Ethiopia
Dire Dawa travel guide
Dire Dawa is a city in Ethiopia, home to about 277,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- DIR5 km · Aba Tenna Dejazmach Yilma International Airport
- Currency
- ETBbir
- Time zone
- Africa/Addis Ababa
- Language
- Amharic
About
About Dire Dawa
Dire Dawa (Oromo: Dirree Dhawaa, lit. 'Place of Remedy'; Somali: Diridhaba, meaning "where the Dir hit his spear into the ground" or "The true Dir", Amharic: ድሬዳዋ, Harari: ዲርሬዳዋ, lit.
Dire Dawa (which means "Place of Remedy") is one of two chartered cities in Ethiopia (the other being Addis Ababa, the capital). Dire Dawa was founded in 1902 after the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway reached the area. The railway could not reach the city of Harar at its higher elevation, so Dire Dawa was built nearby. It is a major hub for many ethnic groups in Ethiopia, especially the Afar, Oromo, and Somali. The city is an industrial center on the Dechatu River, and home to several markets.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Dire Dawa
See
- Palace of Haile Selassie
Do
Most of the residents of the city chew the narcotic leaves known as "Chat" (aka qat, khat, catha edulis). In the afternoon, in many places, Dire Dawans sit in circle and consume khat, with several cups of coffee. During this time there could be a heated discussion. Avoid political topics, especially with the Ethiopian Somalis or Somali refugees. Other than that, you could have an interesting experience with the lightly narcotic drug. Twice yearly (July and December) there is a religious ceremony at the nearby city of Kulubi (30 birr by minibus, 1 hour).
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Dire Dawa
Dire Dawa has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. June is the warmest month, with average highs of 36 °C; August is the wettest, with about 127 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Dire Dawa: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Aba Tenna Dejazmach Yilma International Airport (DIR), about 4.7 km from the city centre in a straight line; Gerad Wilwal International Airport (JIJ, 118 km) is also within reach.
Getting around
The blue and white minibuses are in abundance in Dire Dawa, as are the small blue bajaji (auto rickshaws). These are easily hail-able from the street. Most Dire Dawa taxi drivers don't have a sense of time, if you tell your contracted taxi driver to pick you up or drop you of at a certain time, expect him to be late an hour or two.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
DIR · Aba Tenna Dejazmach Yilma International Airport
JIJ · Gerad Wilwal International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Dire Dawa
Stay safe
Generally safe. However, you need to pay attention to your belongings. Your backpacks, camera and other shiny tourist items can attract pickpockets and con artists. Immigration of Somalis and a tension that may have created with locals has resulted in the city being heavily policed. Avoid political discussions, especially in regards to Somalia.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Dire Dawa: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Dire Dawa?
Dire Dawa has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. June is the warmest month, with average highs of 36 °C; August is the wettest, with about 127 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Dire Dawa?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Aba Tenna Dejazmach Yilma International Airport (DIR), about 4.7 km from the city centre in a straight line; Gerad Wilwal International Airport (JIJ, 118 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Dire Dawa?
bir (ETB).
Nearby
Destinations near Dire Dawa
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.