Festivals
Meskel, Timkat, Genna and the Ethiopian New Year: dates, where to see them and how to get around.
11 answers
Meskel, Timkat, Genna and the Ethiopian New Year: dates, where to see them and how to get around.
11 answers
When to goDecember and January are the heart of Ethiopia's dry season. In Addis Ababa, days average about 23–24°C with clear skies and rain on only one to three days a month, while nights drop to about 7–8°C. Genna (Ethiopian Christmas) falls on Thursday 7 January 2027 and Timkat on Tuesday 19 January 2027, with its eve, Ketera, on 18 January; Addis Ababa is the easiest place to see both right now. It is peak season, so book flights and hotels early.
Updated Oct 2026 · 7 min
When to goEthiopia has 13 regular public holidays. In 2027 they are Genna (Christmas) on 7 January, Timkat on 19 January, Adwa Victory Day on 2 March, Eid al-Fitr around 9–10 March, Good Friday on 30 April, Labour Day on 1 May, Fasika (Easter) on 2 May, Patriots' Victory Day on 5 May, Eid al-Adha around 16–17 May, Derg Downfall Day on 28 May, Mawlid around 15 August, Enkutatash (New Year) on 12 September and Meskel on 28 September. The Islamic dates depend on the moon.
Updated Oct 2026 · 4 min
What to expectOfficially neither: Ethiopia's constitution makes it a secular state with freedom of religion. In practice it is a Christian-majority country with a large Muslim population. At the last census, in 2007, about 44% of people were Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, 34% Muslim and 19% Protestant, and many observers think the Muslim and Protestant shares have grown since. Both Christian and Muslim holidays are public holidays.
Updated Oct 2026 · 6 min
EthiopiaEthiopia uses its own calendar, which is seven to eight years behind the Gregorian one because its church dates the Incarnation of Jesus differently. The Ethiopian New Year, Enkutatash, fell on 11 September 2026 and began the year 2019, which runs until 11 September 2027. The year has 13 months: twelve of 30 days plus Pagume, a short month of five days, or six in a leap year such as 2019.
Updated Sept 2026 · 7 min
EthiopiaBishoftu, the town once called Debre Zeit, is about 47 km south-east of Addis Ababa and is known for its volcanic crater lakes, including Hora, Bishoftu, Babogaya and Kuriftu, plus the seasonal Cheleklaka wetland. People come for lakeside lunches, birdwatching, short walks and resort weekends, and for Irreecha, the Oromo thanksgiving festival at Lake Hora, set for Sunday 4 October 2026. As of 28 September 2026 Bishoftu is an exception to the do-not-travel warnings for Oromia, and the expressway corridor from Addis to Bishoftu stays open.
Updated Sept 2026 · 6 min
When to goFor most of Ethiopia the easiest time to travel is the dry season, roughly October to March. The main rains, kiremt, run from June to September and are heaviest in July and August, when Addis Ababa gets rain on most days. Addis sits at about 2,355 metres, so it stays mild all year, with average highs of roughly 21–26°C and cool nights. As of late September 2026, travel to parts of the north isn't advised, so for now the best-season question mostly applies to Addis Ababa, Bishoftu and Hawassa.
Updated Sept 2026 · 6 min
What to expectTimkat, the Ethiopian Orthodox celebration of Christ's baptism (Epiphany), falls on 19 January in most years and 20 January in Gregorian leap years. In 2027 the eve, Ketera, is Monday 18 January, Timkat is Tuesday 19 January, and St Michael's churches hold their processions on 20 January. The easiest big celebration for visitors to reach right now is at Jan Meda in Addis Ababa. Gondar and Lalibela are famous for Timkat but are in Amhara, where travel isn't advised as of late September 2026.
Updated Sept 2026 · 6 min
What to expectMeskel is the Ethiopian Orthodox feast of the Finding of the True Cross, held on 17 Meskerem in the Ethiopian calendar: 27 September in most years, and 28 September in the year before a Gregorian leap year. Its highlight is the Demera, a huge bonfire lit at dusk on the eve in Meskel Square, Addis Ababa. In 2026 the Demera was lit on 26 September and Meskel fell on 27 September; in 2027 Meskel is on Tuesday 28 September, with the Demera on the evening of Monday 27 September. Meskel has been on UNESCO's intangible heritage list since 2013.
Updated Sept 2026 · 6 min
What to expectEthiopian Christmas, called Genna, is celebrated on 7 January (29 Tahsas in the Ethiopian calendar), the same day as other Orthodox churches that follow the Julian reckoning. The next Genna is Thursday 7 January 2027. For many Orthodox Christians it ends a roughly six-week fast, starts with an all-night church service on Christmas Eve and continues with a family feast of doro wat and injera. Lalibela, the famous Genna pilgrimage, is in Amhara, where travel isn't advised as of September 2026.
Updated Sept 2026 · 6 min
What to expectEnkutatash is the Ethiopian New Year, held on 1 Meskerem, the first day of the Ethiopian calendar. It falls on 11 September in most years and on 12 September in the Gregorian year before a leap year. Enkutatash on 11 September 2026 began the Ethiopian year 2019; the next one, on Sunday 12 September 2027, begins 2020. It marks the end of the long rains and is celebrated with church services, yellow adey abeba flowers, children's songs, torches on the eve and family feasts.
Updated Sept 2026 · 6 min
What to expectMembers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church fast by giving up all animal products (meat, dairy and eggs), and devout people often skip breakfast or eat nothing until the afternoon. Most Wednesdays and Fridays are fast days, plus seven church fasting seasons; the longest is the 55-day Great Lent before Fasika (Easter), which falls on 2 May in 2027. For travellers it mostly means excellent vegan food and fewer meat dishes in traditional restaurants on fast days. Visitors are not expected to fast.
Updated Sept 2026 · 7 min
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