20 Days in Ethiopia 🇪🇹: 1000+ RMB Budget Guide

1. A 20-day Ethiopian adventure doesn’t need a big wallet—here’s how to plan it for 1000+ RMB. Let’s start with flights: My ticket from Cairo (Egypt) to Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) with a Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) layover cost 1094 RMB. It’s not direct, but the layover was quick, and the price beat direct options. Pro tip: Book 2–3 weeks in advance—last-minute fares spike! 🌍✈️💰 2. On-the-ground basics: Visa on arrival is 60 USD (cash is safer than cards—machines sometimes fail). Currency exchange? The RMB-Birr rate is about 1:19. I used Taishan Exchange, but some Chinese supermarkets in Addis also swap cash—just check their rates first. Don’t forget a SIM card: 76 RMB buys a month of unlimited data, so you won’t get lost or disconnected. 🛂💱📶 3. Where to stay (all prices in Birr, 1:19 to RMB): In Addis, stick to areas like Hayahulet or Lotus Building—800 Birr for a single room, 1500 for a double, and yes, hot water. Hawassa’s Frannsis Classic Bedrooms is a steal: 700 Birr for a single with hot water, close to the lake. Yirgacheffe’s Lesiwon Hotel (500 Birr/single, hot water) is great for coffee lovers. Arba Minch’s Beteseb Pension, Turmi’s Turmi Green Hotel, and Key afer’s Sami Pension all charge 500 Birr/single—no hot water, but mosquito nets keep you safe. 🏡🌙💧 4. Transport: Minibuses and buses are cheap and frequent. Addis to Hawassa: 850 Birr by bus, departs 9:30 AM, 5 hours. Hawassa to Yirgacheffe: take a minibus to Dilla (170 Birr), then another to Yirgacheffe (70 Birr). Hawassa to Arba Minch: 600 Birr by minibus (direct or via Sodo). Arba Minch to Turmi: 200 Birr to Konso, then 500 Birr to Turmi. Most rides leave when full, but arrive before sunset—rural roads are dark and unlit. 🚐🚌🌞 5. Eating well without overspending: Injera (fermented for 3 days) is tangy—ask for bread if it’s too sour. Coffee: 10–30 Birr at local spots, 90–150 Birr at cafes. Grilled meat: 350–550 Birr/portion (cheaper in the south). Snacks and drinks: 2L water (30 Birr), avocado juice (cheapest in Arba Minch at 40–50 Birr), watermelons (150–300 Birr/each), avocados (50–100 Birr/kg), sugarcane (10 Birr/stick), and Hawassa’s crispy fried fish (100 Birr/)—don’t miss that! 🥩🍉☕ #EthiopiaBudgetTrip #20DaysEthiopia #TravelOnABudget #Ethiopion