Tigray Region · Ethiopia
Mekele travel guide
Mekele is a city in Tigray Region, Ethiopia, home to about 324,000 people.
- Best months
- September to March
- Nearest airport
- MQX7 km · Mekele Alula Aba Nega Airport
- Currency
- ETBbir
- Time zone
- Africa/Addis Ababa
- Language
- Amharic
About
About Mekele
Mekelle (Tigrinya: መቐለ, romanized: Mek'ele) is a special zone and capital of the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Mekelle was formerly the capital of Enderta awraja in Tigray.
Mekele (or the smaller towns of Wukro and Hawzien to the north) can be used as a base to explore the many rock-hewn churches scattered across the stunning high-desert landscape of northern Tigray. The churches are as rewarding to visit as they are (often) difficult to reach. Abuna Yemata Guh is a particular highlight, although not recommended for those without a head for heights. The tourist office in Wukro can help to arrange guides and transport.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Mekele
See
- Abreha Castel Hotel
- Romanat Waterfall
- Hawelti Semaetat - Martyrs' Memorial Monument
- Choma'a Hill
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Mekele
2 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Atse Yohannes Hotel | 0.3 km | |
| Mekelle Hotel | 2.0 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Mekele
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Mekele are September to March. June is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; August is the wettest, with about 213 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 Mekele: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mekele Alula Aba Nega Airport (MQX), about 6.9 km from the city centre in a straight line; Axum Airport (AXU, 105 km) is also within reach.
Getting in
Coming from Axum there are three types of buses: public buses, minibuses and shared taxi. The buses depart from Axum in the early morning. If you want to go to Mekele in the afternoon you have to go by either minibus with a stopover in Adwa or by shared taxi. Ask at the bus station for certain taxi companies. The public bus should be about 65 birr, the minibus 90 birr and the shared taxi around 100 birr. From Addis Ababa buses depart early morning from Meskel square, cost around 600 ETB and take about 14 hours (July 2019).
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
MQX · Mekele Alula Aba Nega Airport
AXU · Axum Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Mekele
Eat
There are quite a few 'ferenji' restaurants in Mekele, serving pizza, meat, chicken, fish, vegetables and salads. There's also lots of national food restaurants and many cake/pastry/coffee shops.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Mekele: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Mekele?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Mekele are September to March. June is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C; August is the wettest, with about 213 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Mekele?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mekele Alula Aba Nega Airport (MQX), about 6.9 km from the city centre in a straight line; Axum Airport (AXU, 105 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Mekele?
bir (ETB).
Nearby
Destinations near Mekele
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.