Exploring the rock-cut churches of Lalibela

Exploring the rock-cut churches of Lalibela

The rock-cut churches of Lalibela in Ethiopia are the most extraordinary man-made sites in sub-Saharan Africa. Here's what we learned from our three days there.

The 11 rock-cut churches of Lalibela in Ethiopia are a focal point and place of pilgrimage for Ethiopian Christians. In mid-January, during the festival of Timkat (Epiphany), thousands of believers dressed in white flock to churches.

For tourists, the rock-cut churches of Lalibela are an unmissable stop on tours of Ethiopia's historic Northern Circle.

The churches in Ethiopia's Lasta Mountains at 2,600m were built in the 13th century on the orders of King Lalibela. He reportedly ordered its construction after he died in 1187 BC. Visited Jerusalem in 400 BC, shortly before Muslim troops overran the holy city. The churches were built around Ethiopia's own stretch of the Jordan River.

Carved from the ground up

The churches were not built from scratch, but instead were carved from the city's red volcanic rock hills. According to legend, the thousands of workers who toiled on Lalibela's "New Jerusalem" during the day were accompanied by angels who continued the work at night.

alt=“Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela Ethiopia 12″>Atlas & BootsBet Giyorgis (St. George) was carved from a single boulder

The churches have no bricks, no blocks and no traces of joints. Instead, they are carved from individual massive chunks of pink volcanic rock that lie beneath the region's slopes. The 13th century workers first dug into a rock outcropping, dug a trench around a single giant boulder, and then carved the church out of this monolith.

UNESCO status

The rock-cut churches of Lalibela were declared one of the original 12 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1978. The list has since grown to over a thousand.

Some of the main churches are protected from the elements by rather bulky panels of UNESCO-provided sheet metal to prevent erosion. One cannot deny the necessity of the buildings, but they diminish the majesty of the churches.

alt=“Rock-hewn churches of Lalibela Ethiopia 18″>Atlas & BootsSeveral churches are protected with sheet metal

Fortunately – at least for tourists – Lalibela's most spectacular church, Bet Giyorgis (St. George), remains uncovered. The church is located in a 15 m (50 ft) deep gorge, cut into the rock with its cross-shaped roof at approximately ground level.

Suggested itinerary

We spent an afternoon and another two full days exploring the rock-cut churches of Lalibela, which was more than enough time. It's worth visiting Bet Giyorgis at least twice, including a visit at sunset and again in the morning to avoid the crowds.

We planned our time as follows.

• Tag 1 (Nachmittag): Tickets kaufen und nördliche Kirchen und Bet Giyorgis besuchen
• Tag 2: Besuch südlicher Kirchen
• Tag 3: Besuch von Bet Giyorgis und den nördlichen Kirchen zum zweiten Mal

If you have a tighter schedule, you can skip Day 3 and still see everything.

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Atlas & Boots

The northern group consists of six sites: Bet Medhane Alem (House of the Savior of the World), considered the largest monolithic church in the world; Bet Maryam (Holy Mary); Bet Denagel; Bet Golgotha, which is said to contain the tomb of King Lalibela; the Selassie Chapel; and the tomb of Adam.

The southern group consists of four churches: Bet Amanuel, Bet Merkorios (accessed via a series of dark ditches and tunnels), Bet Abba Libanos and Bet Gabriel-Rufael.

Bet Giyorgis lies alone in the southwest between the two groups.

Tips for visiting Lalibela

• Führer sind nicht notwendig, aber nützlich und werden Werber davon abhalten, Sie zu belästigen
• Seien Sie vorsichtig, wenn Sie Videos mit einer professionellen Kamera aufnehmen – wir wurden gebeten, mehr für die Verwendung unserer kleinen Olympus Toughcam zu bezahlen
• An den Standorten wird kein Wasser verkauft, also packen Sie viel ein
• Wenn Sie keinen Führer verwenden, fragen Sie die Fahrkartenkontrolleure oder Wachen um Hilfe und Anweisungen
• Verpassen Sie nicht die Tunnel – sie sind nicht leicht zu finden, also müssen Sie vielleicht fragen
• Tragen Sie eine Taschenlampe für die Tunnelabschnitte
• Die südlichen Kirchen sind wohl besser – weniger UNESCO-Dächer
• Wenn Werber Sie belästigen, sollten Sie sagen, dass Sie gestern mit einem Führer waren
• Alle Plätze sind morgens ruhiger
• Tuk-Tuk-Fahrer sind erfahrene Feilscher, seien Sie also vorsichtig, wenn Sie zu viel bezahlen! Wir haben uns von unserem Hotel beraten lassen und Folgendes bezahlt, was fair erschien:
  • 50 Birr von Southern Churchs Restaurant Ben Abeba am Stadtrand
  • 40 Birr vom Norden in die Stadt Ben Abeba Restaurant
  • 20 Birr vom Stadtzentrum (Ethiopia Airlines) zum Top Twelve Hotel

Rock-cut churches of Lalibela: the essentials

What: Exploring the rock-cut churches of Lalibela.

Where: We stayed at the Top Twelve Hotel, an intimate, locally-run hotel with just 12 rooms (which explains the name). The rooms are clean and functional and offer reliable WiFi - rare to find in our experience. The real attraction, however, is the exceptional views of the surrounding hills.

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Atlas & Boots

The English-speaking staff are helpful and happy to offer tips on activities and restaurants (try the nearby Ben Ababa restaurant for sunset). Top Twelve is a 15 minute walk from the northern group of churches and about 25 minutes from the southern group. Alternatively, you can simply flag down a passing tuk-tuk (see “How” below for more information).

When: The best time to visit Lalibela in Ethiopia is October to March, when most parts of the country experience pleasant temperatures, blue skies and low rainfall.

How: The entrance fee to Lalibela is 1,355 Birr per person (50 USD) and includes entry to all rock-cut churches for a period of four days. We didn't book a guide, but it's a good idea to do so not only for orientation but also to avoid being hassled by touts. Licensed guides cost 200 birr ($7) per day and can be booked at the checkout.

A tuk tuk from Top Twelve Hotel should cost no more than 30 birr (1 USD) to the northern churches and 50 birr (1.8 USD) to the southern churches. The famous Bete Giyorgis (St. George) lies between the northern and southern clusters.

Domestic flights can be taken from Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Gondar and Mekele to Lalibela (check latest routes here). It is much cheaper to book flights at an Ethiopian Airlines office in the country.

Be sure to mention if you flew internationally with them as you will be eligible for a significant discount. An airport shuttle to Top Twelve Hotel costs 100 Birr per person (US$3.5) one way. You can book this in advance through the hotel (top12hotel@gmail.com).

Overland transfers can be organized through Girma Debash, the agency associated with Top Twelve Hotel: hikelalibelatours.com, girmadebash@gmail.com. Note that transfers in Ethiopia are usually organized through some sort of whisper network of drivers, so organizing them can take a few days – and can prove expensive!

We booked a transfer from Lalibela to Mekele (290km) via Girma for 2,160 Birr ($80) and used this as a basis for calculating other fares. Note that you may be asked to pay for the driver's return trip if he has not secured any customers for the return trip.

Domestic flights are the fastest way to travel in Ethiopia (check the latest routes here). It is much cheaper to book flights at an Ethiopian Airlines office in the country. Be sure to mention if you flew internationally with them as you will be eligible for a significant discount.

Addis Ababa is the country's main international airport. Book international flights via skyscanner.net.

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Lonely Planet Ethiopia is a comprehensive travel guide to the country, ideal for those who want to both explore the top attractions and take the road less traveled. If you prefer to travel in a tour, we recommend G Adventures and their small group Ethiopia tours.

Mission statement: Atlas & Boots

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