All foreign nationals are required to secure an entry visa prior to arriving to Eritrea. An entry visa for foreign nationals is occasionally granted at the port of entry on specific, special circumstances. The traveler should contact the concerned officials to make prior arrangements as such. An exit visa is required for all individuals departing Eritrea. It is advisable to secure an exit visa no less than five business days before departure. Please see visa details for further information.

 

 

 

Eritrean Airlines, Lufthansa, Egypt Air, Yemenia and NasAir have weekly flights to and from Asmara.

 

 

There are two land entry gates to the country, via the Sudan and the Djibouti border.

 

 

Massawa and Assab, both located on the Red Sea, are Eritrea’s main sea-gates.

 

 

There are buses and taxis for travelers to get around the country. There is bus network that covers all regions of the country.

 

 

The main airports in Eritrea are the Asmara International Airport and the Massawa International Airport, which are located only a couple kilometers away from the respective city. The newly established, state-of-the-art Massawa International Airport will soon begin serving a wider carrier pool with more diverse schedules.

 

 

For money transfers, there are both Western Union outlets and Himbol Financial Services ready to serve your needs.

 

Banks are open from Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 11:00 in the mornings and 14:00 to 16:00 in the afternoons. They are also open on Saturday mornings, but closed on Sundays and holidays. The average business hours for various businesses are from 8:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 19:00 in mornings and afternoons respectively.

 

 

The capital city of Eritrea is Asmara, located almost in the central area of the country.

 

 

Telephone (both land line and mobile), telex or fax and the Internet are accessible in most main towns. The IDD code for Eritrea is + 291-1-XXXXXX for land lines and + 291-7-XXXXXX for mobiles.

 

 

The Eritrean currency is the Nakfa. It was named after the town called Nakfa, which was the stronghold of the Eritrean war for independence. The Nakfa has coins of 1 cent, 5 cent, 10 cent, 50 cent and 100 cent and notes of 1 Nakfa, 5 Nakfa, 10 Nakfa, 20 Nakfa, 50 Nakfa and 100 Nakfa.

 

 

Currency declaration is required of all travelers entering Eritrea. Currency declaration form is issued at the port of entry, and the traveler is required to present the same during the time of departure. Willful falsification and trade of foreign currency through unauthorized channels is a serious offence.

 

Electronic goods that are brought to Eritrea as gifts or for the purpose of conducting business must be declared and taxed. Taxation does not apply to goods that the traveler intends to carry during time of departure.

 

Malaria does exist in Eritrea so consult your doctor for an effective and non-resistant prophylactic, which you should start taking at least four weeks before your visit and continue taking until two weeks after your return home.

 

Medical care is limited. Travel insurance including emergency evacuation is advisable. Immunizations are advisable against yellow fever, polio, typhoid and tetanus. Hepatitis A immunization with Harvix vaccine is also advisable.

 

Doctors and dentists are scarce in many areas of the country, although hospitals are located in the main towns and cities. Visitors should bring sufficient supplies of any drugs that they need regularly. All visitors should be in possession of valid vaccination certificates against yellow fever, hepatitis and cholera. Malaria precautions should be taken before visiting the lowlands.

 

 

There are State and privately owned hotels in the country. Prices vary from hotel to hotel depending on the size of the room and the quality of the services they provide. It is advisable to make your hotel reservations in advance especially during the summer months and around the Christmas/New Years holidays.

 

Tigrinya, Arabic and English are the working languages of the country. English and Italian are both widely spoken and Amharic is widely understood.

 

Four newspapers are printed nationally. Haddas Eritrea is printed in Tigrinya, Tigre and Arabic. Both editions are on circulation throughout the week except on Mondays. Eritrea Profile, published in English, comes out every Wednesday and Saturday. There are also magazines published and disseminated frequently.

           

 

The population is estimated at 4 million. Eighty five percent of the population lives in rural areas while 30 percent lead a pastoralist way of life.

 

 

Photographs should not be taken of military or any strategic buildings; this includes the airport. Before photographing any person, religious festival or rural homestead it is courteous to ask permission.

 

The population is equally divided between the religions of Christianity and Islam. The population of the high plateau is predominantly Christian, whereas that of the lowlands and coastal areas are predominantly Muslim.

 

 

The Asmara Post Office is located two blocks off the main street adjacent to Liberty Avenue. It is open Monday through Saturday, and for half a day on Sundays. Fax messages can be sent and received at the telecommunications offices in all major towns. Moreover, Internet is accessible in Asmara, Massawa, Keren and Mendefera.

 

 

Eritrea is 3 hours ahead of GMT. 

 

 

Eritreans are friendly and hospitable towards guests. They welcome people by handshake greetings that are followed by a pleasant discussion on personal matters before getting down to business. The offer of tea or coffee is normal. Smoking is not popular amongst traditional or elderly people. Shoes are often taken off while entering churches, and always before entering mosques.

 

There are bus, minibus and taxi services available. Buses and minibuses are boarded from specific points. Taxis, which are yellow in color, can be hailed anywhere along their main route. Taxis are not metered; therefore, it is wise to negotiate the price before getting into a taxi.

 

Cabs can be hired privately and the price can be settled with the driver. There are a number of car rental companies as well.

 

 

While clothing you should wear depends on the time of year and whether you are in the highlands or lowlands, it is best to remember that Eritreans like to dress their best at all times, suits being usual at offices. For tourists, light cotton clothing with sunglasses and a hat will be required in the hot lowlands, while in the highlands light or medium-weight clothing is appropriate. During the rainy season a light raincoat and umbrella are essential, and a sweater is best for chilly evenings. The sun can be very strong at high altitudes so a sunblock is important.

 

 

Upland Eritrea is pleasant all year-round, particularly in the highlands, but from June to September the coastal region can get very hot with peak temperatures in the mid 40 C. Winter time is the coolest time to visit the Red Sea coastal region

 

Weekends in Eritrea are Saturday and Sunday. The Christian and the Islamic communities celebrate many holidays throughout the year. The following are official public holidays

---