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Is It Safe to Travel to Tigray? What the Advice Says Now
No. What the UK and US advice says about Tigray, what has happened since September, flights to Mekelle and Axum, and where in Ethiopia to go instead.
No. As of 3 November 2026, the UK government advises against all travel to Tigray region and tells anyone already there to shelter in place, then leave by commercial means as soon as it is safe. The US Embassy in Addis Ababa has told Americans not to travel to Tigray for any reason. Fighting between federal forces and Tigrayan forces resumed in late September 2026, and drone strikes in the region continued into late October.
We sell trips to Ethiopia, and we do not operate in Tigray. That was already our position before this latest fighting, and we will not sell a Tigray trip while the advice stands. This guide sets out what the governments say, what has happened since September, and what it means if you were hoping to see Axum or the churches of Gheralta.
What the travel advice says
| Source | What it says about Tigray | Date |
|---|---|---|
| UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) | Advises against all travel to Tigray region. If you are there, shelter in place and leave by commercial means when you judge it safe | Page updated 30 October 2026 |
| US Embassy, Addis Ababa | Do not travel to Tigray for any reason | Alert reported 7 October 2026 |
| US State Department | Ethiopia overall at Level 3, Reconsider Travel, with Tigray listed as do not travel | Current advisory |
Read your own government's page as well, because wording differs from country to country. The UK advice also covers the land around Tigray. It advises against all travel within 20 km of the Eritrean border, to the parts of Afar region within 50 km of Tigray, and to all of Amhara region to the south.
What has happened since September
This is a short timeline from published reports. Information from inside Tigray is hard to verify, because phone and internet networks there have been badly disrupted.
| Date | What happened | Reported by |
|---|---|---|
| Late January 2026 | Ethiopian Airlines suspended flights to Tigray after clashes | Addis Standard |
| Late September 2026 | Fighting between the federal army and Tigrayan forces intensified, in effect unravelling the 2022 Pretoria peace agreement | Al Jazeera |
| 23 September 2026 | Tigrayan forces seized Mekelle and its airport, and flights to Mekelle, Axum and Shire stopped | Africanews and AP |
| 3 October 2026 | Federal forces retook Mekelle | Africanews |
| 11 October 2026 | Passengers landed at Mekelle for the first time in almost three weeks | Africanews and AP |
| 30 October 2026 | A drone struck a civilian truck at Rama in Central Tigray, killing twelve people | Council on Foreign Relations conflict tracker |
Tigrayan commanders have said they will keep fighting, according to Al Jazeera on 29 October. The FCDO says drone strikes have increased in frequency since August 2026, including along the boundary between Tigray and Amhara and along the Eritrean border. It also describes tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea as high, with a security situation that may change with little notice.
Flights and roads
Flights
The airports at Mekelle, Axum and Shire all closed in September. Mekelle reopened to passengers on 11 October, Africanews reported. We found no report that Axum or Shire flights had resumed by 3 November 2026.
The FCDO page, updated on 30 October, still says all civilian flights to and from Tigray have been suspended, and it reports threats from armed groups against Mekelle's Alula Aba Nega Airport. A flight that runs this week may not run next week. The FCDO warns that flights across northern Ethiopia may be suspended or cancelled at short notice.
Roads
Every road into Tigray from Addis Ababa passes through Amhara or Afar, and the UK advises against all travel on both approaches. Its countrywide advice also applies: avoid driving after dark anywhere outside Addis Ababa, and turn around rather than try to pass an unattended roadblock.
We are a car rental company, and because we do not operate in Tigray, we do not offer cars or drivers for it.
Help, communications and insurance
Consular help
The FCDO says British Embassy staff cannot offer support in person in areas where it advises against travel. In practice, if something goes wrong in Tigray, nobody from your embassy will be able to come and help.
Phone and internet
The Associated Press has reported severe disruption to phone and internet networks in Tigray, and the FCDO warns that the authorities can close networks across Ethiopia with no notice. Plan on the basis that you may not be able to reach your family, your airline or your insurer.
Insurance
Before you book anything in Tigray, ask your insurer in writing whether your policy covers a region your government advises against. Get the answer by email. Do not assume.
The Danakil and Tigray
Many Danakil Depression trips used to start or end in Mekelle, because it is the nearest city with an airport. If an operator proposes a Danakil route through Mekelle, ask them about it directly. The UK advises against all travel to the parts of Afar within 50 km of Tigray, and against all but essential travel to the rest of Afar. Our Danakil Depression safety guide covers the region in detail.
Axum and Gheralta for later
Tigray holds some of the most important sites in Ethiopia, and they will matter just as much when the advice changes.
- Axum's stelae field, royal tombs and museum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980, and the church that is said to hold the Ark of the Covenant. Our Axum and Ark of the Covenant guide covers what you can and cannot see.
- Around 121 rock-hewn churches across Gheralta and beyond, many reached by climbing. Our guide to Tigray's rock-hewn churches explains the climbs and the access rules, including that Debre Damo admits men only.
We will update this page when any of these happen:
- The FCDO removes its advice against all travel to Tigray, or narrows it.
- The US Embassy withdraws its Tigray alert.
- Ethiopian Airlines runs a regular schedule to Axum and Mekelle for several weeks without interruption.
Even then, check the advice for the route in. Lalibela and the rest of Amhara, which sit between Addis Ababa and Tigray, are under the same advice against all travel. Our guide to whether it is safe to travel to Lalibela covers that region.
Where you can go instead right now
If Tigray drew you for its history, you can still see a great deal of it elsewhere. These places sit outside the areas the FCDO advises against, as of its update on 30 October 2026:
| Destination | Getting there from Addis Ababa | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Addis Ababa | You start here | The National Museum, where Lucy is kept, and the city's churches |
| Harar | A flight to Dire Dawa, then about 50 km by road | A walled old town and UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the evening hyena feeding |
| Bishoftu crater lakes | About an hour on the expressway | An easy day trip or one night |
| Hawassa and the Rift Valley lakes | About three and a half hours on the A7 | Lakes, birds and a lakeside base |
For Bishoftu, the FCDO excludes the expressway and the town from its warning for East Shewa zone, and for the Rift Valley it excludes the A7 down to Hawassa. Check your hotel's location against the advice before you book.
Our Lucy guide explains what you can see at the National Museum. Our Harar guide covers the old town, and the Harar and Dire Dawa tour is built around the flight. In the capital, the Addis Ababa city tour takes in the museum.
FAQ
Is it safe to travel to Tigray right now?
No. As of 3 November 2026, the UK advises against all travel to Tigray region and tells people there to shelter in place, then leave when it is safe. The US Embassy has told Americans not to travel to Tigray for any reason.
Are flights to Mekelle and Axum running?
Flights to Mekelle resumed on 11 October 2026, Africanews reported. We found no report of Axum or Shire flights resuming by 3 November 2026, and the UK advice still describes Tigray flights as suspended. Check with Ethiopian Airlines.
Is Axum safe to visit?
Not at the moment. Axum is in Tigray, so the UK advice against all travel applies to it. Its airport also closed in September 2026.
Can I visit the Gheralta churches?
Not while the current advice stands. Gheralta is in Tigray, and we do not operate there.
Does Drive Ethiopia run tours to Tigray?
No. We do not operate in Tigray and will not sell a trip there while the UK advises against all travel. We can plan a route through the parts of Ethiopia outside the advice.
When will Tigray be safe to visit again?
Nobody can give a date. Watch for the UK and US advice to change and for flights to Axum to run regularly again. We will update this page when that happens.
Is the rest of Ethiopia affected?
Not all of it. Addis Ababa, Bishoftu, the A7 corridor to Hawassa and Harar sit outside the areas the UK advises against as of 30 October 2026. Amhara, Afar near Tigray and the Eritrean border area are also under advice, so check each place on your route.
Plan a trip that works now
Tell us your dates and what drew you to Ethiopia, whether that is history or wildlife, and we will suggest a route outside the areas under advice. If you have questions about anything in this guide, ask us. You will have a reply within two hours and a detailed itinerary with a quote within 24 hours.
Browse our tours or send us your plans.