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4 days
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Addis AbabaCultural
Timket in Addis Ababa
Walk beside the tabots to Jan Meda on the eve, then stand in the crowd at dawn as the blessed water falls.
Genna in Lalibela
On Christmas morning, priests in white line the rim above Bete Maryam and answer the chant rising from the courtyard below.
From USD 1,695 per person
Check datesOverview
The journey in brief
- Duration
- 6 days, 5 nights
- Where
- Northern · Lalibela
- Travel style
- Small group
- Best season
- January
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Price
- USD 1,695 per person
At sunrise on 7 January, priests in white turbans line the rim of the rock above Bete Maryam, while more priests chant in the courtyard below. The two choirs answer each other for about two hours: those above stand for the angels, those below for the people of the earth, and the song joins them. Lalibela was cut from the rock as a new Jerusalem, and tens of thousands of pilgrims, some after weeks on foot, sleep on its hills to spend Christmas there.
Expect cold nights at about 2,500 m and long hours standing. This route is paused for now; we will reopen it when it is safe.
Highlights
- Priests on the rim above Bete Maryam, chanting with the choir below at sunrise
- The candlelit Christmas Eve vigil among pilgrims in white, night of 6 January
- Bete Giyorgis, cut in the shape of a cross into Lalibela’s red rock
- Tunnels and passages linking the northern group of churches
- Yemrehanna Kristos, a church of wood and stone inside a cave
- A Genna dinner of doro wat on Christmas night
What is included
- 5 nights’ accommodation, twin share
- Meals as listed in the itinerary, including the Genna dinner
- Domestic flights Addis Ababa–Lalibela–Addis Ababa at the Ethiopian Airlines discounted fare
- Traditional white clothing and shawls for the vigil
- Vehicle and driver, with a 4WD for Yemrehanna Kristos
- English-speaking guide
- Local church guides
- Entrance fees
- Airport transfers
- Bottled water
What is not included
- International flights
- Ethiopian visa
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed
- Drinks and personal expenses
- Church donations
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Domestic fare difference if you do not fly Ethiopian Airlines internationally (about USD 150)
- Single room (optional extra)
Itinerary
Day by day
Day 1 Shawls and the Story of GennaAddis Ababa
Your guide meets you at Bole International Airport on Monday 4 January. Over dinner, we explain the vigil and the morning chant, what to wear, and how to move through a crowd of pilgrims with respect.
Activities
- Airport pickup
- Welcome dinner
- Genna briefing
Day 2 Into the Rock: the Northern ChurchesLalibela
A morning flight to Lalibela, where pilgrims wrapped in white are already arriving on foot. In the afternoon a local church guide leads you through the northern group of five churches, linked by passages and tunnels cut through the same rock.
Activities
- Morning flight to Lalibela
- Northern group of churches with a local church guide
Day 3 Bete Giyorgis and the Christmas Eve VigilLalibela
In the morning, Bete Giyorgis, cut in the shape of a cross at the bottom of its own pit, and the eastern group of churches. After an afternoon’s rest, we join the candlelit vigil around Bete Maryam, which runs through the night. You can return to the hotel with a guide at any point.
Activities
- Bete Giyorgis
- Eastern group of churches
- Christmas Eve vigil at Bete Maryam
Day 4 Priests on the Rim at SunriseLalibela
We are back at Bete Maryam before sunrise, when the priests climb to the rim and begin the chant with the choir below, swaying with prayer staffs and sistra. Then a late breakfast, a long rest and a Christmas dinner of doro wat in the evening.
Activities
- Christmas morning chant at Bete Maryam
- Free afternoon
- Genna dinner
Day 5 Yemrehanna Kristos, the Church in a CaveLalibela
About 1.5 hours by 4WD into the hills to Yemrehanna Kristos, a church of wood and stone built inside a cave. The afternoon is free for the town’s market streets or a last walk among the churches, now quieter as pilgrims start for home.
Activities
- Drive to Yemrehanna Kristos
- Free afternoon in Lalibela
Day 6 Back to Addis Ababa and HomeAddis Ababa
A morning flight back to Addis, lunch together, then a transfer to Bole for your flight home.
Activities
- Morning flight
- Lunch in Addis Ababa
- Airport transfer
Itineraries can change with weather, road and flight conditions. We will tell you promptly if they do.
Gallery
A look at the trip
Photo: Unsplash
Good to know
Before you book
- Guide languages
- English, Amharic
- Minimum age
- 10 years and over
- Group size
- 6 to 16 travellers
- Meeting point
- Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa. Your guide meets you in arrivals with a name sign.
- Accessibility
- Uneven rock steps, narrow tunnels, a night vigil and a pre-dawn start in large crowds at about 2,500 m; not suitable for wheelchairs.
What to bring
- Warm layers and a hat for cold nights
- Comfortable shoes for standing
- Socks for church visits (shoes come off)
- A flashlight for the tunnels
- A small folding stool if you need to sit
Dress code: Modest clothing with shoulders and knees covered; women cover their hair with a shawl, which we provide.
Cancellation policy
This tour follows the Strict policy. Days are whole calendar days before departure.
| When you cancel | What you get back |
|---|---|
| 30 or more days before departure | 50% refund |
| Fewer than 30 days before departure | No refund |
A non-refundable part of the deposit (USD 150) is deducted before these percentages are applied.
Questions
About this tour
When will this reopen?
When official warnings for Amhara are lifted and flights to Lalibela resume. Tap Notify Me and we will email you.
What can I do instead now?
Join Genna in Addis Ababa, 5 to 8 January 2027, with a candlelit vigil and the Christmas feast.
Where will we stand on Christmas morning?
We arrive early, and your guide finds a place with a clear view of the rim and the courtyard.
Can I take photos?
Yes, from where your guide shows you, without flash and without stepping between pilgrims and the priests.
Can I join alone?
Yes. You share a twin room with a traveller of the same gender at no extra cost, or add a single room.
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