Good Time to Visit
Weather
Most rainfall is from June-September. The climate is cool in the uplands, warm in the hill country and hot and humid in the lowlands. (For more information, see Climate in Ethiopia).
Travellers are advised to bring light clothing when visiting lowland areas and medium- and lightweight clothes for the hill country. As there is often a dramatic temperature drop at night, warmer clothing may be needed for the evenings.
Festivals
The main events are Islamic and Coptic religious festivals. On 19 January Timkat (Epiphany) is widely celebrated when a sacred tablet representing the Biblical Ark of the Covenant is carried from churches and paraded in the streets. 23 July marks the birthday of the late Emperor Haile Selassie. Another big event is the Ethiopian New Year, in September.
Public Holidays
The following table shows the public holidays celebrated in Ethiopia:
Public Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 7 January | Ethiopian Christmas |
| 19 January | Timket (Epiphany) |
| 2 March | Victory of Adowa |
| April/May (variable) | Ethiopian Easter |
| 1 May | Labour Day |
| 5 May | Patriots Victory Day |
| 28 May | Downfall of the Dergue |
| September (variable) | Ethiopian New Year (Entutatash) |
| 27 September | Finding of the True Cross (Meskel) |
| Variable* | Mawlid al-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet) |
| Variable* | Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan) |
| Variable* | Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice) |
* Although Muslim holidays always fall on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date they are celebrated on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year, due to the fact that the Islamic calendar is lunar whilst the Gregorian calendar is solar. Because this lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, Islamic holy days usually shift 11 days earlier each successive solar year. The method used to determine when each Islamic month begins also varies from country to country.