Table of contents
Culture and History / Travel to Mekele, visa requirements / Get around / Mekele attractions and sightseeing / City tours / Shopping, Mekele souvenirs / Good restaurants and cheap meals / Mekele nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Hotels, youth hostels, lodging / Get outMekele is in the Tigrayan Highlands in Ethiopia.
Culture and History
Mekele, or the small town of Wukro just to the north, can be used as a base to explore the many rock-hewn churches of Tigray that are 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.
Travel to Mekele - Visa Requirements
Tours and Getting around Mekele
Mekele tourist attractions and sightseeing
Yohannis IV Museum - in the old palace opposite the Atse Yohannis Hotel Chele Anka Waterfall - 8km out of Mekele, to the southwest - a nice hike to get there, more dramatic in the rainy season.
Mekele city tours
Sit on the balcony of the Atse Yohannis Hotel (situated near Ethiopian Telecomms building, on the roundabout that has a sometimes-on fountain in its centre) and watch the world go by while having a coffee/cold beer/fresh juice/lunch/dinner. It's a nice view and you're up on the first floor so you're away from beggars and street-stares.
Walk around the town, the tree-lined streets are pleasant to walk around and observe life going on around you.
Mekele souvenirs and shopping
Mekele Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive
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.
The Geza Gerelassie - eating/drinking/dancing venue, has great beef dishes such as shish kebab and shekla tibs. Live Ethiopian music and dancing at the weekend (or is it Thursday and Saturday nights - maybe someone else can confirm?).
Pizza and other 'ferenji' dishes as well as national food in the Yordanos restaurant beside the Abreha Castle Hotel. They have another branch down the road into the town, called Yordanos Blue (this one doesn't have pizza but has everything else).
Mekele nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs
Mekele cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging
Get out
Go to the Geza Gerelassie on a Thursday or Saturday night for live Ethiopian music and dancing - everyone gets up and joins in, it's good fun. They have good food too and a bar.
This page was last edited by Wikitravel user ChubbyWimbus. Based on work by Tim Sandell, Tom Holland and kevin, Wikitravel user(s) WindHorse and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license
