Eritrea
Eritrea lies on the Red Sea coast of the Horn of Africa, between Sudan, Ethiopia and Djibouti. It is one of the least-visited countries in Africa. Travel here needs planning: you must get a visa in advance, and you need a permit to travel outside the Asmara area. The UK FCDO advises against all travel within 25 km of all of Eritrea's land borders, including the borders with Ethiopia and Djibouti. See the safety section before you plan any route.
The capital, Asmara, sits on a highland plateau at over 2,000 m. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its Italian-era modernist architecture, built mainly between the 1890s and 1941. From the highlands, a road and a historic railway drop to the hot coast at Massawa, an old port town built of coral stone and the gateway to the Dahlak Archipelago. Eritrea suits patient, independent-minded travellers who enjoy architecture, history and quiet places, and who can accept strict rules and very limited internet.
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Money & payments
Eritrea is a cash-only country. Credit cards are not accepted, and there are no ATMs. Bring all the money you need for your trip in cash, ideally clean US dollar or euro notes.
- Exchange: change foreign cash only at Himbol, the state exchange office. You can also pay in foreign currency at official hotels. Keep every receipt. When you leave, you may need to show that you exchanged your money officially.
- Declaration: declare foreign cash of USD 10,000 or more when you arrive.
- Leaving: you may not take more than 1,000 nakfa out of the country. Spend or change your remaining nakfa before departure.
- Black market: do not change money on the street or with private individuals.
- Costs: local cafés, food and buses are cheap. Hotels, tours, car hire with a driver and boat trips cost much more.
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Tours & Activities
Eritrea — Map
Tipping
Tipping is not a strong tradition, but it is appreciated in places that serve visitors. In restaurants and cafés, rounding up the bill or leaving about 10 % is a kind gesture. Taxi drivers do not expect a tip. Drivers and guides on tours usually expect a tip at the end of the trip. In hotels, a small tip for porters is welcome.
round up or about 10 %
for drivers and guides at the end of a tour
small tip for porters
round up
Electricity
Eritrea uses 230 V at 50 Hz with two-pin European plugs and Italian-style three-pin plugs, so bring a universal adapter. Power cuts happen, so a power bank is useful.
Language
Eritrea has no single official language. Tigrinya, Arabic and English are the main working languages. Tigrinya is the most widely spoken language in Asmara and the highlands. Arabic and Tigre are common in the lowlands and on the coast. Several other local languages are spoken across the country.
English is widely understood in Asmara, especially by younger people, and it is used in secondary education. Many older people speak some Italian. Tigrinya uses the Ge'ez script, but many shop and street signs in Asmara also show English or Italian.
Staying connected
Plan to be mostly offline in Eritrea.
- No roaming: international SIM cards do not work, and there is no roaming or mobile data service. Tell family and colleagues before you travel.
- Local SIM: a local SIM card is very hard to get for tourists. It requires a residence permit.
- Internet: access is slow and limited, mainly to hotels and internet cafés in Asmara and larger towns. Download maps, documents and entertainment before you arrive.
Safety & emergencies
Asmara is generally calm and has a low rate of crime. But official travel advice carries serious warnings, and consular help is very limited.
- Border areas: as of 27 July 2026, the UK FCDO advises against all travel to within 25 km of all of Eritrea's land borders. This covers the borders with Sudan, Ethiopia and Djibouti. There is military activity and a fragile security situation in the region, and it can change quickly.
- US advice: the US State Department rates Eritrea Level 2, "Exercise Increased Caution" (31 July 2023). It warns of landmines and the risk of wrongful detention.
- Landmines: they remain in several areas, including around Nakfa, Adi Keyh, Areza, the 40 km-wide region between the Setit and Mereb rivers, areas north and west of Keren, and near Massawa, Ghinda, Dekemhare, Agordat and Barentu, and south of Tessenei. Stay on used roads and paths.
- Travel permits: foreign visitors need a permit to travel outside Asmara's province, Zoba Maekel. Apply in Asmara several days ahead. Carry the permit and your passport, and show them at checkpoints.
- Photography: it is illegal to photograph government buildings and military sites. Take care where security staff are present. The tank graveyard in Asmara needs a permit. Breaking these rules can lead to arrest.
- Detention: foreign nationals have been detained without charge, and embassies may not get access to them. Follow all local rules and instructions.
- Dual nationals: if you are of Eritrean origin, the authorities may treat you as an Eritrean citizen. This can bring obligations such as national service, and your other country's embassy may not be able to help.
- Crime: street crime is low but it happens, especially at night. Do not walk alone after dark, and keep valuables in the hotel safe.
- At sea: do not enter Eritrean waters by boat without permission. There is a risk of military activity in the Red Sea and of piracy in the nearby Gulf of Aden.
Health
Do not drink tap water. Drink bottled or treated water. Medical care is limited. Asmara has three public hospitals, but hospitals in other towns are often poorly equipped. Get travel insurance that covers medical evacuation.
- Medicines: only a limited range is available. Bring enough of any regular medicine for your whole stay, plus extra.
- Altitude: Asmara and the highlands lie at over 2,000 m. Take it easy on your first day, and drink plenty of water.
- Malaria: there is a risk in the lowlands, but not in Asmara. Ask a travel clinic about antimalarial tablets if you visit the coast or the west.
- Heat: the coast around Massawa is extremely hot in summer. Carry water and avoid the midday sun.
- Vaccinations: see a travel health clinic at least 8 weeks before your trip. You may need a yellow fever certificate, depending on your route.
Visas & entry
All visitors need a visa, and you must get it before you travel. Apply at an Eritrean embassy or consulate well in advance, because processing can take time. Do not plan on getting a visa at the airport.
- Passport: it must be valid for at least 6 months after arrival, with at least 2 blank facing pages.
- Travel permit: your visa does not allow travel outside the Asmara area. You need a separate permit for that, issued in Asmara.
- Money: declare foreign cash of USD 10,000 or more on arrival, and keep your exchange receipts for departure.
- Dual nationals: if you enter on an Eritrean identity card, you need an exit permit from the Immigration Office in Asmara to leave.
- Yellow fever: you may need a vaccination certificate, depending on your travel route.
Visa and entry requirements change frequently. Verify current requirements with the official immigration authority or your country's embassy before travel.
Etiquette
Eritreans are generally polite, reserved and welcoming. Society is conservative, and Christians and Muslims each make up a large share of the population.
- Dress: wear clothes that cover shoulders and knees, especially outside Asmara and at religious sites. Take off your shoes before you enter a church or a mosque.
- Monasteries: some Orthodox monasteries, such as Debre Bizen, do not allow women to enter.
- Photography: always ask before you photograph people. Never photograph military sites, checkpoints or government buildings.
- Coffee ceremony: if you are invited to a coffee ceremony at home, accept if you can. It usually includes three rounds of coffee and takes time.
- Greetings: greet people before you ask a question. Use your right hand to give and take things, and to eat.
- Politics: avoid political discussions in public.
Holidays & opening hours
On public holidays, government offices, banks and many shops close. Orthodox Christian holidays follow the Ethiopian church calendar, and Islamic holidays, such as Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, move about 11 days earlier each year. Independence Day on 24 May brings large celebrations and parades in Asmara.
Most shops and offices close for a long lunch break in the middle of the day and open again in the afternoon. Many shops close on Sunday. In the evening, people in Asmara walk along the main street and sit in cafés.
Getting around
Travel outside the Asmara area needs a permit, so plan each route in advance. Most visitors travel by bus or hire a car with a driver.
- By bus: buses link Asmara with Keren, Massawa, Mendefera, Dekemhare and other towns. They are cheap and crowded, and they often leave early in the morning when full.
- By train: the historic narrow-gauge railway climbs from Massawa to Asmara through 39 tunnels and over 65 bridges. There is no regular timetable. Tour groups can charter a steam train or an old railcar, usually through an agency in Asmara.
- By car with a driver: tour agencies in Asmara can arrange a car, a driver and your travel permit together. This is the easiest way to reach sites such as Adulis or Qohaito.
- By boat: boats to the Dahlak Archipelago leave from Massawa. You need a permit, and trips are arranged in advance.
- In Asmara: the centre is compact and easy to explore on foot. Shared taxis and minibuses run along fixed routes. For a private taxi, agree the fare before you get in.
Driving
Driving yourself is possible, but most visitors hire a car with a local driver. A driver also knows the permit rules and the checkpoints.
- Documents: you need your national licence and a 1949 International Driving Permit. Carry your travel permit and passport at all times.
- Roads: road signs and safety barriers are rare, and surfaces are uneven. Conditions get worse in the rainy season.
- Mountain roads: the road from Asmara down to Massawa drops more than 2,000 m with many sharp bends. Drive slowly, and watch for trucks and animals.
- Checkpoints: police and army checkpoints are common on roads out of Asmara. Stop when asked and show your documents.
- Night driving: avoid driving outside towns after dark.
- Fuel: stations are few outside the main towns, and they take cash only. Fill up whenever you can.
- Electric vehicles: there is no public charging network.
Food & drink
Eritrean food is based on injera, a soft, sour flatbread called taita in Tigrinya. It is served with stews and eaten with your right hand. The best-known stew is zigni, spicy meat in a berbere pepper sauce. Shiro, a smooth chickpea stew, is a common everyday dish, and many Orthodox Christians eat only vegan food on fasting days. For breakfast, try ful, mashed fava beans with bread, or kicha fit-fit, torn flatbread with spiced butter.
Italian rule left a strong mark on food in Asmara. Pasta, pizza and pastries are everyday food, and the city has a lively café culture built around the macchiato. At home, coffee is made in a traditional ceremony. Local drinks include Asmara beer, homemade suwa (a grain beer) and mies, a honey wine. Most places to eat are simple local restaurants and cafés.
Where to explore
Asmara is the starting point for almost every trip. Its modernist buildings, such as the Fiat Tagliero service station, the Cinema Impero and the cathedrals, make the city a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The National Museum of Eritrea shows finds from the country's ancient sites. The Enda Mariam Orthodox Cathedral and the busy Medeber market are also worth a visit.
The highlands
- Keren, about 90 km from Asmara, is a green town with a lively Monday market for livestock and camels, a Commonwealth war cemetery and a small shrine inside a baobab tree.
- Debre Bizen, a monastery on a mountain top east of Asmara, is reached on foot. Women are not allowed to enter.
- Dekemhare and Mendefera are market towns south of Asmara.
- Qohaito, near Adi Keyh, is an ancient town on the edge of the plateau at over 2,500 m, with the ruins of a temple and an old dam. Check that your route stays outside the 25 km border zone.
The Red Sea coast
- Massawa is an old port with coral-stone houses, Ottoman-era buildings and the ruined Imperial Palace. It is very hot from June to September.
- The Dahlak Archipelago is a group of low desert islands off Massawa, known for coral reefs, diving and snorkelling. Dahlak Kebir is the largest island, with old cisterns and Islamic tombstones.
- Adulis, south of Massawa, was the port of the ancient Aksumite kingdom.
- Asseb, a port in the far south-east, is remote and rarely visited.
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