Length 02 days
Popular Cultural
Harar
Harar Overnight
A walled Muslim city of painted houses and narrow lanes, explored with a Harari guide, and wild hyenas fed by hand at dusk.
Historical journeys
Lalibela Rock-Hewn Churches
Lalibela’s 11 rock-cut churches, plus a cave church older than the town and a monastery above 3,000 m.
This tour is paused for now
Paused while Amhara is under official travel warnings and flights to Lalibela are suspended.
You can travel now on
Overview
The journey in brief
- Duration
- 3 days, 2 nights
- Where
- Northern · Lalibela
- Travel style
- Private tour
- Best season
- October to May
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Price
- USD 895 per person
About 90 minutes from Lalibela by 4x4, Yemrehanna Kristos stands inside a cave, built of wood and stone rather than carved, and thought to be older than the town’s own churches. It is the key to this longer stay. Lalibela’s 11 churches, cut down into red volcanic rock and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978, show where that tradition went next.
Three days leave room for the mountains as well: Asheton Maryam, a monastery above 3,000 m, reached by road and a short, steep climb. The pace is unhurried, but the altitude is real. This route is paused for now; we will reopen it when it is safe.
Highlights
- Yemrehanna Kristos, a church of wood and stone built inside a cave
- Bete Medhane Alem, often called the largest monolithic church in the world
- Bete Giyorgis, a cross of red rock seen from the rim in late light
- A dark passage linking churches in the eastern group
- Asheton Maryam, a monastery above 3,000 m looking over the Lasta hills
What is included
- Round-trip flights Addis Ababa–Lalibela at the Ethiopian Airlines discounted fare
- Airport transfers in Addis Ababa and Lalibela
- 2 nights’ accommodation, twin share
- Meals as listed in the itinerary
- English-speaking guide
- Local church guide in Lalibela
- 4x4 vehicle and driver for Yemrehanna Kristos and Asheton Maryam
- Entrance fees for the Lalibela churches, Yemrehanna Kristos and Asheton Maryam
- Bottled water
What is not included
- International flights
- Ethiopian visa
- Domestic fare difference if you do not fly Ethiopian Airlines internationally (about USD 150 per round trip)
- Single room (optional extra)
- Meals not listed
- Drinks and personal expenses
- Tips for guides, priests and drivers
- Travel insurance
Itinerary
Day by day
Day 1 Into the Rock: the Northern ChurchesLalibela
Your guide meets you at Bole International Airport for the morning flight to Lalibela. In the afternoon a local church guide leads you through the northern group, from the great pillared hall of Bete Medhane Alem to the painted ceilings of Bete Maryam. Over dinner you plan the next two days.
Activities
- Morning flight to Lalibela
- Northern group of five churches with a church guide
- Evening briefing
Day 2 A Church in a Cave, Then Bete GiyorgisLalibela
You drive about 90 minutes by 4x4 to Yemrehanna Kristos, its walls of wood and stone set deep in a cave mouth, with the bones of pilgrims laid at the back. Back in Lalibela, you see Bete Giyorgis in the late light, then walk the eastern group and its dark connecting passage.
Activities
- 4x4 to Yemrehanna Kristos
- Bete Giyorgis
- Eastern group of churches
Day 3 Up to Asheton Maryam, Then HomeLalibela
An early drive climbs above town to a car park, then about 30 minutes on foot to Asheton Maryam, a monastery above 3,000 m with views over the Lasta hills. After lunch you fly back to Addis Ababa, where we transfer you to your hotel or international flight.
Activities
- Drive and short climb to Asheton Maryam
- Lunch in Lalibela
- Afternoon flight to Addis Ababa
Itineraries can change with weather, road and flight conditions. We will tell you promptly if they do.
Gallery
A look at the trip
Photo: Unsplash
Good to know
Before you book
- Guide languages
- English, Amharic
- Minimum age
- 8 years and over
- Group size
- 1 to 12 travellers
- Meeting point
- Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa. Your guide meets you in arrivals with a name sign.
- Accessibility
- Uneven rock steps, dark tunnels and a steep 30-minute climb to Asheton Maryam above 3,000 m. Not suitable for wheelchairs.
What to bring
- Walking shoes with grip
- Socks for church floors
- A flashlight
- A warm layer for early mornings
- Sun hat and sunscreen
Dress code: Shoulders and knees covered in the churches and monasteries; women bring a light scarf to cover their hair.
Cancellation policy
This tour follows the Strict policy. Days are whole calendar days before departure.
| When you cancel | What you get back |
|---|---|
| 30 or more days before departure | 50% refund |
| Fewer than 30 days before departure | No refund |
A non-refundable USD 150 per traveller (domestic flights) is deducted before these percentages are applied.
Questions
About this tour
When will this reopen?
When official warnings for Amhara are lifted and flights to Lalibela resume. Tap Notify Me and we will email you.
What can I do instead now?
Harar Overnight is our two-day trip to an old walled city in a region that is open.
Is Yemrehanna Kristos worth the drive?
Yes. It is the one place that shows how Ethiopian churches were built before Lalibela’s were carved.
How hard is the Asheton Maryam climb?
About 30 minutes, short but steep and at altitude. Your guide sets a slow pace.
Can I join alone?
Yes. This is a private tour, so it runs for one traveller; add a single room as an optional extra.
You may also like
More journeys
Departs 01 Nov
Popular 1 day, about 8 hours Historical
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa Full-Day City Tour
The city often called Africa’s capital, in one easy day: the emperor’s tomb, the hammering lanes of Merkato and the hill where Addis began.
Length 01 day
Popular Historical
Addis Ababa
Addis Layover Tour from Bole
A long layover becomes an afternoon in Addis Ababa, seat of the African Union: the National Museum, the emperor’s cathedral, then back to Bole.
Length 04 days
Paused
Historical
Gheralta
Gheralta Rock Churches
Painted churches cut into the sandstone towers of Tigray, reached by barefoot climbs and narrow ledges high above the Hawzen plain.
Plan with us
Ready for Ethiopia?
Choose your dates above, or tell us what you have in mind and we will shape the trip around you.