አደጋዎች
- Fire station: Addis Ketema Sub City Fire Station (Mesalemia)
- Fire station: Arada Fire Station
Map and facility data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations can be incomplete or outdated; confirm before relying on them. See this destination’s numbers or browse emergency numbers by country.
Emergency numbers (Ethiopia)
| Police | 991 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 907 |
| Fire | 939 |
| General | 911 |
See nearby hospitals, police, pharmacies, embassies, and fire stations on the safety map.
Medical access
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | medium |
| Emergency response | medium |
| English-speaking care | unknown |
| Evacuation complexity | medium |
The provided search results do not contain specific details regarding hospital access, emergency medical response, or healthcare facilities for travelers in Addis Ababa.
Common scam patterns
- Taxi Overcharging. Visitors should be cautious of taxi overcharging and confusing parallel taxi systems, particularly unmetered contract taxis that require a negotiated price. Use registered blue-and-white metered taxis or rideshare apps to avoid inflated fares. Tip: Always agree on the fare beforehand or use a vetted rideshare app like ride or inDrive.
- Street and Bar Scams. Travelers face aggressive bar scams targeting solo travelers around hotel districts, alongside street invitation scams and pickpocketing. Young men may also approach tourists near certain areas offering unauthorized services like shoe-shines. Tip: Remain vigilant in crowded areas and avoid engaging with aggressive street hustles or uninvited guides.
- ATM Card Skimming. Visitors are advised to watch out for ATM card skimming risks when withdrawing cash at machines in the city. Always inspect card readers and use secure locations for banking transactions. Tip: Cover your PIN and use indoor ATMs located within secure bank branches.
Area notes
- Churchill, Pizza corridor. Pickpockets haunt minibus doors and this corridor after dark.
- Piazza. Young men near Piazza and around the National Theatre may approach tourists for shoe-shine scams.
- Hotel districts. Aggressive bar scams targeting solo travelers have been reported around hotel districts.
Nearest embassies & consulates
Find your home country's diplomatic mission in Ethiopia for consular support, lost passports, or citizen emergencies:
Run a personalized assessment for Addis Ababa
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Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | 42 → 55 | moderate → elevated | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Aug 10, 2026 | 0 → 0 | unknown | Data update Grounded open data research & citations |
| May 15, 2026 | — → 43 | moderate | Data update Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (round 2: Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + GPI + EPI references) |
Every editorial change to Addis Ababa's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
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Transparency & Sources
We document the baseline sources, coverage scope, and data inputs for this destination below.
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for Addis Ababa
- Travel Risk Calculator score (method v2): Security, crime and scams, health, natural hazards and current alerts for Addis Ababa, from US, UK and Canadian advisories, INFORM, World Bank, UCDP, CDC, GDACS, USGS and OpenStreetMap
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
Baseline scope
- Category scores represent an analytical baseline, updated from official feeds and public records.
Coverage notes
- Transport-hub safety notes (airport, train stations).
Methodology · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.