What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Axum, Ethiopia.
Photo: Rod Waddington / Wikimedia Commons
Axum is an inland city in Ethiopia, home to about 44,647 people. It is small and focused on history. The Northern Stelae Field and the Aksum Archaeological Museum sit side by side. The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion is in the town centre, and royal tombs stand on a hill north-east of it. The best months to visit are October, November, December and January.
Most sights take 30 minutes to 2 hours each. The centre, stelae and museum are close together. The tombs, Mai Shum and Abba Pentalewon lie north-east, and Dungur Palace and the Lioness of Gobedra lie west. Plan your days by area.
Town centre
Ethiopia's most sacred church complex. It has an old cathedral, a newer domed cathedral and the small chapel that Ethiopian Orthodox believers say holds the Ark of the Covenant. Only the guardian monk may enter the chapel, and women may not enter the old cathedral.
Next to the Northern Stelae Field
A small museum with finds from the ancient kingdom, including coins, inscriptions, pottery and glassware. It helps explain the stelae and tombs you see outside.
Hill north-east of the centre
Underground tombs built from finely cut stone blocks, traditionally linked to two Aksumite kings. The walk up gives good views over the town and the countryside.
North-east edge of town
A large reservoir cut into the rock, which local tradition links to the Queen of Sheba. Local people still use it for water, and it is the centre of big Timkat (Epiphany) celebrations.
Western edge of town
The excavated foundations of a large Aksumite mansion, often called the Queen of Sheba's Palace, although it was built long after her time. You can walk through the layout of rooms, stairways and courtyards.
Hilltop north-east of town
A small monastery on a hill above Axum, reached by a short but steep climb. Visitors come for the setting, the views and the church treasures the monks may show; women may not enter the church itself.
Gobedra, west of town
An ancient outline of a lioness carved into a granite boulder near the quarry that supplied stone for the stelae. Getting there involves a short walk up a rocky hillside, so it suits travellers who want to leave the town for a while.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best month: January | 26°C / 11°C | 1 day (2 mm) | 10.9 h/day | 9.9/10 |
| February | 27°C / 12°C | 1 day (6 mm) | 10.8 h/day | 9.1/10 |
| March | 29°C / 14°C | 2 days (9 mm) | 10.9 h/day | 8.1/10 |
| April | 29°C / 15°C | 5 days (21 mm) | 11.3 h/day | 7.5/10 |
| May | 28°C / 16°C | 8 days (51 mm) | 11.1 h/day | 7.2/10 |
| June | 27°C / 15°C | 10 days (52 mm) | 11.0 h/day | 7.6/10 |
| July | 23°C / 14°C | 28 days (232 mm) | 9.0 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| August | 22°C / 14°C | 29 days (242 mm) | 8.5 h/day | 7.0/10 |
| September | 24°C / 14°C | 12 days (62 mm) | 10.8 h/day | 7.7/10 |
| Best month: October | 25°C / 13°C | 2 days (8 mm) | 11.1 h/day | 9.7/10 |
| Best month: November | 25°C / 12°C | 2 days (9 mm) | 10.9 h/day | 9.7/10 |
| Best month: December | 25°C / 11°C | 1 day (3 mm) | 10.9 h/day | 9.9/10 |
Dry and sunny, with highs of 25.6°C, lows of 10.8°C and just 0.5 rain days. Score 9.9, rated a best month.
Warm and dry, with highs of 27.4°C and about 1 rain day. Score 9.1, still rated a best month.
Highs climb to 29°C, with 2 rain days and 10.9 sun hours a day. Score 8.1, rated best.
The hottest month, with highs of 29.1°C. Rain days rise to 4.5. Score 7.5, still rated best.
Highs of 28.3°C and 8 rain days as showers build. Score 7.2, rated good rather than best.
Highs of 26.8°C, with 10.1 rain days and 52 mm of rain. Score 7.6, rated best before the main rains.
Main rainy season: 28.4 rain days and 232 mm, so expect rain almost every day. Highs drop to 22.7°C. Score 7, rated good.
The wettest month: 242 mm over 28.5 rain days, highs of 21.8°C and only 8.5 sun hours. Score 7, rated good.
The rains ease to 11.6 rain days and 62 mm. Highs reach 23.9°C. Score 7.7, rated best.
Dry again, with 1.7 rain days, highs of 25.4°C and 11.1 sun hours. Score 9.7, rated best.
Clear and mild, with highs of 25.1°C, lows of 12°C and 1.7 rain days. Score 9.7, rated best.
Dry and sunny, with 0.7 rain days, highs of 25°C and cool 11°C nights. Score 9.9, rated best.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Ethiopia →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, history lovers
This is the historic core around the main stelae and the Church of St Mary of Zion, so the town's best-known sites are a short walk away. Staying here lets you visit early or late, when it is cooler and calmer. Church services are often broadcast by loudspeaker before dawn, so light sleepers may wake early.
Good for first-timers, budget travellers
The streets along the main road near the stelae hold most of the cafes, small shops, banks and minibus stops. It is practical for eating out and arranging transport, and you can still walk to the stelae. Expect traffic noise, dust and street activity from early morning.
Good for quiet, walkers
This area sits around the old reservoir known as the Queen of Sheba's Bath, a little away from the main street. It feels more residential, and walks lead up towards the hilltop tombs of Kaleb and Gebre Meskel. You will walk further for food and transport, and some paths are steep and rough.
Good for repeat visitors, peace and space
On the western edge of town near the ruins called the Queen of Sheba's Palace, this area is open and quiet with views over farmland. It suits travellers who want calm evenings after sightseeing. It is a long walk or a bajaj ride to the centre, and street lighting can be limited at night.
Good for short stays, travellers with transport
The road out towards the airport has newer, larger buildings and is handy if you arrive by plane or have a car. Rooms here are often quieter than in the centre. The sites and restaurants are not within easy walking distance, so you will rely on taxis or bajajs.
Tihlo is a dish closely linked to Tigray, the region Axum belongs to. Balls of roasted barley dough are dipped into a spicy sauce, often with meat. Families make it for gatherings and holidays.
Injera is a soft, slightly sour flatbread made from teff flour. It sits under almost every meal and also works as your spoon. You tear off a piece and use it to pick up stews.
Shiro is a thick, spiced stew made from ground chickpeas or beans and served on injera. It is an everyday meal and is very common on Orthodox Christian fasting days, when many locals eat no meat.
Tsebhi is the Tigrinya word for stew, and tsebhi derho is the chicken version, cooked slowly in a red berbere chilli sauce with boiled eggs. It is a classic dish for religious holidays and family celebrations.
Suwa is a home-brewed beer made from grains such as barley. It is cloudy, mild and slightly sour. People often make it at home and serve it at holidays, weddings and village gatherings.
Coffee is roasted, ground and brewed by hand in a clay pot, then served in small cups, usually in three rounds. Families do this at home, and many small cafés offer it too.
Best: Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec
Best: Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec
Best: Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec
The best months to visit Axum are December, January, October and November. December and January score 9.9 out of 10, and October and November score 9.7. These months are dry, with under 2 rain days a month. Daytime highs stay around 25°C, and you get about 11 hours of sunshine a day. Nights are cool, with lows of 11–13°C.
August in Axum is the wettest month, but it still scores 7 out of 10. Rain falls on about 28.5 days, with 242 mm in total. Sunshine drops to 8.5 hours a day. It is also the coolest month by day, with highs of 21.8°C and lows of 13.7°C. Plan for wet weather and muddy paths between sights.
The main rainy season in Axum is July and August. July has 28.4 rain days and 232 mm of rain, and August has 28.5 rain days and 242 mm. Rain starts to build in May and June, with about 51–52 mm each month. It eases in September, with 62 mm. From October to March, each month gets 9 mm or less.
Axum is warm rather than very hot. The highest temperatures come in March and April, with average highs of 29°C and 29.1°C. Nights are much cooler all year. January has the coldest nights, with lows of 10.8°C, so bring a warm layer for evenings. In July and August, daytime highs drop to about 22°C.
2 days is enough to see Axum's main sights without rushing. Most sights, such as the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion and the Tombs of Kings Kaleb and Gebre Meskel, take 1–2 hours each. The Aksum Archaeological Museum and Dungur Palace take about 1 hour. Queen of Sheba's Bath takes 30 minutes. The Lioness of Gobedra and Abba Pentalewon Monastery are outside the centre.
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