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🌄 First Glimpse of Lalibela
When I stepped off the small plane at Lalibela Airport, the air was warm and dry, carrying the scent of earth and eucalyptus.
This wasn’t like any place I’d been before.
The landscape stretched wide and golden beneath a deep blue sky, and in the distance, small stone houses blended with the hills.
(📸“Panoramic view of Lalibela village and surrounding highlands under clear blue sky”)
This was a place where history didn’t sit behind museum glass.
Here, it was alive.
⛏️ Descending into the Rock
The first time I saw the rock-hewn church of Church of Saint George, Lalibela, my breath caught.
Carved straight down into the ground, the entire church is shaped like a cross.
It’s not just built on the earth — it’s carved from it.
I walked down a narrow trench, my fingers brushing the rough volcanic stone.
Priests in white robes moved silently through the shadows, their chants echoing off the walls.
(📸“Church of Saint George (Bete Giyorgis) from above, showing its cross shape in Lalibela, Ethiopia”)
It felt less like entering a building and more like stepping into another time.
🕯️ Spiritual Stillness
Inside, candles flickered against ancient walls blackened by centuries of devotion.
The sound of prayers filled the air — low, rhythmic, endless.
I stood in silence, feeling small and incredibly present.
(📸“Interior of a rock-hewn church in Lalibela with candles and priests in white robes”)
💡 Travel tip: Dress respectfully (shoulders and knees covered) and bring cash for local guides. Their stories bring the stones to life.
🐪 A Walk Through History
The next day, I explored more of Lalibela’s network of 11 rock-hewn churches — each connected by tunnels and narrow passages.
Sunlight spilled into courtyards, lighting up worn steps carved centuries ago.
Outside, children ran between the paths, women carried baskets of injera bread, and robed monks sat in quiet corners reading.
(📸“Stone passages and tunnels connecting the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia”)
💡 Affiliate tip: Consider joining a local tour through Travel-opia.com to help support the community while learning the rich history behind each site. book your flight on homepage set the destination to Ethiopia and find your perfect flight.
☕ A Pause with Buna (Coffee)
In the late afternoon, I sat in a tiny café drinking traditional Ethiopian coffee — buna.
The smell of roasting beans filled the air.
A young woman poured steaming coffee from a jebena pot into small cups, while incense smoke curled into the air.
(📸“Traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony with jebena pot and cups in Lalibela”)
The bitter coffee, the scent of frankincense, the sound of distant church bells…
It was one of those perfect travel moments that make the world feel beautifully big.
🌅 Lalibela at Sunset
As the sun dipped below the hills, Lalibela glowed in gold.
The red stone walls turned warm and soft, and the chants from the churches carried through the village like a lullaby.
(📸“Sunset over Lalibela village with golden light on the rock-hewn churches”)
I leaned against the railing and just watched.
Some journeys take you to beautiful places.
Others — like this one — stay with you long after you leave.
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