For most of Ethiopia, the rainy season runs from the end of June to early September. The area around Lalibela is generally drier. However, during the rainy season, visitors can expect some rain on a daily basis. Due to the small amount of rain, Lalibela is a great place to visit year round.

Temperatures can be fairly hot during the day reaching 24 degrees Celsius and cold at night, dropping down to 15 degrees Celsius. The 2,600 meter altitude helps keep the temperatures reasonable – but you should bring a light jacket for evening strolls.

Even during the rainy season, humidity is never dense so being outside is enjoyable. November to February is the best time of year for tourism, both due to the dry, warm weather, as well as the number of religious celebrations taking place in the village. If you plan to visit around Christmas and throughout January, make sure you book your hotels and flights early because this is a popular time with locals.

Ethiopia is a conservative country. As such, it is appropriate to wear clothing that sufficiently covers most of your body. Shorts are acceptable for men, as long as they are not too short.= Women should have their knees and shoulders covered. For visiting the churches, wear shoes that are easy to put on and take off quickly – you will have to remove them upon entering every church. It is also recommended that women bring a headscarf or shawl while in the church compounds.

• September 11th : Ethiopian New Year
• September 17th : Meskel, The Celebration of the Finding of the True Cross
• January 7th : Gena, Ethiopian Christmas
• January 19th : Timket, Ethiopian Epiphany
• April 26th : Fasika, Ethiopian Easter
• Every Sunday, there are services held in the churches, and visitors are allowed to take part in the ceremonies. Saturday is market day in Lalibela, and is a great way to experience the Ethiopian culture. People from the surrounding areas come to Lalibela to buy, sell, and trade goods.

At the Panoramic View Hotel, we can help arrange tours for groups and individuals through our professional guides. Our guides are courteous, very knowledgeable, and competent in multiple languages. They can take you on tours of the churches within Lalibela, or some of the less-visited churches outside the town. They are happen to customize the tours to your needs.

During your hotel stay, you can make arrangements for a tour. We can include any of the previously mentioned churches outside of Lalibela, as well as the churches within the town. We can also provide transportation for individuals or large groups – our brand new bus can carry groups of up to 20 people.

We are happy to help you the moment you land at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, and organize your entire Ethiopian tourso that you can make the most of your stay.

It is easy, affordabl,e and safe to visit Lalibela. There are daily flights from Addis as well as other airport throughout the country, and the roads between Addis Ababa, Bahar Dar, Gonder, Axum and Lalibela are all in good condition. You can experience some of the Lalibela highlights in one or two days, but, if you have the chance to stay longer, you can easily spend three or four days (recommended) exploring the sights and sounds of beautiful Lalibela.

Prices will vary depending on the sites you want to visit and the number of people in your group. The prices for the tours we arrange include:

• All hotel accommodations
• All meals on a full-board basis
• An English speaking guide (other languages can also be accommodated upon advance request)
• Ground transportation
• Shuttle from and to the airport