Top 5 Most Common Ways to Get Around in Ethiopia

Travel in Ethiopia is unique in that there can be many stories to be had from each mode of transport. Time is a loosely fixed concept in this beautiful country where people and interactions are more important than keeping a detailed agenda and upholding scheduled meetings. If someone encounters a friend or a family member on the way to a meeting, there is no hesitation to stop and talk for a minute or ten.

Thus, transportation is more of a means of interaction than a means of getting from point A to point B in a timely fashion. Life is about people and not about the clock. This is something I believe the Western world could stand to learn and accept into normal day-to-day life.

Today is a snapshot into the Top 5 Most Common Modes of Transport in Ethiopia. It’s not all to uncommon from the rest of the world, but there are things to know to help any traveler in his/her visit in Ethiopia to make it less stressful and more enjoyable.

#1 - Foot

This may seem less of a mode of transit than just human motion, but it is one of the most common ways people get around. Unless the day is really hot or bright, distance determines whether people take to the road by foot or by some other means. If it is a short distance (less than a mile or two), then by foot it is! 

Many times, one needs to walk a bit of a way before she can find any other form of transit. I walk about a half mile to a mile each time I want to get a taxi. Other times, I take a taxi to a certain point then walk the rest of the way, sometimes uphill. 

This is one of the many reasons why it is hard to keep a firm time schedule in Ethiopia because walking is a big part of getting from place to place. Not only is it slow going, but many times you will run into someone you know and you stop a moment to chat.

Other times, as is my luck, you get to encounter the “wildlife” of Ethiopia while walking. I’ve been detoured once due to charging donkeys while other times I’ve had to keep my head on swivel as my head became the landing pad for a pesky bird hovering about.

#2 - Gari (Horse cart)

This is a mode of transit I try to avoid. Not because it is unsafe, but because I’m uncoordinated, and I’m fat. So even if I manage to somehow get into carriage (which foot goes first in clambering up?), I always fear I might be the last straw that broke the horse’s back. 

Nevertheless, it is pretty common in the rural areas where roads aren’t paved or in areas where there is a long stretch of road that isn’t highly trafficked by bigger vehicles. A cart can typically carry three individuals, not including the driver; although many times it can be loaded up beyond capacity.

Another usage of a gari is to transport materials like cement sacks or cinder blocks for construction in the area. It isn’t uncommon to see people using them as u-hauls either. I’ve done it on occasion, but, again, I have to be careful as not to let a big, white guy overburden a horse!

Not to steer you away from trying this style of transport, but one of the most memorable journey’s I’ve had on a gari ended with a rearing up of the horse and the cart going vertical. Definitely not the way to go, staring up at a horse while you’re on your back. 

But it’s nonetheless rather safe and convenient way to get around town. It’s also one of the cheaper methods of getting to where you need to be.

#3 - Bajaj (Tuk tuk, or motorized rickshaw)

This is probably the most common form of a private taxi in my area. It is versatile and is similar to a covered three-wheeled ATV. Like a gari, many times you can take one going down a long stretch of road where this is not a lot of traffic. The road I live on is a highway of sorts for Bajaj traffic. There are stops at both ends of the stretch of road where they wait in rows for travelers, stopping at the prompt of passengers.

Unlike the gari, these vehicles are allowed to travel on the main road in town which allows for services like private shuttling. It is also a pretty inexpensive way to go as it costs only about $2 to get from one end of town to the other.

My only caution is to be careful getting in and out as I have been known to lose several pairs of shorts to tears and snags on the door frame. I don’t have any horror stories or funny tales with traveling in a Bajaj--probably because it is a very efficient method of travel. I often call one when I go grocery shopping so I don’t have to carry ten bags all throughout town. 

#4 - Taxi (Minivan)

Probably a confusing misnomer for Western travelers, the taxi is the most used method of transit that is very inexpensive. These taxis are 12-seater minivans that often holds 15 or so people, including the driver and taxi helper. I have been in a few where they’ve been packed to 21 people. But recent crackdowns on passenger safety has made sure a taxi isn’t over capacity.

There are two types of taxi-minivans. One is used for within a city and is usually designated with blue and white stripes. Each taxi follows a certain route. In my town of Bishoftu there are about three different routes: One is to the Air Force area, the other to lake Babagayu which is a resort area, both on one of town whereas the other end of town is differentiated simply by going all the way one way or stopping short and returning back to the city. 

There are hand gestures that help you identify where the taxis are heading if you can’t read the sign on top of the van, but if you are visiting Bishoftu there is rarely any need to pick and choose between the two because most of your travel needs would be within the nucleus of town.

One of my most embarrassing mishaps with traveling in a taxi-minivan was climbing into the front seat and leaning on the chair to scoot over and the entire seat collapsing backwards, planting me right in the lap of another passenger. So, yet again, the big white foreigner is making a scene which he can’t escape the stares until he reaches his destination 15 minutes later.

The other type of taxi-minivan is one that travels from one city to another. These are generally identifiable with a single dark color. I’ve spent my fair share of traveling by these inter-city buses during my months at language school. These often are not as packed as an in-city taxi since passengers are generally in the long haul for at least an hour.

#5 - Private car

Cars are generally property of the rich or used as what we would more commonly refer to as taxis. The average person does not have a car, nor would they use one to get around as they are generally more expensive to use. A typical trip is about $40 and only worth it if you are traveling to many places or transporting a lot of things between the towns. It’s much more cost-efficient to take public taxi-minivan. 

There is a lot more control over where you go, what you do, and what you see if you take a private taxi, so it is definitely a more ideal way to explore the city of Addis Abeba. I’ve taken one to visit the National Museum (a story for another day) and to stock up on groceries I can’t find here in Bishoftu. 

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There you have it. Transportation in Ethiopia is fairly normal and uneventful. But when there is an event, you need to just go with the flow and let it be. If the taxi is late, or if the traffic is bonkers, or if you tear your pants, you need to let it roll off you. If you let it ruin your day, then you will miss out on many great adventures in a wonderful country!

If you are visiting with an organization or group that has a car, try to take a break from driving everywhere and step into the day-to-day world of Ethiopia where you can meet lots of different people and experience new adventures with every step of the way.

Take a gari. Visit the gorgeous resorts of Bishoftu by going in a bajaj. Go for a morning walk to get your breakfast. The stories you will find yourself telling may very well be the ones you experienced when traveling like a local, unencumbered by a Western hustle and bustle.

-Kevin the Nomad