4-Day Sacred Lalibela Rock Churches & Nakuto La'Ab

• You'll be collected from the airport.
• Accommodation before the tour starts can be arranged for an extra cost.

Arrival in Addis Ababa

Welcome to Addis Ababa, a lively capital sitting at 2,355 meters above sea level, one of the highest capital cities in the world. Your guide will meet you at Bole International Airport and take you to your hotel. Today is a relaxed day to rest and let your body adjust to the altitude before flying north tomorrow. If you have energy, visit the National Museum to see Lucy, the 3.2 million year old fossil that changed how we understand human origins. Your guide will brief you on what to expect in Lalibela, from the cool mountain evenings to the uneven, ancient stone underfoot.

Main Destination:

Addis Ababa (City)

Accommodation:

Hotel Lobelia

• Mid-range hotel located in Addis Ababa (City)

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Meals & Drinks:

• Lunch & dinner (Breakfast not included)
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Northern & Eastern Church Groups

Take a short flight of about one hour from Addis Ababa to Lalibela, landing in a small highland town at roughly 2,500 meters, where the air is crisp and the light is famously sharp and golden. This morning, step into the Northern Group of churches, including Bete Medhane Alem, the largest monolithic rock church on Earth, and Bete Maryam, believed to be the very first church carved here. In the afternoon, continue to the Eastern Group, where hidden tunnels and narrow trenches connect church to church, said to represent the passage from earthly life to the divine. Wear sturdy, closed shoes; the rock floors are ancient, smooth, and sometimes uneven. Overnight in Lalibela.

Main Destination:

Lalibela (Town)

Accommodation:

Sora Lodge Lalibela

• Mid-range hotel located in Lalibela (Town)

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Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Bete Giyorgis & Nakuto La'ab Monastery

This morning, visit the most iconic of all eleven churches: Bete Giyorgis, the Church of St. George, carved in the precise shape of a cross and sunk twelve meters into the rock, best photographed from the rim above at sunrise. Afterward, drive a short distance out of town to Nakuto La'ab, a lesser visited but remarkable monastery built into a natural cave, where water drips from the cave ceiling and is believed by pilgrims to be holy. Far quieter than the main churches, it offers a peaceful, intimate contrast to the morning's crowds. In the afternoon, fly back to Addis Ababa. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner hosted by Origin Abyssinia at a local restaurant in the capital, a fitting close to two unforgettable days in Lalibela.

Main Destination:

Lalibela (Town)

Accommodation:

Hotel Lobelia

• Mid-range hotel located in Addis Ababa (City)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

Free Time in Addis Ababa & Departure

Enjoy a free morning in Addis Ababa, at a comfortable 2,355 meters, a gentle final stop after the cooler air of Lalibela. Depending on your flight time, you may have time for last-minute shopping, a traditional coffee ceremony, or a short visit to a local market. Your guide will take you to Bole International Airport, about a 30 to 45 minute drive from most central hotels depending on traffic, in good time for your departure flight, bringing your journey into one of the world's most extraordinary religious sites to a close.

Main Destination:

Addis Ababa (City)

Accommodation:

No accommodation (End of tour)

Meals & Drinks:

• All meals included
• Drinking water (Other drinks not included)

• Additional accommodation can be arranged for an extra cost.
• You'll be dropped off at the airport.