Great Ethiopian Run Returns to Addis Ababa 22 November
ETHIOPIA · EXPATS & NOMADS
Key Facts
- —What it is The Great Ethiopian Run is a 10km street race through central Addis Ababa on Sunday 22 November 2026.
- —Where and when Waves start from 8am opposite the Ghion Hotel and at Meskel Square, where every runner finishes.
- —How to enter Foreign runners register on the organiser’s online platform until 5pm GMT on Wednesday 11 November, unless places sell out.
- —What it costs International entry is £80 (US$106) plus a £3 (US$4) fee, including a Saturday pasta party.
- —What US visitors need Americans need an Ethiopian tourist e-visa, which costs US$62 for 30 days and normally takes three days.
- —The catch The US State Department rates Ethiopia Level 3, reconsider travel, but calls security in Addis Ababa stable.
- —Still open The organiser has not said which start international runners use or how many places remain.
The Great Ethiopian Run, a 10km race its organiser calls Africa’s biggest, fills central Addis Ababa on Sunday 22 November 2026. Foreign runners can still sign up online until Wednesday 11 November.
This year’s presenting partner is Bank of America, the US bank that also backs the Boston and Chicago marathons. About 50,000 people are expected, and the organiser’s UK travel partner says fewer than one in a hundred come from abroad.
Why the Great Ethiopian Run Matters
Haile Gebrselassie, Ethiopia’s most famous long-distance runner, founded the Great Ethiopian Run in 2001 and won its first edition. He ended his international career on the same course in 2015, running the last stretch barefoot.
The race has grown into what the organiser calls Ethiopia’s biggest street party. Most people do not race it at all: tens of thousands of residents walk, jog and dance the 10km.
That makes the Great Ethiopian Run an easy first race for a visitor who has never pinned on a number. The organiser says it is open to all ages and fitness levels.
The 2026 race is the 26th edition, and organisers have chosen the theme “My Run, My Color”, endurance.biz reported in August. Last year’s 25th-anniversary race drew a record 43,000 runners, according to the organiser.
Bank of America, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, announced a multi-year deal as presenting partner in November 2025. The partners say they want to grow the main race and the children’s and women’s events around it.
Organisers said in late July that they aim to stage the world’s largest 10km road race by 2030, Voyages Afriq reported. The organiser says Let’s Do This and Runner’s World named it the best international road race in 2019 and 2022.
For a US visitor, the appeal is the atmosphere rather than a fast time. Fewer than one per cent of entrants are international runners, according to 209 Events, the organiser’s UK travel partner.
The Route and Start Areas in Addis Ababa
The Great Ethiopian Run starts in three waves on the morning of Sunday 22 November. The Green Start leaves at 8am from opposite the main entrance of the Ghion Hotel.
The Red Start follows at 8.10am from Meskel Square. A Yellow Start at 8.45am is reserved for high-school students on places sponsored by Bank of America.
Everyone finishes in Meskel Square. This year, Green Start runners wear a timing chip on their bib for the first time.
The course is not flat, and the first kilometre rises gently to Churchill Avenue. The road then runs flat and slightly downhill under Mexico Square to a right turn at Lideta (2.8km).
From there it climbs to 4km, and the last 200 metres up to Police Station No.5 are steep. A shower station waits at halfway, and the route crosses Churchill Avenue near the National Theatre at 5.7km.
At 6.3km a steep 500-metre hill climbs past the National Palace, with a second shower station at the top (6.9km). After that, the route is mostly flat or downhill through Kazanchis to the Urael Roundabout at 8.5km.
A downhill stretch past Bambis and the Ministry of Justice follows. The final 500 metres rise gently toward Meskel Square, and the last 200 metres across the square are flat.
The official race hotel, the Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa, stands less than 200 metres from the start and finish. 209 Events puts it about 15 minutes from Bole International Airport.
International runners must collect their Great Ethiopian Run race packs in person at the hotel’s welcome desk. Collection runs from Thursday 19 November to Saturday 21 November, 9.30am to 6pm each day.
How Foreign Runners Register and What It Costs
Non-residents enter the Great Ethiopian Run through the organiser’s international online registration. The fee is £80 (US$106), plus a £3 (US$4) service fee at checkout.
All conversions use 6 October 2026 rates of 161.34 birr per US dollar and 0.76 British pounds per US dollar. The total of £83 (US$110) is the figure to budget for one entry.
The fee includes the pasta party and cultural evening at the Hyatt Regency on Saturday 21 November. The organiser bills it as a showcase of Ethiopian music and dancing.
An optional £20 (US$26) add-on buys a place on the Entoto Sunrise 3k that Saturday morning. It is a guided dawn run in the Entoto forests above the city, with transport from the Hyatt included.
Entoto is where many of Ethiopia’s champions train, and the 3k is open only to international entrants. It gives visitors a taste of high-altitude running before race day.
Online registration closes at 5pm GMT on Wednesday 11 November, which is noon in New York. It can close earlier if the places sell out.
Residents of Ethiopia pay less, from 790 birr (US$4.90), but must show proof of residency. Those places usually sell out within days of going on sale at the end of July.
There are no refunds, and an entry cannot be passed to another runner. International entrants who email the organiser at least seven days before the race can defer to next year.
Groups of six or more can register through a separate route. Runners under 15 should take part with a parent or guardian.
Entrants can also raise money through the official Run For A Cause campaign on GivenGain. The funds are shared by three Ethiopian charities working on cancer care, intellectual disabilities and care for the elderly.
Visa, Safety and Travel Tips for US Visitors
US citizens travelling to the Great Ethiopian Run need a visa, and the official e-visa portal is evisa.gov.et. A single-entry tourist e-visa costs US$62 for 30 days or US$152 for 90 days.
Processing normally takes three days, so apply well before you fly. Your passport must be valid for at least six months from your entry date, and you need a recent passport photo.
The US State Department rates Ethiopia at Level 3, reconsider travel, in an advisory dated 27 August 2026. It cites unrest, crime, kidnapping, terrorism, landmines, communications disruptions and exit bans.
On the capital, the advisory is calmer: “The security situation in Addis Ababa is stable.” It still warns that petty crime such as pickpocketing is common in tourist areas.
Violent crime is more common after dark, the advisory adds. It tells visitors not to walk or drive at night.
The department tells Americans not to travel to the northern Tigray Region, citing armed conflict, unrest and crime. Parts of several other regions also carry do-not-travel warnings, so check the advisory before any side trip.
Internet and phone services can be cut during unrest, the advisory warns. It also advises carrying a copy of your passport and visa and leaving the originals somewhere safe.
The State Department also urges Americans to enrol in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for embassy alerts.
Do not overstay, because Ethiopia fines travellers who stay beyond their visa. The State Department adds that Ethiopia imposes exit bans on people with unpaid immigration fines.
Addis Ababa sits at altitude, so even an easy 10km can feel harder than at home. Runners chasing a time should start in the first wave, 209 Events advises.
Ethiopian Airlines, the national carrier, is one of the Great Ethiopian Run’s official partners. For background on the country and its politics, read Ethiopia Explained: The Country, Abiy’s Reforms, the Economy and What to Watch.
What Is Not Confirmed Yet
The final field size for the Great Ethiopian Run is still open. The organiser’s race listing shows 50,000 participants.
In late July, organisers said registration would rise to a record 60,000, according to Voyages Afriq.
The organiser has not said which start international entrants use, or how many international places remain. Road closures and race-day transport to the start areas have not been published either.
The elite line-up for the Great Ethiopian Run has not been announced. The organiser says Haile Gebrselassie is always at the centre of race weekend, greeting international runners and handing out prizes.
Security advice can change at short notice. Check the State Department advisory and the organiser’s website again in the days before you fly.
More: Ethiopia news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can foreigners enter the Great Ethiopian Run 2026?
Yes, non-residents register through the organiser’s international online platform for £80 (US$106) plus a £3 (US$4) service fee. Registration closes at 5pm GMT on Wednesday 11 November 2026, or earlier if places sell out.
Do Americans need a visa for the Great Ethiopian Run?
Yes, US citizens can apply for a tourist e-visa at evisa.gov.et, which costs US$62 for a single-entry 30-day stay. Processing normally takes three days, and your passport must be valid for at least six months.
Is Addis Ababa safe for the Great Ethiopian Run?
The US State Department rates Ethiopia Level 3, reconsider travel, but calls the security situation in Addis Ababa stable. It warns of pickpocketing in tourist areas and advises Americans to enrol in its STEP alert programme.
Sources: Great Ethiopian Run, 2026 race page, course description and FAQ, 6 October 2026; Great Ethiopian Run, official international registration (Enthuse), 6 October 2026; Great Ethiopian Run, About Us, 6 October 2026; Bank of America newsroom, partnership announcement, 20 November 2025; Voyages Afriq, 29 July 2026; endurance.biz, 3 August 2026; 209 Events, Great Ethiopian Run 10km travel package, 6 October 2026; Ethiopian Immigration and Citizenship Service, official e-visa portal, 6 October 2026; US State Department, Ethiopia Travel Advisory, 27 August 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief