Bush Camping is possible all over the country. We as well did bush camping and had never the problem which other traveller report of being disturbed by locals. What you in general must get used to is, that as soon as you stop somewhere and this can be the most remote area, you are quickly surrounded by a lot of people. They do not bother you but be curious what you are doing, what strange things you carry with you. In more touristic areas you hear “gimme, gimme” for “give me” mostly children are begging for money. In some areas the empty 5 liter water containers are searched for and they beg for this. (See separate Article on this topic coming up soon).
Generally spoken there are hardly any real campsites, but Hotels where they have often space for camping.
Ethiopia Campsites:
Ahmed Ale Camp N14 05.116 E40 16.679 (North East – Camp for Hikers)
Arba Minch Bekele Mola Hotel N6 00.309 E37 33.104 (Arba Minch – Nice Hotel with perfect view over the mountains and to the national park. Terrace to have a cool beer.)
Awash Rest Camp and Restaurant N8 52.689 E40 05.728 (Inside Awash National Park)
Awash River Campsite N8 50.871 E40 00.273 (Inside Awash National Park)
Aksum Yeha Hotel N14 07.954 E38 43.344 (Aksum – camping possible in the back yard, no shower, but electricity)
Aynameda Campsite N13 14.489 E38 07.207 (Inside Simiens Mountains National Park – no dogs and cats allowed in, the rangers have a facilities to watch for the dogs, we did not try this option)
Bahir Dar Ghion Hotel’s Camping area N11 35.852 E37 23.146 (Bahir Dar – Very nice Hotel with view on Lake Tana, with garden restaurant. Campsite is not so fine, but you get electricity and a key for a room with shower and toilet. Safe place to leave the car when making a boat trip)
Bale Mountains Np campsite N7 05.758 E39 47.540 (Inside Bale NP)
Base camp (hiker) Danakil Depression N13 34.235 E40 35.664 (Danakil – check out security before you travel there)
Bekele Mola Campsite N7 32.939 E38 41.033 (Lake Langano)
Bekele Mola Hotel (Moyale Ethiopia) N3 32.897 E39 02.898 (Spacious Hotel for camping, electricity, you get key for shower)
Bel Air (rooftop camping) N9 01.855 E38 46.508 (Addis Ababa)
Belegez Pension N12 36.634 E37 28.316 (Gondar – small guest house with possibility for two to three cars to camp in the yard. Situated close to Palace district)
Beseka Lake Camping N8 54.451 E39 52.236 (Inside Awash National Park)
Blue Nile Falls car park N11 29.188 E37 35.676 (Nile Falls parking where you can stay overnight)
Boqol Mayo Camp Site N4 32.812 E41 31.934 (Boqol Mayo)
Buske Lodge and Campsite N4 58.384 E36 30.952 (Turmi – huge real campsite, shadow, electricity, shower, small bar)
Camp Chennek N13 15.714 E38 11.605 (Inside Simien NP)
Camp Site Awash Headquarter N8 50.753 E40 00.423 (Inside Awash NP)
Camping site Nechisar NP N6 00.194 E37 33.323 (Inside Nechisar NP)
Campsite Amaro Town N5 53.302 E37 41.530 (Close to town)
Campsite Lake Abaya N5 58.265 E37 35.573 (Inside Nechisar NP – Lake Abaya – Pay attention Crocodiles)
Campsite on Lake Hayk N11 19.540 E39 41.292 (Lake Hayk)
Campsite under large tree N7 17.840 E38 20.084 (Aje – not certain unconfirmed)
Enramed Campsite N5 59.843 E37 34.264 (Inside Nechisar NP)
Hotel Shebel N10 19.940 E37 43.736 (Debre Markos – Camping in yard of Hotel, restaurant, you get key for room to shower and electricity)
Jinka Rocky Campsite N5 46.297 E36 34.972 (Arkesha to Jinka)
Jinka Resort Hotel/Camping N5 46.783 E36 33.966 (Jinka – camping under trees, shower at the staffs area)
Karkaro Beach Campsite N7 35.842 E38 41.646 (Lake Langano)
Komba village Campsite N5 54.305 E36 23.092 (North of Jinka)
Katcha campsite N6 42.985 E39 43.574 (Outside Bale Mountain NP)
Key Afer Camping N5 31.413 E36 43.926 (Key Afer)
Key Afer Aman Hotel (Camping) N5 31.213 E36 43.970 (Key Afer)
Konso campsite N5 20.428 E37 26.648 (Konso)
Konso Organic Restcamp N5 20.653 E37 26.253 (Konso – nice little camp with traditional huts as rooms and organic vegetables, good small restaurant. Camping at car Park)
Lal Hotel N12 01.601 E39 02.418 (Lalibela – camping in yard, you get a room key for shower and electricity. not far to walk to the churches)
Mago National Park Campsite N5 40.160 E36 24.982
Mango Campsite N4 58.570 E36 30.945 (Turmi – it was closed 2010)
Murille Camp N5 09.829 E36 11.610 (Murille)
Murille Campsite 2 N4 46.667 E36 09.172 (At the border to Kenya)
Nechisar Campsite N5 59.804 E37 34.374 (Inside Nechisar)
Oasis Camp N11 47.677 E41 00.386 (Samara)
Paint Box Rest Camp N9 02.348 E38 46.154 (Addis Ababa)
Paradise Lodge Camping N6 00.569 E37 33.330 (Arba Minch)
Sabana Beach Resort N7 35.542 E38 41.442 (Lake Langano)
Saneti Campsite N6 51.000 E39 52.891 (Inside Bale Mountains NP)
Simien Park Hotel N13 09.159 E37 53.906 (Debark, not in NP. Basic Hotel with small restaurant. Space for two vehicles in the yard)
Sodota campsite N6 59.505 E39 42.149 (Bale Mountains NP)
Sof Omar Campsite N6 54.345 E40 50.945 (Ngoduru)
Seti Hotel Melele N13 29.752 E39 28.658 (Mekele – Very friendly Owners, camping in yard of hotel, shower, electricity)
Tendaho Russ Camp N11 44.319 E41 03.418 (Samara)
Tim and Kim Rest Camp N12 13.740 E37 17.930 (Lake Tana – extremely beautiful place with view over lake Tana, showers, electricity comes from batteries. Kim is cooking good food for overlander. Good place to hang around.)
Turmi Campsite N4 58.202 E36 29.755 (Turmi)
Turmy Tourist Hotel N4 58.068 E36 29.454 (Turmi – guest house, camping in yard, bar,restaurant,electricity, nice place)
Wabe Shebele Langano N7 39.012 E38 42.369 (Lake Langano – Nice Hotel, not a real Campsite but you get the key for a room and electricity. Quiet ambience)
Wenchi Campsite N8 47.327 E37 52.651 (Close to Ambo)
Wim’s Holland House N9 00.593 E38 45.314 (Addis Ababa – Overlander meeting spot, good restaurant and bar. Shower, Electricity, walking distance to centre, even with GPS hard to find. Follow Churchill Road until the end, in front of the railway station turn left into a gravel road and second gravel left again.)
Wondo Genet Hot Springs Resort N7 05.009 E38 38.249 (Shashemene)
Yavello Motel N4 53.036 E38 08.413 (Yabello – possibility to camp in front of hotel, shadow, no electricity, toilet in restaurant)
Zpeb Camp N5 02.646 E43 16.430 (Kohale)