Entoto Park is a big forested hill park on the northern edge of Addis Ababa where you can walk trails, look out over the city, and try paid activities such as horse riding, archery and a zipline. Most people go up by car, spend two to four hours, and add a stop at the historic Entoto Maryam Church nearby.

If the city starts to feel loud and crowded, the quickest escape is straight up. Entoto is the ridge of eucalyptus-covered hills that closes off the north side of Addis, and since 2020 a large stretch of it has been a landscaped recreation area. The easiest way up is with a driver: at Ethiopia Driver we take visitors up the hill, drop them at the gate and wait while they explore.

What is Entoto Park?

Entoto Natural Park was inaugurated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on 10 October 2020 as part of the Beautifying Sheger project, the same city-beautification drive behind Unity Park. The work took less than a year and gave a largely undeveloped hillside walkways, bike paths, sports areas, a library, restaurants and coffee shops.

The park covers about 1,300 hectares and sits between roughly 2,600 and 3,100 metres, well above the city centre. That height matters: the air is noticeably cooler, mornings can be misty, and on a clear day you look down over the whole spread of Addis.

What can you do at Entoto Park?

Think of the park in two layers: the green space you can wander, and a set of paid activities run inside it.

Walk, look and relax

• Forest trails. Paths wind through eucalyptus woodland. Distances are long and the routes don't always form a loop, so plan how you will get back to your car.
• Viewpoints. Lookouts such as Maya View face south over Addis. Mornings usually give the clearest views.
• Cafés and restaurants. There are places to sit with a coffee or a meal. Prices inside tend to be well above city prices.
• Cycling. Bike paths run through the park and bike rental has been available on site.

Paid activities

Each activity is charged separately. Activities on offer have included:

• Horse riding, with stables run by Kuriftu, the resort group that also has a lodge and spa at Entoto
• A zipline through the forest and rope courses
• Archery, target shooting and paintball
• Pedal go-karts

Operators, prices and opening times change, so treat this as a menu of what has been offered rather than a guarantee. If one activity is the reason for your trip, check it is running before you go up.

Do you have to pay to enter Entoto Park?

When the park opened, walking in was free as long as you showed ID. Since then a separate, higher entrance fee for foreigners has been charged. Expect a foreigner entry fee and check the current amount at the gate. Activities, parking and food are paid on top.

Is Entoto safe to visit?

Many families and walkers visit every day, but take the current advice seriously. As of September 2026, Entoto is among the areas of Addis Ababa with an increase in reported crime against foreign and Ethiopian nationals, including knifepoint robberies. Avoid going alone in these areas if possible, take care on foot, and use road transport, especially after dark.

• Go in daylight and in company, and stay where other visitors are.
• Arrive and leave by car rather than walking along the roads up the hill.
• Keep your phone and camera out of sight when you are not using them.
• Check your government's latest travel advice before you go.

This is where a private car makes the most difference. With a driver by the day, you're dropped at the gate, the car waits in the parking area while you walk, and you're driven straight back down, with no walking along the hill roads or waiting for a ride.

What about Entoto Maryam Church and the museum?

Close to the park is Entoto Maryam, one of the oldest churches in the Addis area, built by Emperor Menelik II when Entoto was his base, before he founded Addis Ababa on the plain below in 1886. Menelik was crowned emperor at this church in 1889. Like many Ethiopian Orthodox churches of the period, it is octagonal.

Beside the church is a small museum with belongings of Menelik II and Empress Taytu, including royal clothing and crowns, their bed, and a mirror given to Taytu by Queen Victoria. Photography may not be allowed inside. The church and museum may charge their own entry fee, separate from the park.

As at any active church, dress modestly and be ready to take your shoes off if you go inside. Our guide to what to wear in Ethiopia has the details.

How do you get to Entoto Park?

The park is on the northern edge of the city, above neighbourhoods such as Shiro Meda. It has several gates: Maya Gate is the main entrance, with others on the Shiro Meda, Sululta and Addisu Gebeya sides. The roads climb steeply.

Travel time depends heavily on where you start and the time of day. Traffic in Addis builds quickly on weekday mornings and evenings, so an early start helps. If you are using an app, make sure you have mobile data for the trip back down.

What are the tips for a good visit?

1. Go in the morning. Views are usually clearer early, it is quieter on weekdays, and you avoid the afternoon traffic back down.
2. Dress for cold. Even when central Addis is warm, the hilltop can be chilly, windy or damp. A fleece or light jacket makes sense all year, plus a rain layer in the main rainy season, roughly June to September.
3. Take it slowly. Addis is already high, and Entoto is higher still. If you have just flown in, save Entoto for your second or third day, walk gently and drink water.
4. Carry cash and ID. Keep small birr notes for activities, parking and the church museum.
5. Agree parking properly. Parking attendants have been known to overcharge. Use the parking at the gate and agree the charge first.
6. Respect the rules. Alcohol and smoking are not allowed in the park.

How long do you need, and is it worth it?

For a walk, a viewpoint and a coffee, two to three hours is plenty. Add Entoto Maryam and an activity or two and it becomes a relaxed half day. Families and people who have spent days in traffic tend to enjoy it. If you mainly want history, spend less time in the park and more at Entoto Maryam, then carry on to the museums around Arat Kilo.

Entoto also works as a gentle morning outing once you've had a day or two to settle in: fresh air and space rather than a demanding sight, and you can be back at your hotel by lunch.