Experience the new Jerusalem on a Lalibela tour
Welcome to where a new Jerusalem was to be established - you will feel the fervour in the air. Make your Lalibela tour on a Sunday and you will see crowds of devout worshippers dressed in white shrouds flock into the town from the surrounding hillsides.
Lalibela is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites in Ethiopia. Here you can explore the town’s spectacular collection of 12th-century churches that have been hewn straight out of the rock. Yet, what makes these 11 churches so unique is that, rather than standing above the surface, they have been carved downwards into the ground. A labyrinthine network of passages link these chapels. As you move around in the half-light you will catch glimpses of the priests reading scriptures, tucked away into little alcoves. The solemn mood is enhanced by the almost-hypnotic sounds of religious chanting and kettle drums that fill the air, and the pervasive scents of frankincense and myrrh that drift past.
And if you seek the ultimate Lalibela experience we can organise your Lalibela tour during one of the major Ethiopian Orthodox festivals, such as Meskal in late September or Timkat in late January. But, be prepared, what you gain in atmosphere you lose in personal space: the tunnels and churches are filled to the brim with faithful pilgrims.