TRAVEL
TIPS
| Driving |
TBA |
| Currency |
(ERN)
Nakfa |
| Electrical |
230 Volts |
| Telephones |
Country
Code 291, City Code, Eritrea 1+6D |
Customs:
A valid Eritrean visa is required for entry, as is a current vaccination
for yellow fever.
Climate and clothing:
Lightweight woolens and light wraps are appropriate year round
in Asmara. Umbrellas are needed June- September. Hot weather clothing
is needed for travel in the lowlands, where temperatures sometimes
reach 120o in the summer months.
Health: Medical facilities
in Eritrea are extremely limited, and travelers should bring an
ample supply of prescription drugs. Inoculations for tetanus,
hepatitis, and meningitis, and a cholera stamp are advisable,
and a malaria prophylactic should be taken if traveling in the
lowlands. The climate in the highlands is cool and dry, and care
must be taken to avoid dehydration. Likewise, sun protection is
warranted, since sunburn occurs more quickly at high elevations.
Take reasonable precautions regarding food and drink. Tap water
is not potable. The altitude in Asmara can cause dizziness and
could adversely affect those with cardiopulmonary conditions.
Telecommunications:
Long distance service is available from major cities, but direct
dial service to international numbers is unavailable with the
exception of Ethiopia. Fax service is available in Asmara at the
major hotels or at the Telecommunications Office.
Transportation: The
most direct air routes from the U.S. to Asmara are via Frankfurt,
Rome, or London. International air routes link Asmara to Europe,
Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, although flights are not frequent.
Ethiopian Airlines flies daily to Addis Ababa, however, increasing
the traveler's options. Municipal bus transportation is available,
although likely to be crowded. Taxis are available and reasonable.
Travel precautions:
It is wise to bring along plenty of water, two spare tires, and
extra cans of gasoline when traveling in the countryside. Roads
are in poor condition, and help for automotive emergencies is
scarce. Security conditions are generally good, but occasional
bandit or EIJ rebel raids are an ever-present possibility in the
west and northwest. Land mines, remnants of the civil war, litter
the landscape, and it is wise to keep to major towns and hard
surfaced roads. U.S. Government employees are prohibited from
driving at night outside of Asmara.
