Your previous excursions may have taken you to exotic tourist attractions such as the Great Wall of China or the amazing Pyramids of Egypt, or perhaps the breathtaking Taj Mahal mausoleum in India.
When COVID struck and governments imposed travel restrictions, you had no choice but to take a pause and settle in your home country. With the diminishing threats of the pandemic, countries are now reopening their borders to international travelers, and tourism and travel are reviving all over the world.
It is time to pack and explores more wonders of the world once again! If you haven’t yet visited the awe-inspiring rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia should be at the top of your next vacation itinerary.
Carved in the 13th century during the reign of King Lalibela, the monolithic cave churches are dubbed the ‘New Jerusalem’ with hundreds of thousands of Ethiopian Orthodox pilgrims and tourists flocking to the place every year. The medieval rock churches were registered by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites in 1978.
Lalibela was among the cities affected by the conflict in northern Ethiopia last year. Rebels from the neighboring Tigray region had taken control of the city but were later driven out by government forces. Thankfully, the churches and other heritages have not been damaged in the conflict. Normalcy is now restored in Lalibela, and tourists are flocking back to be awed by the breathtaking churches.
The holy city welcomed pilgrims once again this year when Ethiopian Orthodox Christians celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ on January 7. Large crowds gathered in the city and celebrated Christmas peacefully and colorfully.
This year’s influx of visitors followed a call by Prime Mister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia for members of the Ethiopian diaspora community to return home in huge numbers for Christmas as a show of faith in the country’s unity and stability. Many Ethiopian diaspora members residing in the United States of America, Europe, the Middle East, and other parts of the world accepted the Prime Minister’s call and converged in the holy site of Lalibela for the colorful annual celebration.
Ethiopia’s Head of State, President Sahle-Work Zewde was among the high-profile visitors who celebrated Christmas in Lalibela this year. The visit by high-profile federal and regional officials as well as huge numbers of Ethiopian and foreign visitors proves the safety of Lalibela and its environs beyond the shadow of a doubt.
You can travel to Lalibela both via air and road. As of January 2022, Ethiopian Airlines has resumed its daily flights to the city from its home base Addis Ababa, with options of booking flights via the airline’s website and mobile app in addition to its ticket offices.
For people opting to go by car, the city can be accessed from Addis Ababa with the option of traveling with private drivers. Daily buses heading from Addis to Lalibela are also available for tourists who choose to travel by bus. The bus trip takes two days with an overnight stop at Dessie. Whether you travel by air or by bus, Lalibela city will welcome you with wide-open arms, and with its hotels ready to shelter you comfortably. If you choose to make Lalibela your next destination, rest assured that you will have a safe, enjoyable, and unforgettable vacation at the Eighth Wonder of the World.
How to Get Lalibela
Lalibela lies 170km from Weldiya, 300km from Bahir Dar, and 360km from Gondar by road. All routes are mostly surfaced but involve some travel on gravel. The shortest road distance between Addis Ababa and Lalibela is 680km via Dessie and Weldiya. Lalibela Airport, 25km from the town center along a surfaced road, is serviced by Ethiopian Airlines flights from Addis Ababa, to Gondar and Bahir Dar (www.ethiopianairlines.com).