Eritrea travel guide

Getting there

Asmara International Airport is the only major gateway, with limited flights from the Middle East and East Africa. Land borders are frequently closed or restricted for foreign travellers.

Best time to visit: Oct–Apr for the highlands; Nov–Mar for the coast.

Tougher months: June-September on the coast, when Massawa is extremely hot and humid; July-August brings the main rains to the highlands.

Weather by month in Asmara

• 23°J
• 24°F
• 26°M
• 26°A●
• 27°M●
• 27°J●
• 23°J●●
• 22°A●●
• 24°S●
• 23°O
• 22°N
• 22°D

Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: Africa/Nairobi. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 4 of 198 other passports can enter Eritrea without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 0 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 194 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Background: Visa policy of Eritrea (Wikipedia).

Official advisory: Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (U.S. Department of State, updated 2023-07-31). Read the advisory.

Source and more: Eritrea travel facts on RoamSun

Stay

Most trips to Eritrea are based around Asmara, Massawa or Dahlak Archipelago. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$40–60 for a backpacker and US$80–150 mid-range, per person.

Source: RoamSun Eritrea page · Browse hotel guides

Connect

Plug types: C, L. Voltage: 230 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +291.

Mobile data: read the travel eSIM setup guide before you fly so the plan is installed and ready on landing.

Source: Advinne eSIM guide · RoamSun

Do

• Asmara (Highlands · capital): A clean, safe-feeling city famed for its 1930s Italian modernist architecture and café culture.
• Massawa (Red Sea coast · port): A historic port of coral-stone buildings showing Ottoman, Egyptian and Italian influences.
• Dahlak Archipelago (Red Sea · islands & diving): Over a hundred islands surrounded by unspoilt reefs, reached by boat from Massawa.
• Keren (Western highlands · market town): A lively town of markets, mosques and churches, plus a famous baobab shrine at St Mary's.
• Qohaito (Southern highlands · archaeology): Remains of an Aksumite-era town set on a dramatic plateau edge.
• Filfil (Eastern escarpment · forest): A green, misty region of forested hills, a surprising contrast to the dry highlands.
• Senafe & Metera (Southern highlands · ruins): A town ringed by huge rock outcrops, with the ancient stelae and ruins of Metera nearby.
• Debre Bizen Monastery (Near Nefasit · Orthodox monastery): A centuries-old mountaintop monastery with fine views; traditionally only men may enter.

Things to do

• Tour Asmara's modernist architecture. Spot the Fiat Tagliero service station, Cinema Impero and dozens of Art Deco gems from the 1930s.
• Join the passeggiata. Stroll Harnet Avenue at dusk with locals, then stop for a macchiato in a vintage café.
• Ride the old railway. Charter a ride on the restored mountain railway as it winds through tunnels and over bridges toward the coast.
• Explore Massawa's old town. Wander coral-block houses, Ottoman-era mosques and arcaded streets on the island of Taulud and Massawa.
• Dive the Dahlak Archipelago. Snorkel or dive pristine, little-visited Red Sea reefs around remote desert islands.
• Visit Keren's Monday market. Watch traders buy and sell camels and livestock in this lively market town.
• See Asmara's markets. Browse the Medebar recycling market, where artisans turn scrap into tools and household goods.
• Explore Qohaito's ruins. Discover ancient columns, a dam and rock art on a high plateau overlooking deep canyons.

Source: full Eritrea guide on RoamSun

Eat and drink

• Zigni – spicy meat stew served with injera
• Injera – spongy sourdough flatbread
• Shiro – smooth chickpea stew
• Ful – mashed fava beans for breakfast

Source: RoamSun Eritrea guide

Money and safety

Currency: Eritrean nakfa (ERN). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: Small tips appreciated in restaurants and for guides.

Emergency numbers: 113 police · 114 ambulance · 116 fire.

• Eritrea is a cash economy; bring enough euros or US dollars for your whole stay.
• Foreign credit cards and ATMs are generally not usable for visitors.
• Asmara has low street crime, but always check your government's latest travel advice, as some areas are restricted.
• Border regions, especially near Ethiopia and Djibouti, may be off-limits or advised against.

Source: RoamSun Eritrea facts