Addis Mercato Market
Overview
Available languages
4 hours
Mobile ticket
Explore Africa’s largest open-air market with Adefa Tours. Our daily 3–4 hour tours (except public holidays) immerse you in Mercato’s vibrant atmosphere. With its size, cultural richness, affordability, and culinary offerings, Mercato Market is truly special. Interact with locals, experience authentic flavors, and witness the bustling energy that makes Mercato a must-visit destination in Addis Ababa.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Mercato Market
At Mercato, you'll find a wide range of traditional Ethiopian crafts, textiles, fresh produce, spices, and household items. It's a treasure trove where you can almost find anything you need. Our guides will lead you through the market, allowing you to interact with locals and truly witness the vibrant atmosphere firsthand. Mercato is known for its affordability, making it a popular choice for locals across the country. During your tour, your guide will take you to the most interesting parts of the market, including the recycling area and a variety of spices, herbs, and ingredients used in traditional Ethiopian cooking.
What‘s Included
Private transportation
Seasonal fruit Banana and/or oranges
Bottled water
All Fees and Taxes
Air-conditioned vehicle
Coffee and/or Tea
Pickup points
Ramada by Wyndham Addis Ababa
Block #14, Africa Avenue, Bole Sub City Woreda 3 Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Bole Airport
Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Options
Addis Mercato Market
Pickup included
Reviews
31 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Merkato wow!
Resort169392,May 11, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Really loved the tour with Sisay. He was excellent and knowledgeable about the merkato. He went above and beyond what I expected! Worth every penny.
Definitely worth booking with Sisay!
702claytonm,Apr 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Definitely worth connecting with Sisay! You're in great hands! In Addis for a week I wanted to experience the local culture. I found Sisay's tours online. He answered all my questions prior to booking and we had an amazing morning your through Merkato together. He helped me buy textiles, coffee, incense, snacks and explained everything clearly. He can custom setup any tours for you related to the sites in and out of Addis.
Excellent walking tour of Mercato
M3469KCchristopherb,Mar 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Fantastic morning walking around the Mercato with Sisay. No way we could have seen 10% of what we saw on our own. Wonderful guide and fantastic lunch and Tej afterwards. Highly recommend!
Excellent Merkato tour - Thank you
I7564GCjosephe,Jan 7, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I am very happy with my Adefa Tours Ethiopia Merkato and National Museum Tour experience! Scheduling was easy. Communications were timely and efficient. My guide, Teka, was very knowledgable, professional, and pleasant. Or driver was very capable and made me feel safe in Addis traffic. This day was one of the highlights of my visit to Addis Ababa. Highly recommended!
An Outstanding Market Tour with Sisay
M3902BDrachaelr,Dec 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The market tour was a highlight of our trip and felt genuinely authentic and local. Sisay was an excellent guide. He made the market feel accessible and safe, while also sharing rich context and knowledge that made the experience educational and engaging. He’s a great communicator and went above and beyond to make sure we had a good time, helping us buy things along the way and even taking us to a cool cafe at a renovated train station afterward. You can tell he genuinely cares about sharing his culture and making the experience meaningful. By the end of the tour, he felt more like a friend than a guide, and we’re already planning to meet up again for juice.
Pay attention
Flyer657975,Nov 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I have visited Ethiopia many times and I know a lot of tour companies and guides. However, Adefa Tours and their team surprised me in the best way. My guide, Sisay, knew places that most people don't even know about. He took care of everything for us, from finding places to visit to helping us buy what we wanted. With Sisay by my side, I didn’t have to worry about a thing—he handled everything for me and my friends. Sisay is also a really nice and friendly person, which made our time together enjoyable. I will definitely recommend Sisay to anyone looking for tour services. I plan to contact Adefa Tours and Sisay again soon!
Wonderful experience, knowledgeable guide
trishd689,Sep 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I highly recommend Adefa Tours! I ended up coming to Addis last minute with only five days to spend in Ethiopia. I was concerned that I wouldn't have enough time to really connect with the place, culture, and people as deeply as I like to. I signed up for a tour with Sisay on a whim and learned *so* much in just a few short hours. He is so knowledgeable about the many waves of history, is wonderful with people, and responsive to his clients' needs. He has wonderful energy and takes the best photos! I had so much fun and learned far more than I knew was possible in such a short time. I feel blessed that Sisay curated my initial introduction to Ethiopia. He fast tracked me! You will not be disappointed!
A blissful day in Ethiopia 🇪🇹
Mobile36443941203,Sep 10, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A Blissful Day with Sisay: What a delightful day outside Addis Ababa! Just a few hours' drive took us to a charming village near the Entoto Mountains. The people there were incredibly kind and welcoming; they invited us to cook and make injera together. They also brewed us traditional Ethiopian coffee, and we thoroughly enjoyed every activity. Our guide, Sisay, shared fascinating stories about the history of coffee and the cultural significance of gathering for coffee time. We were amazed by Sisay's extensive knowledge of this beautiful country, and his sense of humor added so much joy to our experience. Ethiopia is a place that truly captivates with its rich culture, delicious food, and warm-hearted people. We can’t wait to return for a longer adventure, and without a doubt, Adefa Tours will be our choice. Thank you, Sisay and the Adefa Tours team, for such a wonderful day in Ethiopia!
Strongly recommend guy in the city!
johnpK1035CN,Jul 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00He was a amazing tour partner to roam around the city with a wonderful conversation. We enjoyed a lot with sisay. I strongly recommend this guy as you lr travel partner.
Wonderful tour of Merkato with Sisay
caterinasD2488ZE,May 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A friend of mine who's lived in Ethiopia (Addis, Mekelle) for a few years recommended me to have a walk through Merkato with his old-time friend and professional guide Sisay. We called Sisay and very easily scheduled the tour over the phone. He was very kind and flexible with the date. Yesterday, as planned, he came pick us up on time, we parked the car in Piassa, near Merkato. Sisay guided us through all different sections of Merkato, he introduced us to the vendors and what they sold, explaining all information on spices, incenses, recycling, and all kinds of dynamics and history of the market. He knew that we were there not to buy but to explore, and explained that to the vendors who understood and respected that. At the end of the tour he treated us with the most delicious freshly squeezed fruit juice and then, upon our request, brought us to have lunch at a restaurant where we could eat both raw and cooked meat and taste the Ethiopian liquor and coffee too. Finally, we kindly asked Sisay to make a quick stop at the Hilton hotel where the main Ethiopian Airlines branch is because I wanted to change my flight ticket, and, as always, he was extremely available and even showed us around through the building and garden of Hilton introducing us to its history and relevance in the urban, political, and cultural landscape of Addis. After that, Sisay drove us back to our guest house. I strongly recommend working with Sissy: he speaks perfect English and is very generous in sharing all he knows about Ethiopia. He's very passionate about his job and is very professional. For example, he tailored the tour based on our own interests and personalities. You will never make a mistake exploring Addis and Ethiopia with him and his company. Thank you very much Sisay for the wonderful tour yesterday, we hope you are free next week too for a second tour in another part of the city!
From US$98.18
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Operated by Adefa Tours Ethiopia