{"license":"CC BY 4.0 — attribution: IsMyTripSafe.com","source":"https://ismytripsafe.com/ethiopia/lalibela","updatedAt":"2026-09-10T13:29:43.334Z","place":{"city":"Lalibela","country":"Ethiopia","countryCode":"ET","lat":12.03219,"lon":39.04756},"safety":{"score":44,"level":"CAUTION","answer":"Caution advised","saferThanPctOfCountries":32,"confidence":0.88,"caps":[{"max":44,"reason":"Level 3 advisory — reconsider travel"}],"databaseScore":44,"travellerSentiment":{"score":87,"label":"Mostly positive","summary":"Recent traveler reports indicate that Lalibela is very safe and calm, with many tourists visiting without issue and reporting positive experiences.","weightInScore":0.18,"components":[{"label":"Reported feel","score":85,"weight":0.35},{"label":"Robbery risk","score":92,"weight":0.45},{"label":"Pickpocket risk","score":78,"weight":0.2}]},"categories":[{"key":"crime","label":"Crime","score":66,"tier":1},{"key":"sentiment","label":"Traveller Sentiment","score":87,"tier":1},{"key":"advisories","label":"Advisories","score":30,"tier":2},{"key":"stability","label":"Stability","score":41,"tier":2},{"key":"health","label":"Health & Air","score":66,"tier":2}]},"advisories":[{"source":"U.S. Department of State","level":3,"label":"Reconsider Travel","updated":"Thu, 27 Aug 2026","url":"https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/ethiopia-travel-advisory.html"},{"source":"UK Foreign Office (FCDO)","level":3,"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":"2026-09-09T10:13:48.140000-04:00","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":92,"source":"City Geocoding"},{"key":"numbeo_crime_index","label":"Crime index (crowdsourced)","value":50.3,"display":"50.3 / 100","year":null,"score":54,"source":"Numbeo Crime Index"},{"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":70,"display":"US AQI 70 · Moderate","year":null,"score":80,"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":1,"display":"1 within 15 km · nearest ~1.1 km","year":null,"score":52,"source":"OpenStreetMap"},{"key":"weather","label":"Extreme weather","value":25,"display":"September: highs ~25°C · heavy rain / flooding","year":null,"score":82,"source":"Open-Meteo"},{"key":"natural_hazards","label":"Natural hazards","value":0,"display":"No active alerts · 11 quakes ≥M4.5 past yr","year":null,"score":76,"source":"GDACS / USGS"},{"key":"advisory","label":"Government travel advisory","value":3,"display":"Level 3 — Reconsider Travel · 2 govts","year":null,"score":25,"source":"CA / US"},{"key":"research_robbery_risk","label":"Mugging & robbery risk","value":4,"display":"Low risk","year":null,"score":92,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_pickpocket_risk","label":"Pickpocketing & theft risk","value":3,"display":"Moderate risk","year":null,"score":78,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_sentiment_score","label":"Visitor safety sentiment","value":85,"display":"85 / 100 (Mostly positive)","year":null,"score":85,"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":"Yes — Lalibela is considered one of Ethiopia's safer destinations for tourists, particularly compared to other parts of the country.","summary":"While national advisories caution against travel to Ethiopia, Lalibela itself is a relatively safe pilgrimage town. The primary risks for visitors are petty crime and tourist-focused scams, rather than violent crime. Recent political tensions in northern Ethiopia have stabilized, and the town remains welcoming to tourists.","robberyRisk":{"level":"Low","note":"Violent crime and armed banditry are rare in Lalibela itself, though reported in surrounding highlands."},"pickpocketRisk":{"level":"Moderate","note":"Pickpocketing and petty theft are prevalent in crowded areas, especially in the local market and around the rock-hewn churches."},"safeAreas":["Rock-Hewn Churches UNESCO Site","Area around major hotels (Mountain View, Maribela)"],"avoidAreas":["Outskirts / surrounding highlands - sporadic armed banditry and terrorism reports"],"scams":["Overcharging schemes, particularly in markets and with unauthorized guides.","Fake tour guides approaching tourists.","Dual pricing in local markets."],"zones":[{"name":"Rock-Hewn Churches UNESCO Site","level":"safe","note":"Well-monitored with security personnel and tourist police; very safe during daylight hours."},{"name":"Main Commercial Area (hotels, restaurants, shops)","level":"caution","note":"Relatively safe but watch for overcharging and unauthorized guides; petty theft possible in crowds."},{"name":"Area around major hotels (Mountain View, Maribela)","level":"safe","note":"Good security, well-lit streets, regular hotel staff presence; safe for walking during reasonable hours."},{"name":"Local Market","level":"caution","note":"Higher risk of pickpocketing in crowds; dual pricing and aggressive vendors common—exercise caution."},{"name":"Outskirts / surrounding highlands","level":"avoid","note":"Sporadic reports of armed banditry and terrorism in surrounding highlands; avoid walking alone, especially after dark."}]}}