Eastern Ethiopia rewards the curious traveler: ancient traditions, market towns, volcanic plains, and a coffee culture that rivals any on earth. This 7-day itinerary links Addis Ababa with Awash National Park, the highland town of Ciro (also written Chiro/Asebe Teferi), and the UNESCO World Heritage city of Harar.

Expect variety. One day you’ll be decoding centuries of history in Addis, the next you’re watching oryx near the Awash River, and then you’re sipping Harari coffee in a walled alley older than many nation-states. Evenings bring injera feasts, honey wine, and friendly conversation.

Practical notes: Road conditions and security can change—travel by daylight, use a vetted driver/guide, and check current advisories before you go. Dress modestly for markets and places of worship, and always ask before photographing people. The dry season (roughly October–February) offers clearer skies and easier driving.

Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa is Ethiopia’s energetic capital—home to the National Museum (with “Lucy”), sprawling Merkato, coffee houses perfumed with fresh roasting, and nightly cultural dance shows. It’s also your smartest hub for flights and guides.

• Top sights: National Museum, Ethnological Museum at Addis Ababa University, St. George Cathedral, Mount Entoto viewpoints, Shiro Meda for textiles, Merkato for spices and coffee.
• Eat & drink: Try injera with sizzling tibs at Kategna; book a cultural dinner (music, dances, and set menus) at Habesha 2000; and make time for macchiatos at historic Tomoca or a coffee ceremony at a local buna bet.
• Stay (search & book): VRBO Addis Ababa | Hotels.com Addis Ababa
• Flights in/out: Search fares to ADD on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com.
• Guided experiences: A full-day city tour is ideal for first-timers (see Day 2 options below).

Awash (Gateway to Awash National Park)

Awash is your springboard to one of Ethiopia’s most accessible national parks, known for volcanic landscapes, palm groves, hot springs, and a roaring river gorge. Expect oryx, gazelles, baboons, crocodiles, and superb birding.

• Top sights: Awash Falls, Filwoha hot springs, game drives across the acacia savanna, sundowners overlooking the gorge.
• Eat & drink: You’ll mostly dine at your lodge; order grilled tilapia, goat tibs, and fresh injera. Carry snacks and water for drives.
• Stay (search & book): VRBO Awash | Hotels.com Awash
• Getting there: Private 4x4 from Addis is about 3.5–4.5 hours depending on traffic around Adama; budget roughly US$180–230 for vehicle/driver/day including fuel.

Ciro (Chiro/Asebe Teferi)

Locals call it Chiro or Asebe Teferi—this highland town is a lively market center of the West Hararghe Zone. You’ll sample Oromo hospitality, watch everyday commerce, and sip thick macchiatos in streetfront buna bets.

• What to do: Stroll the central market (mornings are busiest), try chechebsa for breakfast and shiro for lunch, and arrange—through your driver/guide—a respectful visit to a village to learn about farming and weaving.
• Good to know: Tourism infrastructure is basic; bring small bills, a scarf/hat for sun, and ask permission before photos. Travel here is most comfortable with a local guide and in daylight.
• Stay (search & book): Most visitors pass through en route to Harar; if you plan a night, options are simple. Try a general search on VRBO Chiro or Hotels.com Chiro.

Harar

Harar Jugol—the old walled city—is a maze of colorful alleys, carved doorways, and 82 mosques layered with centuries of trade and poetry. It’s one of Ethiopia’s cultural masterpieces and a dream for photographers and coffee lovers.

• Top sights: City walls and gates, traditional Harari homes, the Arthur Rimbaud Center, lively markets (spices, baskets), and the famous evening hyena feeding outside the walls.
• Eat & drink: Arrange a home-cooked Harari meal through your guesthouse (try dulet, bulla, and sourdough-like injera). Pop into tiny cafes for single-origin Harar coffee served with incense and snacks.
• Stay (search & book): VRBO Harar | Hotels.com Harar
• Getting there: The smoothest route is to fly Addis → Dire Dawa (about 55 minutes; US$60–120 on Ethiopian Airlines via Trip.com Flights), then drive 1–1.5 hours to Harar. If you’re incorporating Ciro, you’ll drive from Awash through Chiro to Harar (6–7 hours).

Day 1: Arrive in Addis Ababa

Afternoon: Land in Addis and settle into your hotel. If time allows, duck into the National Museum to greet “Lucy” and wander the fossil galleries in a cool hour or two.

Evening: Coffee first at Tomoca (est. 1953), then a welcome dinner at Kategna—order shekla tibs (sizzling beef) and gomen (greens) on spongy injera. For music and dance from across Ethiopia, book a table at Habesha 2000.

Day 2: Addis Ababa—Museums, Markets, Coffee

Consider a guided overview to maximize your time and context in this sprawling city:

Full Day Tour of Addis Ababa with Hotel Pickup and Drop-off

This day-long circuit typically covers the National Museum, Ethnographic Museum, Merkato, St. George Cathedral, and Mount Entoto views—with a guide to interpret history, faith, and daily life.

Hungry for a deeper flavor dive at night? Book:

Ethiopian Culinary Tour – Market, Food, Coffee Ceremony & more

You’ll shop spices, taste staples like shiro, watch a coffee ceremony, and learn why injera is both plate and bread.

Day 3: Drive Addis → Awash National Park

Morning: Depart Addis by private 4x4 after breakfast (3.5–4.5 hours). Break in Adama for fruit juice and chai, then continue east toward the Rift Valley. Budget US$180–230 for vehicle/driver/fuel.

Afternoon: Check into a lodge near the park and head out for an introductory game drive—look for oryx, Soemmerring’s gazelle, warthog, and a kaleidoscope of birds. Don’t miss the viewpoint over Awash Falls.

Evening: Soak at Filwoha hot springs if your lodge includes it, then dinner at the lodge—try goat tibs with fresh injera. Early night for tomorrow’s transfer day.

Day 4: Awash → Ciro (Chiro/Asebe Teferi) → Harar

Morning: Depart Awash for Ciro (about 2.5–3 hours). In Ciro, wander the bustling market—this is a practical highland hub, not a museum, so keep photos discreet and ask first.

Afternoon: Join a simple coffee ceremony at a local buna bet and taste chechebsa (buttered flatbread with berbere). Continue to Harar (3–4 hours), arriving late afternoon to check in inside or near the city walls.

Evening: At dusk, head to the hyena feeding outside the walls, a surreal custom where hyenas take scraps from the “hyena man.” Dinner back in town—ask your host to arrange a home-style Harari meal with marak (stew) and sourdough injera.

Day 5: Harar Jugol—Walled City Walks, Museums, Coffee

Morning: Explore the old town with a local guide: weave through alleys painted mint and rose, visit a traditional Harari house (with basketry walls), and stop at the Arthur Rimbaud Center to hear the poet’s East Africa stories.

Afternoon: Market meander—spice mounds, woven baskets, and coffee. Sip single-origin Harar coffee in a tiny cafe where macchiatos are perfumed with frankincense.

Evening: Dinner near one of the city gates; try dulet if you’re adventurous, or stick to gentle stews with vegetable sides. Toast the day with a glass of tej (honey wine).

Day 6: Babile Elephant Sanctuary, Dakhata Valley & Dire Dawa

Morning: Day trip east to the Babile area for Dakhata Valley’s rock formations and dry-country scenery. Elephants are elusive; consider this a landscape and village-culture outing with a focus on viewpoints and geology.

Afternoon: Continue to Dire Dawa (about 1 hour from Harar) for lunch—travelers favor spots like Fresh Touch for Ethiopian staples and juices. Walk Kefira market for textiles and baskets.

Evening: Return to Harar (or overnight in Dire Dawa if you prefer a shorter ride to the airport). Pack for tomorrow’s flight.

Day 7: Fly Dire Dawa → Addis Ababa, Last Sips & Departure

Morning: Transfer Harar → Dire Dawa Airport (1–1.5 hours; US$40–60 by car). Fly to Addis (about 55 minutes; US$60–120 on Ethiopian Airlines via Trip.com Flights). Drop bags and fit in a final coffee at Tomoca or a souvenir sweep through Shiro Meda’s textile stalls.

Afternoon: Airport transfer and departure. If you only have a few spare hours, a compact guided circuit helps you squeeze in highlights:

Addis Ababa Uncovered: A Journey through Ethiopian Heart

How to book transport (quick guide)

• International and domestic flights: Compare fares on Trip.com Flights or Kiwi.com. Typical Addis ↔ Dire Dawa flight time is ~55 minutes.
• Private car/driver: For Addis → Awash and Awash → Ciro → Harar, hire a vetted 4x4 with a licensed driver (US$180–280/day incl. fuel). Travel in daylight and build in buffer time.

Where to stay each stop (quick picks)

• Addis Ababa (2 nights total): Choose Bole or Kazanchis areas for easy dining and airport access. VRBO | Hotels.com
• Awash (1 night): Book a lodge that can arrange game drives and hot springs access. VRBO | Hotels.com
• Harar (3 nights): Aim for a guesthouse inside the walls for atmosphere and easy walks. VRBO | Hotels.com
• Ciro/Chiro (stop only): If you decide to overnight, expect simple lodgings; confirm electricity/water reliability and bring cash. VRBO | Hotels.com

Optional add-on from Addis (if you extend):

Day Trip From Addis Ababa: Debre Libanos Monastery & Blue Nile Gorge

This trip threads together city, savanna, and story-rich towns to show you Ethiopia’s breadth in just a week. You’ll come home with the aroma of roasted beans in your suitcase, red-dust sunsets in your photos, and a mental map of alleyways that lead to friendly doorways and fresh plates of injera.