Highlands around Lalibela

Close to the small town of Bilbilla, 30km from Lalibela, you will find a cluster of churches, the most impressive of which is Yemrehanna Kristos. The main, built-up church is the best example of Axumite architecture in the area, built using layers of wood and granite layered with gypsum. It is said to have been built on olive wood poles above a fresh-water lake, but the inspection hatch makes this difficult to verify. 

Although academically interesting, it is the atmosphere of the place that lingers in the memory. Priests appear as silhouettes in the gloom, partially obscured by the smoke from burning incense and the bones of 10,740 pilgrims wait, exposed, to be discovered afresh by each visitor.

The monastery of Asheton Maryam is carved out of a cleft in the cliff face on the western slopes of Mount Abune Yoseph.

Thought to have been founded by King Nakuta La’ab, the construction is relatively rough compared to the churches in town, but there are some interesting wall paintings and relics to be seen.  

Asheton Maryam can be visited as the focus of a day hike from Lalibela, which takes five to six hours. Alternatively, you can be driven on the new road much closer making the hike just 10 minutes, but enabling you to include a visit as part of a longer trek up onto the escarpment to stay at Hudad Lodge.

Named after Lalibela’s nephew (the details of whose reign are also disputed), Na’akuto La’ab Monastery is located just 7km from Lalibela.

It is a relatively simple church built around a cave which in turn holds several spring-fed holy pools. Treasures, including paintings, crosses and illuminated bibles are available to see, the latter reputedly owned by Nakuta La’ab.

We recommend visiting this site in the afternoon as it is one of the best sites from which to witness the sunset.

Just outside Lalibela, accessed by a two-hour hike, sits the wonderful Hudad Lodge. The lodge is itself is basic and unassuming -  a standard tukul design, stone walls and flooring, and thatched roofing. The appeal of this lodge is its location as it’s perched atop the rolling hills of Lalibela and offers extraordinary views of valleys and canyons, and as sun sets the sky comes alive with stars. 

Once experienced, never forgotten. Hudad is run as a community guesthouse and so is deliberately simple. Therein lies the joy. Built on the rim of the escarpment, 3,300 metres above sea level, four circular stone and thatch tukuls can take up to four guests. 

Community trekking in Ethiopia began in Lalibela, with the first community guesthouse established at Wollo, just outside Lalibela, in 2004. 

The community trekking in Lalibela represents one of our personal favourite experiences in the country. Meditative walks through rural Ethiopia conclude at the simple stone and thatch guesthouses perched on the escarpment edge.

The cost of each community trek is broken down into three parts: 25% administration costs, 25% guiding costs and 55% to the local host communities.