Travel advisory, as of October 2026. Lalibela is in Ethiopia’s Amhara region, where the UK FCDO advises against all travel and the US government tells its citizens not to travel. Fighting has resumed across northern Ethiopia, flights to Lalibela have been suspended since 24 September 2026 with no restart date announced, and there is no safe overland route. Nothing described here can be booked now; this page describes the town for a future visit once advisories change. Read the FCDO advice and the US State Department before making any plans.

Hidden Gems in Lalibela, Ethiopia

For a future visit, three places lie beyond the main church groups.

1. Na’akuto La’ab: about 7 km from town.
2. Asheton Maryam: about a 2.5 hour walk or mule ride from town. Entry is set by the diocese.
3. Yemrehanna Kristos: about 42 km away by rough road, 1.5 to 2 hours by 4WD. It is a built Aksumite-style church in a cave that pre-dates the Lalibela churches, and it is not one of the eleven.

Respect

The churches are active, consecrated places of worship, not backdrops. Shoes come off at every church. Cover shoulders and knees, men wear long trousers, and women cover their heads. Keep quiet, do not touch the carvings, use no flash during prayer, and ask before any photo. Women may not enter Biete Golgotha.