When to go · Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa in January
Great month. Dry and sunny; Timkat (Epiphany) around 19 Jan brings crowds.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Great
- Temperature
- 23° / 6°
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 1
- Crowds
- High
- Ethiopia overall
- Prices
- High
- Ethiopia overall
Verdict
Dry and sunny; Timkat (Epiphany) around 19 Jan brings crowds.
Weather in January
- Addis AbabaHighs around 23 °C, lows around 6 °C, rain on about 1 day
- Central highlands, Ethiopia · Addis Ababa, Bishoftu, Bale Mountains, and the northern plateaubest weather
Mild all year at altitude (days 20–25 °C, cold nights); the big rains (kiremt) run June to September, with short rains around March–April.
Long dry season season
Clear, cool mornings and mild, sunny days; the best window for walking and viewpoints.
Watch: Cold mornings and evenings, sometimes near freezing in December.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Ethiopian Christmas (Genna)
7 January (6 January in some years) · Churches citywide
Overnight services; some restaurants reduce hours.
Timkat (Epiphany)
19 January (18 in leap years) · Jan Meda and churches citywide
The year's biggest religious festival: processions, replica Arks of the Covenant carried to water, huge crowds.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Ethiopia overall
- High
- Prices · Ethiopia overall
- High
Ethiopia overall: Dry and clear; Genna (7 Jan) and Timkat (19 Jan) fill churches and festival towns. Book early.
High-price month: see what to book ahead.
What to pack
- A warm layer for the evenings