• Airport Pickup, Flights & Visas for your trip to Ethiopia.

We have all the information you need to know for your trip, from helping with visa queries to walking you through a placement induction on your first day in Ethiopia. Our hassle-free approach means you can concentrate on what really matters, making a difference at your placement.

• Arrival Airport & Pick-up In Ethiopia

You will arrive in Ethiopia at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport. Our main offices in Addis Ababa are just a few minute’s drive from the airport. Most volunteers fly into Ethiopia in the evening. As you disembark, the first thing that you’ll notice is the altitude. You will walk across the tarmac to the arrivals building and pass through immigration control to the baggage reclaim area. Once you have your luggage, you need to go through customs. Be ready to have your bags opened by security staff as this is done routinely even when you go through the “nothing to declare” channel.

As you walk out of the airport building, you will be met by a wall of people on the other side of a barrier. It might seem overwhelming at first, but one of our staff members will be there to meet you with a ‘Volunteer Tours & Projects’ sign. Seeing a friendly face there to welcome you and take you to your accommodation will immediately put you at ease.

If your placement is in Addis Ababa, you will be taken from the airport straight to your host family. If you are going to a placement away from the city, you will usually stay overnight in Addis before travelling to your region the following morning.

• Booking Your Flights With Us To Ethiopia.

Lion Of Judah Travel has over 25 years of experience arranging flights for thousands of volunteers around the world. Searching for flights online can be a time-consuming, overwhelming, and frustrating process. Let us do the work for you!

We can help you book the best return flights, making sure you have the safest, most convenient, and cost-effective flight options, no matter how complex your travel plans. Email us for any flight inquiries.

• Visas Requirements For Your Volunteer Project/Internship In Ethiopia.

One of the benefits of volunteering with us is the visa guidance we give you. We have a dedicated visa team who have up-to-date information on visa requirements for Ethiopia. You can get in touch with us if you have any visa queries, big or small, and we will talk you through the process. Once you apply, you’ll also get a link to our web page, which will include all the necessary visa information.

• Your Induction & Orientation In Ethiopia.

The next working day after your arrival, you will be met at your accommodation by one of our local staff. You will spend the day getting a comprehensive induction and orientation. You’ll get to see the city, and where internet cafes, banks, and the post office are located. You will also enjoy a traditional Ethiopian lunch and cultural dances.

You’ll visit our offices and hear more about the different projects that are run in Ethiopia. Our staff are always close and on-hand, no matter which region you are based in. You’ll also receive an induction pack. This contains all the information you need, like a map of the town with important places highlighted.

Your primary contact is the Lion Of Judah Travel Coordinator, who is a full-time member of our local staff who has a detailed knowledge of all the projects and host families in the region. They are available 24 hours a day by phone if you have any questions or concerns.

In preparation for your first day at your placement the following day, a staff member will show you the best route to and from your placement. They’ll also show you how to navigate public transport, usually a minibus taxi. Lion Of Judah Travel covers all necessary work-related transport costs.

• Your First Day At Your Volunteer/Internship Placement In Ethiopia.

On your first day at your placement, you’ll spend time getting a feel for the work you’ll be doing in the coming weeks. Your supervisor will show you around the placement and you’ll get to see some of the work we do there. They’ll also explain your role and where you fit into the running of the placement.

We’ve set aside the whole of your first day for learning to make sure you feel confident and comfortable. You’ll start your project work on your second day.

Support, Safety & Backup

Your safety and security is our prime concern. We have many procedures and systems to ensure you have the support you need to enjoy your trip with peace of mind. Our Lion Of Judah staff are available 24 hours a day to help, and will be on-hand to make sure you settle in well at your accommodation and placement. If you encounter any problems, they will be available to help at any time.

We believe no other provider offers the safety and security to their volunteers and interns that we do. Every single one of our projects are thoroughly risk assessed. Every member of staff is trained to our high standards. Safety and support are at the heart of everything we do.

Here we’ll take you through how our approach to safety and backup is different:

• Our Staff, No Contractors

We employ all our staff directly, no matter where they are in the world or what their role is. That means we never use third parties or contractors for our support staff, as some providers do.

We believe that if you’re volunteering or interning with Lion Of Judah Travel, that’s who you should be dealing with every step of the way.

In fact, many of our staff have been volunteers as well, and have a personal connection to Lion Of Judah. This means they understand what it’s like to take part in an experience like this, and how important it is to have great staff support.

Our in-country staff will meet you at the airport, check your accommodation before you arrive and give you a thorough induction and safety briefing. From that point, they’re there when you need them. They will regularly check in on you, but if you ever have a problem, question or just want someone to chat to, you can reach them 24/7.

We also have 24/7 emergency telephone numbers so that you or a member of your family back home can contact us if you need to.

Our projects are driven by the passion and commitment of the staff we work with.

In Addis Ababa we care about volunteering, this is because so many of us have been volunteers ourselves. Our partner, Mark Chapman from Tesfa Tours is one of them. Since 2005, he overlooks the day to day running of projects in Ethiopia.

Mark is supported by highly experienced core teams in Addis Ababa, and by committed and passionate staff in Ethiopia. We are a multi-national organization that works across language, cultural and geographic lines and so cultural exchange is at the heart of who we are.

• Fully vetted accommodation

Most of our volunteers and interns live with a local host family. Each of our host families are carefully chosen for security, comfort and friendliness. The family, their home and the neighborhood are all fully vetted by our expert staff before and during your visit.

Many hosts are associated with our programs – for example, a teacher or headmistress at one of our partner schools or a doctor at one of our medical placements. We also try to place you alongside a fellow volunteer or intern so your stay is sociable and you can share your experience with likeminded people.

As part of your project fee, we arrange accommodation for you that is secure, comfortable, and close to your placement. Our accommodation options and the culturally immersive experience they offer is just another reason why we are the resource for volunteer and interning within Ethiopia.

• Living with a host family

One of the things that makes volunteering and interning abroad so worthwhile is the chance to discover a different way of life. By living with a host family, you get to experience something far beyond what you would as a tourist.

Our projects empower you to explore the world, experience different cultures, and truly understand the specific issues in the places you visit. Through our host family accommodation, we offer the chance to live like a local and truly immerse yourself in local culture. In the process, you’ll grow as an individual and broaden your understanding of people.

Your host family will be like a home away from home. Having a warm, caring family to come home to each day is an ideal way to adjust to living in a different country. A supportive home environment gives you the confidence to focus on contributing at your placement and exploring the country. You will live with a host family alongside at least one other Lion Of Judah Travel volunteer.

Our host families are carefully chosen for security, comfort, and friendliness. Many of our hosts are associated with our programs. For example, you might live with a teacher or principal at one of our partner schools, or a doctor at one of our medical placements.

Your room will be modest but comfortable. Host families live in secure houses and neighborhoods and are closely screened and monitored. Our full time local staff hold regular check-ups, including one right before you move in.

We also ensure they can provide you with quality home-cooked meals. Food is at the heart of a society, so be prepared to eat your fill of local cuisine!

In line with our commitment to being a positive influence in the communities where we work, host families are decently compensated. They are also interviewed for friendliness and to make sure they’re motivated by the right reasons. They will welcome you into their family and home, eager to share their customs and have you teach them about your own culture.

We believe that living with a host family offers an incredible experience that really makes a program with us unique.

• A personal service

You’re not just a number to us. Our staff are passionate about making sure you get the most out of your time with Lion Of Judah Travel. We keep in touch with you before you leave, during your project and after you come home.

We have whole teams of staff in every destination, but you’ll have a dedicated supervisor assigned to you. They know the local area inside out and will be the first to know if there are any security or safety risks. They also know your host family and the local community well. If you have any problems or illness, they’ll be there to keep you safe and secure.

• Your safety comes first

We know that you can only achieve your best when you’re in a safe and stable environment. The same is true for our staff and project partners. It’s for this reason that safety is our number one priority. We only send volunteers and interns to places that are safe and politically stable. If they are not, we don’t go.

We carry out thorough risk assessments for all of our projects, and have health and safety checklists for our staff to complete regularly. We also devise and train our staff on crisis management plans, so they know what to do if a problem occurs.

Safety is at our core, so we provide health and travel insurance for all volunteers as interns included in the price.

All of this is designed to give you and those who care about you peace of mind, so you can focus on enjoying your time abroad.

Insurance, Visas and Vaccinations

As a resource for volunteering tourism, Lion Of Judah takes the safety and well-being of our volunteers and interns very seriously. This is why we’ve partnered with Allianz Global Travel Insurance, a specialist in travel insurance to provide you with insurance cover during your project.

We can also advise you on specific visa requirements:-

Insurance for volunteers under the age of 66

Insurance is included in the program fee, and covers you throughout your placement. Unlike normal travel insurance, this insurance policy has been tailored specifically for volunteer projects.

Insurance coverage includes:

• Medical and emergency travel expenses
• Luggage and personal effects
• Personal accidents
• Personal liability
• Cancellation or curtailment
• Legal expenses

Subject to limits and an excess (deductible).

Click here for the full details of our insurance cover.

Note that pre-existing medical conditions must be reported and are not covered by this policy.

Our insurance comes into effect once you’ve paid for your project in full, and covers the dates of your project.

If the dates of your international travel fall within the dates of your project, insurance also covers your airline travel.

If you’re planning independent travel before or after your project, we highly recommend that you purchase an insurance extension to cover those days on the same policy.

Insurance for volunteers over the age of 66

Our standard insurance cover is unfortunately only available to volunteers under the age of 66. If you are, or will be, 66 or older at any time during your project, you must arrange your own travel insurance and send us the details before you depart from home. In these cases, we offer 1 extra day on the project for every 2 weeks originally booked.

Visas

For many destinations, you will have to buy a visa before traveling. In some cases, you can buy a visa at your port of entry into the destination. We will give you the relevant documents and advice. Currently, prices for visas vary from $30 to $400 according to destination.

Our Visa Team will provide you with detailed information about the specific visa requirements after you have applied.

Vaccinations

We advise you to consult your GP or health center for up-to-date information about vaccinations. Since we are not medical experts, our advice on vaccinations and other medical matters can only be informal.

Day 1 – Addis Ababa

We will meet  at the airport and take you to your hotel for check-in. The first day will be spent in the fascinating capital of the country: Addis Ababa. Depending on your time of arrival we take you on a half- day or full-day city tour, visiting some sites of your choice like the Ethnographic Museum, National Museum, Trinity Cathedral, Mercato (the largest market in Africa) or the Entoto Hills just outside Addis Ababa.

Day 2 – Addis Ababa – Awash NP, 200 km/ ~4 hr

After breakfast we will pick you up from your hotel for the half day journey to Awash National Park. At arrival we check-in in the hotel and enjoy lunch. In the afternoon we go out to explore Awash National Park. Game drives and walks are available to encounter the wildlife and enjoy the scenery. You are likely to see beisa oryx, kudu, defassa waterbuck, Soemmering’s gazelle, warthog and baboon. The park is also a great place for birdwatchers.

Day 3 Awash NP – Logiya, 375 km/ ~6 hr

The long drive of today through the Rift Valley leads us into the Afar region and we are going to meet the first of the brave Afar people in which their homeland we will be traveling the coming week. If you are lucky, you might see some game while traversing the Yangudi Rassa NP which holds the last population of the African Wild Donkey.

Day 4 Logiya – Afrera, 230 km

Today we enter the Danakil but before we do so we have to finalize our entry permits (which have been applied for well before departure from Addis Ababa) in Semera, the regional capital. The destination for today is the salt lake of Afrera where we see the salt extraction from the lake.

Day 5 Afrera – Dodom, 75 km

We continue our journey through the Danakil towards Dodom, a small settlement and base for approaching the Erta Ale volcano.

Day 6 Dodom – Erta Ale

Very early in the morning, taking advantage of the ‘cooler’ hours of the day, we start our ascent to the rim of the caldera of Erta Ale. It takes about 3 hours to cover the distance of 10 km and 500m of altitude. A camel caravan will accompany us with our luggage and equipment. The rest of the day we explore the fascinating features of the volcano.

(it is possible to add an extra day at Erta Ale, exploring more of this extraordinary place)

Day 7 Erta Ale – Dodom

After observing sunset over the spectacular, fire spitting, crater lake we return to our base camp in Dodom. Depending on time and conditions, we will spend the night here or continue some hours towards Ahmed Ale.

Day 8 Dodom – Ahmed Ela, 92 km

A sometimes very rough track leads us north to the settlement of Ahmed Ela, base for the salt caravans transporting the precious salt from the nearby Lake Asale to the market in Mekele. It is a place with lots of activity connected to the arrival and departure of the endless caravans. Ahmed Ale is our base for the coming days, we will explore the surrounding area.

Day 9 Ahmed Ela (Lake Asale)

Today we follow the camel caravans to Lake Asale to observe the harvesting of the salt. It is a centuries old handcraft of cutting and shaping the salt blocks. Sometimes thousands of camels are present to take the load and transport it to Mekele. We will have ample time to follow the caravans on foot.

Day 10 Ahmed Ela (Dallol)

Be prepared to visit the place recorded as the hottest inhabited place on our planet. The ghost town of Dallol is an abandoned miners town and mostly constructed out of salt. Nearby lies the fantastic and extraordinary beautiful Dalol volcano where we will spend most of our day. Some say it is the most colorful place on the planet.

Day 11 Ahmed Ela – Mekele, 162 km

It is time to leave the heat and dust behind and go for a decent bath. Today we travel back into civilization and reach Mekele, the capital of Tigray.

Day 12 Mekele – Kombolcha, 496 km

Many options are available to continue our tour along the ‘Historic Route’, for instance we can visit the nearby rock-hewn churches of Tigray or the more famous rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. We then head back to Addis Ababa, we will follow the tar road to the south through beautiful mountainous area.

(when you arrive in Kombolcha on a Sunday it is recommended to add one day to you tour to visit the Bati market on Monday and spend one extra day in Kombolcha)

Day 13 Kombolcha – Addis Ababa, 376 km/ ~8 hr

The last day of your unforgettable visit to Ethiopia brings us back to Addis Ababa. A hotel room for day-use is available. We say goodbye to dear friends with a visit to a cultural restaurant, enjoying the great Ethiopian food together along with traditional music and dance from all over the fascinating country. After diner we will take you to the airport for your flight back home.

(it is possible to fly from Mekele to Addis Ababa on day 12)