Safety in Ethiopia

Pickpockets: in the crowds at Mercato and in the queues at Bole airport, keep your pockets watched. They work professionally here, so use a money belt for anything you cannot lose.

Photography: military sites, uniformed police and government buildings are off limits. In the southern valleys, a small payment per photograph of a person is the established norm; agree it before you raise the camera.

Water: bottled only, including for brushing your teeth. Skip ice, and wash and peel fruit yourself.

Regional situation: check the current position before travelling to border areas, and read your own government's travel advisory. The northern circuit is generally stable, but conditions in the country can change quickly.

Danakil: the expedition requires an armed escort and a licensed guide, and it is only run in groups. This is not somewhere to improvise.

Wildlife: do not feed the gelada baboons in the Simiens however placid they look. A sudden movement towards the troop leader is a bad idea.

Altitude: Addis sits high enough that arriving visitors feel it. Take the first day gently, drink water, and go easy on alcohol before you acclimatise.

Ethiopia is a country of extraordinary history and very uneven conditions. Street crime in Addis Ababa is moderate, but regional conflicts determine the accessibility of much of the country.

Addis Ababa. Pickpockets around Merkato — Africa's largest market — at bus stations and in crowds. Phone snatching occurs. Merkato is best not visited unaccompanied.

"Students" and "guides". They approach in the street and offer to show you the city or take you to "a real cafe". Sometimes this is sincere hospitality; sometimes it is a bill at the end. Clarify intentions immediately.

Coffee ceremonies. A genuine Ethiopian tradition and a pleasure, but tourist venues charge many times over. Ask the price.

Lalibela and Axum. Unlicensed "guides" work at the churches. Official guides carry credentials, and hiring through your hotel is safer.

Currency exchange. Bank and black-market birr rates have differed substantially. Exchanging outside banks is illegal, and schemes are built on it.

Geography decides everything. Tigray, Amhara and parts of Oromia are affected by armed conflicts and periodically close to movement, with states of emergency declared. The Afar region near the Eritrean border and Somali (Ogaden) region are high-risk zones. The northern historical route including Lalibela and Gondar has been inaccessible at various times. Check conditions immediately before travelling.

Danakil. Excursions to the Danakil Depression are run with armed escorts — not theatre but a requirement. Go only with licensed operators.

Photography. Military installations, police, government buildings and airports are off limits. Always ask people, and in the tribal areas of the Omo valley a photograph is traditionally paid for, with the price agreed beforehand.

Drones. Prohibited without permission and confiscated at customs.

Drugs. The law is strict. On khat: chewing it is legal and widespread in Ethiopia, but exporting it is prohibited in most countries.

Antiquities. Exporting religious objects, crosses, icons and manuscripts is strictly regulated.

Internet. During periods of tension the authorities have shut off internet and mobile service in particular regions and sometimes nationwide.

Yellow fever. A certificate is required from arrivals out of endemic countries.

Malaria. Risk in the lowlands below 2,000 metres: the Omo valley, Gambela and the lakes region. Addis Ababa at 2,400 metres is malaria-free, as are Lalibela and Gondar. Prophylaxis is selected for your specific route.

Altitude is an underestimated factor. Addis Ababa sits at 2,400 metres, Lalibela at 2,500, and the Simien mountains rise above 4,000. Flying in from the lowlands brings breathlessness and headache, and trekking in the Simiens requires acclimatisation.

Vaccinations. Hepatitis A, typhoid, meningococcus, rabies and polio are advised.

Water. Bottled only.

Food. Injera and wat are safe when hot. Raw meat (kitfo, tere siga) is a local delicacy and a genuine parasite risk.

Healthcare. Addis Ababa has acceptable private clinics; the regions have little. Anything serious means evacuation to Nairobi or Dubai. Insurance with evacuation cover is essential.

Ethiopia sits in the lower half of the Corruption Perceptions Index. Police are generally correct with tourists, but conditions in the country are not determined by the police.

Checkpoints. Numerous on intercity roads, especially in conflict-affected regions. Always carry documents.

States of emergency. Declared repeatedly, bringing curfews, movement restrictions and expanded detention powers. These apply to foreigners too.

Reporting theft. Reports are taken and certificates issued; the process is slow.

Tourist police. Present in Addis Ababa and at the main sites on the historical route.

The Omo valley. A separate subject: visits to tribal villages are organised as an industry, and relations with local people are built around payment for photographs. This creates tension, and intercommunal conflicts are real. Go only with an operator.

What actually matters. Ethiopia is magnificent and difficult at once. The main question for a trip is not crime but whether a region is accessible on a given date.

Emergency numbers: 991 ambulance; 991 and 911 for police in Addis Ababa.