Dire Dawa Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
chartered city of Ethiopia
About Dire Dawa
Dire Dawa (which means "Place of Remedy") is one of two chartered cities inEthiopia(the other beingAddis Ababa, the capital). Dire Dawa was founded in 1902 after the Addis Ababa-DjiboutiRailway reached the area. The railway could not reach the city ofHararat its higher elevation, so Dire Dawa was built nearby. It is a major hub for many ethnic groups in Ethiopia, especially the Afar, Oromo, and Somali. The city is an industrial center on the Dechatu River, and home to several markets. It lies at the foot of a ring of cliffs that has been described as "somewhat like a cluster of tea-leaves in the bottom of a slop-basin". The entire chartered city has a population of 440,000 and the city proper has 277,000 residents (2015), making the latter the seventh largest city in Ethiopia.
Top Attractions in Dire Dawa
Explore the best things to see and do in Dire Dawa:
- ★Palace of Haile Selassie
Where to Stay in Dire Dawa
- 🏨African Village
- 🏨Hotel Blossom
- 🏨Lemon Guest House
- 🏨Ras Hotel
- 🏨Samrat Hotel
Dire Dawa Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 13 sections including: