Written by Hiwot Weldemariam

Traveling back home is the most enlightening and eye-opening experience for our children with exposure to new foods, new activities, sightseeing and visits with extended family. But, although exciting, traveling with children can also be an overwhelming plan — erratic schedules, long packing lists, long travel hours, the weather and cranky kids are just a few of the challenges you may encounter along the way. Below is my checklist and guide for planning our family’s international travel to Ethiopia. I hope it will make your next travels a breeze.  

Immunization 

This will depend on the age of your children and the specific area you are planning to visit in Ethiopia. When I traveled with my three children, ages 7, 3 and 2 years old, in early 2019 our pediatrician recommended:

+Yellow Fever
+Injectable Typhoid
+MMR #2 (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella)
+MCV4 (Meningococcal
+Flu Vacine

My kids received all of the recommended vaccines. The good thing about the yellow fever vaccine is that once you take it, it works for a lifetime. We were also given antibiotics and malaria pills. Don’t forget to communicate with your healthcare provider about the specific areas you are planning to visit and get the recommended vaccines and medications for that particular area. You can also check the CDC website for their recommendations as they may change from time to time.

Kids food 

Depending on the age of your child, I would recommend:

+Dry milk like NIDO or any other brand for older kids
+Similac or Enfamil for children under one year of age
+Cereals, crackers, oats, and cereal bars
+Peanut butter and other jams if your kids like them

Some of these items could be available in the markets in Ethiopia, but there is always an issue of food safety. Please be careful about dairy products and eggs- my kids had horrible diarrhea after they ate scrambled eggs. I was told it is very hard to find genuine or organic dairy products. I know people who pack olive oil, sugar, pancake flours, and other food items since they are very concerned about the quality and availability of items available in local markets. However, in Addis Ababa, there are a few supermarkets where you can find most of these items, if not all of them, but it is a little pricey.   

Clothing

We stayed in Ethiopia for a month, so I packed seven sets of each type of clothing for each person (kids + adults):

+Pants
+Underpants
+Shirts
+PJs
+Socks

My assumption was, we change our clothes every day and we wash and go over them again. The kids might need to change twice a day so, if you have toddlers, you should pack a little more since their clothes won’t take that much space.

Most homes have a washing machine nowadays, so don’t worry about washing them. If you are traveling during Winter, don’t forget to take an umbrella, outerwear (wind buster, coats, jackets) and probably rubber boots for the kids (that way they will have fun splashing in puddles).

If you have kids who might need diapers, make sure to have at least one box of diapers and wipes for a month. You can buy diapers and wipes in Ethiopia, but the quality is horrible. Also, you might need to take diaper rash creams (Desitin, Aquaphor or Vaseline).

Other things you need to pack in this category include:

+2 or 3 pairs of shoes ( I would recommend bringing one pair of sandals for each person)
+Toothbrush and tooth paste (2 or 3 brushes for each kid, in case of accidental falls)
+Body soap
+Shampoo and conditioner
+Hair comb
+Hair lotion (oil)
+Bath towels
+Floss

What helps me the most during packing is to put each kiddo’s items in separate bags and put a name tag on them. It keeps everyone organized throughout the trip.

Bug sprays and sunscreen  

If you are traveling to an area where mosquitoes and malaria are common, please make sure to take some bug spray or mosquito repellent.
The repellent Bracelet and Spray I took helped to keep mosquitoes away from my kids. Some areas in Addis also has mosquitoes, so I would recommend taking at least one of the products even if you’re staying in Addis. Sunscreen is also very important, especially in the Summer ( I took sunbum and it worked well with everyone in my family).

Flying 

Flying more than 20 hours with toddlers and kids isn’t fun at all. Make sure you are equipped with:

+Magnetic games
+Coloring books and markers/crayons
+Card games
+Tablets, game boys, phones and other devices your kids may have

Don’t forget to download the movies on your device before your flight since there may not be internet access on the plane or even in Ethiopia. The internet can be very weak to either watch movies online or access YouTube videos at times.

Kids movies are also available on the plane, so don’t forget to bring comfortable headphones for the kids and yourself to enjoy them. Here’s what I would recommend you have on your carry-on bag:

+Snacks (whatever your child likes)
+One extra set of clothes
+Toothbrush and tooth paste
+Kid’s pain/fever meds
+Thermometer
+Adult pain meds
+Kids blanket

Also, try to sleep when the kids are sleeping to take some breaks throughout the flight.

Stroller and car seats

When we travel to Ethiopia, we intentionally take flights that have two layovers. We have a toddler and two young kids, so we want to make sure the kids have some time off of the plane to relax and eat some real food. Therefore, we take our double stroller to carry the kiddos from one terminal to another (in our case, it would have been a nightmare to do the 30 minute walk without it). So, if you decide to have a flight with a layover and have kids that can’t walk on their own for at least half an hour, taking the stroller is worth it.

In my experience, the stroller has no use back home, unless you think you will be able to use it at the airport for traveling between terminals. The only reason to bring a car seat is if you plan to travel a lot between cities or towns using a car. I didn’t take a car seat since our family in Ethiopia have kids of their own and we were able to use their car seat whenever we utilized a car to travel.

One last point- no matter how well you prepare, remember that it’s always possible to forget something on your trip, so don’t let that ruin your vacation. After all, you and your family should enjoy every moment of seeing the world and create a lifetime of memories along the way. Isn’t that the point of travel in the first place? 

Has your family traveled to Ethiopia? Did your checklist look different than mine? I’d love to hear from you in the comments and learn what you may have done differently!