When is the best time to visit Ethiopia? Rainy season and weather explained

The short answer: October to March is the most reliable time to visit Ethiopia, because most of the country is dry and sunny then. June to September is the main rainy season. Ethiopia is close to the equator, but most visitors spend their time on a high plateau, so altitude and rain shape the weather far more than summer and winter do. In 2026 there is also the question of where to go: Addis Ababa, Bishoftu and Hawassa are the easy choices right now. Whatever the month, a private driver takes the weather out of the equation in Addis: you go from door to door, dry.

What are Ethiopia's seasons?

Ethiopians traditionally divide the year by rain. The boundaries are drawn slightly differently from place to place, but for the central and northern highlands the pattern is broadly this:

Kiremt, June to September, is the main rainy season for most of the country, when rivers run high. Bega, October to January, is mostly dry, with sunny and windy conditions. The exceptions are the south-west and the southern and south-eastern lowlands, which follow different patterns. The short belg rains fall between the two main seasons and matter more to farmers than to most travellers.

What is the weather like in Addis Ababa?

Addis Ababa sits at about 2,355 metres, which keeps it mild all year. Long-term averages put daytime highs at roughly 21°C in the wettest months and 25–26°C in the warmest, around March to May. Average lows are about 7–12°C, so early mornings and evenings feel cool even after a warm afternoon. Pack a fleece or light jacket whatever the month.

Rain is what really changes. July and August are by far the wettest months, each bringing well over 200 mm of rain and rain on about 26–27 days. November and December are the driest, with under 10 mm and roughly one rainy day each on average. Exact monthly totals vary between records, but the pattern is the same.

Can you visit Ethiopia in the rainy season?

Yes, with realistic expectations. Addis Ababa works fine in the rains: museums, restaurants, markets and cafés stay open, and the city is green and quieter. What suffers is travel on rural roads and mountain trails, where access can become difficult in the heaviest months.

September is a rewarding shoulder month. The rains ease as the month goes on, the highlands are at their greenest, yellow adey abeba daisies are in flower, and two of the year's big celebrations fall in September: Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash) and Meskel.

Does the best time vary by region?

It does, because Ethiopia ranges from cool mountain plateaus to some of the hottest lowlands on earth. Most people live on the temperate middle slopes of the highlands, the highest ground is cool and alpine, and the lowlands are hot and often dry.

• Northern highlands (Lalibela, Gondar, the Simien Mountains, Axum): October to March is the classic season. Travel to these areas isn't advised right now: see the note below.
• The Rift Valley lakes south of Addis, including Hawassa: broadly follow the highland pattern, with the main rains from June to early September, so the dry months are the easiest time to go. We drive to Hawassa regularly all year and can tell you how the road is before you set off.
• Bale Mountains: rain here is heavier than in the Rift Valley, so the dry season is the easiest time for walking.
• The far south and south-east: have two rainy periods rather than one, broadly March to May and again around September to November. The best months for the Omo Valley are disputed, so check close to your dates.
• Hot lowlands such as the Danakil Depression: very hot all year. Travel to Afar region isn't advised right now either.

In practice, for many travellers in 2026–2027 the question is less about the perfect season for the northern circuit and more about a good season for Addis Ababa and trips south to Bishoftu and Hawassa. The dry months from October to March suit those too, and with one fixed quote for a whole car and driver you can add a lake day or two to a city stay at any time of year.

When are Ethiopia's big festivals?

• Enkutatash (New Year): 11 September 2026; 12 September 2027.
• Meskel: 27 September 2026, with the Demera bonfire the evening before; 28 September in 2027.
• Genna (Christmas): 7 January 2027.
• Timkat (Epiphany): 19 January 2027, with the Ketera eve on 18 January.

January combines dry weather with Genna and Timkat, and it is the busiest month for visitors. Peak season runs from about December to February, so book hotels and domestic flights well ahead. If you tell us your dates, we can book your hotels and domestic flights for you in birr, and you pay us one amount in US dollars or your own currency.

So when should you go?

1. For the best weather: October to February, when the highlands are dry, sunny and still green after the rains.
2. For festivals: September (New Year and Meskel) or January (Genna and Timkat), all of which you can see in Addis Ababa.
3. For fewer crowds: September to early October, or March to May, avoiding the December to February peak.
4. If you can only come in July or August: focus on Addis Ababa, keep road journeys short and flexible, and pack a good rain jacket.