Adadi Mariam rock church day trip: UNESCO & Rift Valley

A 13th-century rock church, ancient grave markers, and how Ethiopians make bread

This 8-hour guided day tour from Addis Ababa visits the rock-carved church of Adadi Mariam (13th century), the UNESCO World Heritage site of Tiya with its 40 ancient stone grave markers, and a local village where you attend a traditional coffee ceremony and learn to prepare Ethiopian bread. A professional English-speaking guide leads groups of up to six in a private air-conditioned vehicle, with hotel pickup included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day trip to Adadi Mariam and Tiya

• Drive south from Addis Ababa
• Stop at viewpoints of Rift Valley
• Visit Adadi Mariam rock church
• Explore Tiya World Heritage Site
• Visit ancient stone tools exhibits
• Tour the Open Air Museum excavation site

The experience

Adadi Mariam sits 62 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, carved from a single piece of rock in the 13th century by King Lalibela and still functioning as a church today. The drive passes scenic viewpoints of the Great East African Rift Valley, and the tour includes stops to take in the landscape before you reach the church itself. Once there, you walk through the carved interior and learn how this structure was built without modern tools.

From Adadi Mariam, the route continues to Tiya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where about 40 enormous stone grave markers stand in rows across an open field. These stelae were erected between the 12th and 14th centuries in memory of local heroes, and your guide explains the archaeological significance of each cluster. The site also holds exhibits of ancient stone tools and fossils, with displays focused on prehistoric Africa and the findings from Melka Kunture, an excavation site older than 800,000 years.

The day ends in a local village where you visit a family's home to attend a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony: a ritual of roasting, grinding and serving coffee that is central to Ethiopian culture. You'll also learn to make injera, the spongy flatbread that forms the base of every Ethiopian meal, working alongside the family in their kitchen. Lunch at a local restaurant and hotel pickup and drop-off are included, along with local snacks and tea throughout the day.

What’s included

• Professional English-speaking guide.
• private air-conditioned vehicle for up to six passengers.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• lunch at a local Ethiopian restaurant.
• attendance at a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony with coffee and snacks.
• hands-on injera-making lesson with a local family.
• entry to the Tiya World Heritage Site and its archaeological exhibits.
• scenic viewpoint stops at the Great East African Rift Valley.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:00 and 08:00

Book up to12h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 7

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Merit Ethiopian Experience Tours

Is this one for you?The tour runs 8 to 9 hours with moderate walking at each site and a full day of driving, so it suits travelers comfortable with a long day in a vehicle and on their feet. Groups stay under six people, which means more personal attention from the guide and easier access to the family home where you make bread and attend the coffee ceremony.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

What is the rock church of Adadi Mariam and why was it built?

Adadi Mariam is a church carved from a single piece of rock in the 13th century by King Lalibela. It remains a functioning place of worship today and is one of Ethiopia's most significant rock-hewn churches, built as part of a broader movement to create churches from stone rather than construct them with separate materials.

What will I see at the Tiya UNESCO World Heritage Site?

Tiya holds about 40 large stone grave markers (called stelae) erected between the 12th and 14th centuries to honor local heroes. The site also displays ancient stone tools and fossils in four exhibition sections covering prehistoric Africa, geology, paleoanthropology and the findings from the nearby Melka Kunture excavation, which dates back over 800,000 years.

Will I actually make Ethiopian bread, or just watch?

You learn to make injera alongside a local family in their home, working in their kitchen to prepare the spongy flatbread that is eaten with every Ethiopian meal. This is a hands-on experience, not a demonstration.

How far is the drive from Addis Ababa and what is the total time?

The total driving distance is about 200 kilometers, and the full day tour runs 8 to 9 hours including all stops, the coffee ceremony, village visit and lunch. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

What happens during the Ethiopian coffee ceremony?

The coffee ceremony is a traditional ritual where coffee beans are roasted over an open flame, ground by hand, and brewed in a special pot called a jebena. You sit with the family as they serve the coffee in small cups, and the ceremony is both a social and spiritual practice central to Ethiopian culture.