{"license":"CC BY 4.0 — attribution: IsMyTripSafe.com","source":"https://ismytripsafe.com/ethiopia/lalibela","updatedAt":"2026-07-29T17:47:59.034Z","place":{"city":"Lalibela","country":"Ethiopia","countryCode":"ET","lat":12.03219,"lon":39.04756},"safety":{"score":43,"level":"CAUTION","answer":"Caution advised","saferThanPctOfCountries":30,"confidence":0.84,"caps":[{"max":44,"reason":"Level 3 advisory — reconsider travel"}],"databaseScore":40,"travellerSentiment":{"score":56,"label":"Cautious","summary":"While there's international recognition of Lalibela's cultural significance, recent reports indicate a decline in tourism, suggesting traveler hesitancy due to broader security concerns in Ethiopia.","weightInScore":0.18,"components":[{"label":"Reported feel","score":35,"weight":0.35},{"label":"Robbery risk","score":62,"weight":0.45},{"label":"Pickpocket risk","score":78,"weight":0.2}]},"categories":[{"key":"crime","label":"Crime","score":52,"tier":1},{"key":"sentiment","label":"Traveller Sentiment","score":56,"tier":1},{"key":"advisories","label":"Advisories","score":30,"tier":2},{"key":"stability","label":"Stability","score":41,"tier":2},{"key":"health","label":"Health & Air","score":62,"tier":2}]},"advisories":[{"source":"UK Foreign Office (FCDO)","level":4,"label":"Advises against all travel to parts of the country","updated":"2026-05-29T10:35:25Z","url":"https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ethiopia"},{"source":"Government of Canada","level":3,"label":"Avoid non-essential travel (with regional advisories)","updated":"2026-07-29T14:31:46.2003107-04:00","url":"https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/ethiopia"}],"indicators":[{"key":"homicide","label":"Homicide rate","value":8.51054794891045,"display":"8.5 / 100k","year":"2012","score":50,"source":"World Bank Open Data"},{"key":"crime_major_constraint","label":"Crime seen as a major business constraint","value":0.9,"display":"0.9%","year":"2015","score":99,"source":"World Bank Enterprise Surveys"},{"key":"terrorism_deaths_pm","label":"Terrorism deaths (latest year)","value":3.602219028927229,"display":"3.6 / million","year":"2021","score":56,"source":"Global Terrorism Database"},{"key":"road_deaths","label":"Road traffic deaths","value":17.7,"display":"17.7 / 100k","year":"2021","score":47,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"stability","label":"Political stability & no terrorism","value":33.6960224,"display":"34/100","year":"2024","score":34,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"rule_of_law","label":"Rule of law","value":38.9119872,"display":"39/100","year":"2024","score":39,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"corruption","label":"Control of corruption","value":38.9918024,"display":"39/100","year":"2024","score":39,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"gov_effectiveness","label":"Government effectiveness","value":38.7798166,"display":"39/100","year":"2024","score":39,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"regulatory","label":"Regulatory quality","value":41.7214465,"display":"42/100","year":"2024","score":42,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"voice","label":"Voice & accountability","value":35.1042066,"display":"35/100","year":"2024","score":35,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"city_population_scale","label":"Urban scale factor","value":39100,"display":"39k residents","year":null,"score":91,"source":"City Geocoding"},{"key":"human_trafficking_victims","label":"Detected human-trafficking victims","value":0,"display":"0.00 / 100k","year":"2022","score":92,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"air_quality","label":"Air quality","value":66,"display":"US AQI 66 · Moderate","year":null,"score":82,"source":"Open-Meteo Air Quality"},{"key":"health","label":"Travel health notices","value":null,"display":"3 global notices","year":null,"score":92,"source":"CDC Travelers' Health"},{"key":"hospitals","label":"Hospitals nearby","value":3.3,"display":"3 beds / 10k · country avg","year":"2016","score":15,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"weather","label":"Extreme weather","value":20,"display":"July: highs ~20°C · heavy rain / flooding","year":null,"score":82,"source":"Open-Meteo"},{"key":"natural_hazards","label":"Natural hazards","value":0,"display":"No active alerts · 12 quakes ≥M4.5 past yr","year":null,"score":76,"source":"GDACS / USGS"},{"key":"advisory","label":"Government travel advisory","value":3,"display":"Level 3 — Avoid non-essential travel (with regional advisories)","year":null,"score":30,"source":"Government of Canada"},{"key":"research_robbery_risk","label":"Mugging & robbery risk","value":3,"display":"Moderate risk","year":null,"score":70,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_pickpocket_risk","label":"Pickpocketing & theft risk","value":3,"display":"Moderate risk","year":null,"score":70,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_sentiment_score","label":"Visitor safety sentiment","value":35,"display":"35 / 100 (Cautious)","year":null,"score":35,"source":"City Web Research"}],"healthNotices":[{"level":"Alert","title":"Global Polio","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level2/global-polio"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Dengue","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/dengue-global"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Measles","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/measles-globe"}],"hazardAlerts":[],"fieldResearch":{"verdict":"Avoid non-essential travel to Lalibela due to significant security concerns and regional instability.","summary":"Lalibela, while a UNESCO World Heritage site, is located in a region with ongoing conflict and instability. Official advisories strongly caution against travel to Ethiopia, with specific warnings for areas near borders and certain regions. While direct incidents targeting tourists in Lalibela are not prominently reported in recent news, the general security situation and the risk of broader conflict spilling over necessitate extreme caution.","robberyRisk":{"level":"Moderate","note":"While specific incidents of armed robbery targeting tourists in Lalibela are not highlighted, the general crime index and homicide rate for Ethiopia suggest a moderate risk, particularly in less-trafficked areas."},"pickpocketRisk":{"level":"Moderate","note":"Pickpocketing and bag-snatching can occur in crowded tourist areas and markets, as is common in many popular destinations."},"safeAreas":["Lalibela Town Center","Church Complex Vicinity"],"avoidAreas":["Surrounding Rural Areas"],"scams":["Being pressured to buy souvenirs or pay for unsolicited 'guides' at religious sites.","Being overcharged for goods and services, especially by unofficial taxi drivers."],"zones":[{"name":"Lalibela Town Center","level":"caution","note":"Main tourist area, but petty crime and scams are present."},{"name":"Church Complex Vicinity","level":"caution","note":"High tourist traffic increases risk of pickpocketing and aggressive vendors."},{"name":"Outskirts of Lalibela","level":"caution","note":"Less populated areas may have increased risks, especially after dark."},{"name":"Surrounding Rural Areas","level":"avoid","note":"Limited infrastructure and potential for conflict or crime, especially in regions with advisories."}]}}