The ancient royal city of Gondar (Gonder) was the last stop on our month-long overlanding tour of Ethiopia and it proved to be a suitably impressive place for it all to end.
In this article, I will tell you all you need to know about Gondar, Ethiopia. For information on other places to visit in this amazing country, as well as travel tips, please read my Complete Ethiopia Travel Guide.
In this article
Getting to Gondar
Domestic Flight
Ethiopia has a surprisingly extensive network of domestic flights operated by Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s most respected airline. There are four flights a day from the capital Addis Ababa to Gondar. The flight takes a little over an hour and costs around $US400 for a round-trip.
Find your flights
By Bus
There is a public bus service which runs between Addis Ababa and Gondar. It leaves from the Mercato bus station in the capital. The journey is long, however, sometimes taking two or three days! There are many different routes and you will need to find a broker in Addis who is knowledgeable about the current state of the roads. Expect to pay between 150 and 200 Birr one way ($US5 – 7).
There are private buses that travel directly from Addis Ababa to Gondar. The drive is usually completed in one day with a lunch break at Debra Markos.
Sky Bus leaves daily at 5am from Meskel Square in front of the tourist information centre and drops off at the Gondar Genet café near the Royal Enclosure. You are advised to arrive around an hour before the scheduled departure time. A one-way ticket is about 375 birr ($US13). Tickets can be purchased from the Sky Bus office located in the lobby of the Taitu hotel.
Selam Bus leaves from Addis Ababa’s Leghar Train Station at 5.30am every day and drops off at the Taye Hotel in Gondar. You can buy tickets from the Selam bus office located in Meskel Square.
Things to Do and See in Gondar
Take a Tour
While it is perfectly possible to explore Gondar independently, why not book a tour and let someone else take care of the logistics?
Whenever we visit a new city, we try to book tours with local guides. There’s no better way to get under the skin of a place! We use Viator when we want to uncover interesting things to do in a new city. They’re easy to use and book with, and we’ve had some amazing experiences with them.
Check out these tours:
Visit the Royal Enclosure
This World Heritage Site is the main reason that tourists come to Gondar.
Opening Times
8.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 6pm every day
Entrance Fee
- Adult 200 Birr ($US7)
- Student 100 Birr ($US3.50)
- Video camera 75 Birr ($US2.60)
- Guide 200 Birr ($US7) – if you are visiting independently, knowledgeable guides wait outside the entrance. It is well worth paying for their services.
Our Visit
We were taken aback by our first sight of the castles and palaces within Gondar’s 70,000 square metre Royal Enclosure. The buildings look very familiar to western eyes and yet it seems totally incongruous to find them in northern Ethiopia. Built in the reign of Emperor Fasiladas (1632 – 1667), and recently restored with funding from UNESCO, this World Heritage Site is truly amazing!
The most impressive building is probably Fasiladas’ Palace which stands 32 metres tall and has a crenulated parapet and four domed towers. The architectural style is a mix of Indian, Portuguese, Moorish and Aksumite influences. Enough remains of the original structures to make it very easy to imagine the courtly pageantry, ceremony and intrigue that went on here.
There is a small room in the northern corner which boasts its original beam ceiling and some faint frescoes. On the 1st floor, Fasiladas’ prayer room has windows in four directions, each overlooking Gondar’s important churches. Religious ceremonies were held on the roof, and it was from here that Emperor Fasiladas addressed his people.
Behind the castle are various ruined buildings, including the kitchen, steam bath and water cistern.
Another notable palace within the Royal Enclosure is the Palace of Iyasu I, once described as ‘the most beautiful house in the world’, decorated as it was with gilded Venetian mirrors, gold leaf, ivory, and beautiful paintings. Even though a 1704 earthquake and British bombing in the 1940s have destroyed the interior and most of the roof, the shell still has a real sense of history.
Elsewhere in the Royal Enclosure, you can visit the ruins of Dawit’s Hall, built by Emperor Dawit in 1718. This building was known as the House of Song because many ceremonies and concerts took place there. There are also two lion houses, the first built by Emperor Dawit and the second by Haile Selassie. Abyssinian lions were kept in these until as recently as 1990.
You can also visit a huge banqueting hall commissioned by Emperor Bakaffa who succeeded Dawit as well as impressive stables and Turkish baths.
Go to Debre Berhan Selassie Church
Opening Times
Entrance Fee
- Adult – 100 Birr ($US3.50)
- Video camera – 75 Birr ($US2.60)
Our Visit
Debre Berhan Selassie is one of Ethiopia’s most beautiful churches. From the outside, it looks impressive with its stone walls, arched doors and two-tiered thatch roof. Inside, there are breathtaking frescoes decorating the walls and hundreds of winged cherubs on the ceiling.
The church you visit today dates from the late 18th century. The original church on this site was circular and built by Iyasu I in the 1690s. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by lightning.
Take Time to Explore Fasiladas’ Bath
Opening Times
Entrance Fee
The entrance fee is included in the price of a Royal Enclosure ticket. It’s not possible to visit the Bath without first buying a ticket to the Royal Enclosure.
Our Visit
Fasiladas’ Bath is a large rectangular pool (empty at the time of our visit) overlooked by a charming holiday home. It was built by Emperor Fasiladas for religious ceremonies, although it is thought that he and his family also used it as a swimming pool.
Today, the complex is still used for religious ceremonies, notably the Timkat celebration, where, once a year, the pool is filled with water and pilgrims are encouraged to immerse themselves as a renewal of their faith.
We were fascinated to see the huge, snakelike tree roots growing through the stone walls surrounding the Bath.
Take a Tour of Dashen Brewery
If you can!! Although Dashen advertise that they do guided tours, actually getting one might prove problematic! We booked in advance for our party of 10, but when we arrived, nobody seemed to know anything about it. Eventually, someone was found who agreed to show us around. She asked us to wait in the reception area and then promptly disappeared! We waited for forty minutes and asked several people who passed us, but we were clearly no nearer to getting our tour so we gave up and went for lunch in the beer garden. This was a pleasant area with plenty of flowers and comfortable seating. The menu was limited, but the food was good and the draft beer was very refreshing.
We did meet other travellers in town who had been successful in getting a tour and they highly recommended it! Maybe next time!
Don’t Miss the Saturday Market
Gondar’s market, Kidame Gebya, used to take place once a week on a Saturday. Now, it is open every day although Saturday is still the busiest. You can buy everything here, from vegetables to clothes. It’s hard not to be tempted by authentic coffee pots, beautiful hand-woven gabis (the ubiquitous blankets worn by all Ethiopians in rural areas), T-shirts, coffee beans, and other reminders of your Ethiopia trip.
Visit the Plougshare Women’s Project
We took a tuk-tuk to this centre in Wolleka 3 kilometres north of Gondar. The project is helping disadvantaged women rekindle local craft traditions including pottery, weaving and basket making. You can watch the women working every day except Sunday. The on-site shop which sells their wares is open every day.
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and I came away with several metres of gorgeous hand-woven fabric.
READ MORE ABOUT THE PLOUGHSHARE WOMEN'S PROJECT
Spend an Evening in Shewe Beye Comedy Club
Yes, I know you won’t be able to understand the jokes if you don’t speak Amharic, but, believe me, you’ll still have a fun night! Gondar is famous for producing some of Ethiopia’s best azmaris. These are entertainers who perform a mixture of music and comedy. Most of them end up starring in shows in Addis, but there are still some good azmari bars in Gondar, identified by signs outside with lutes on them. Shewe Beye is probably the best and is always packed. I recommend you throw caution to the wind and enjoy socialising with the locals!
Go to Wolleka
Not only is Wolleka home to the Ploughshare Women’s Project, it is also the site of the Falasha village. Falashas are Ethiopian Jews and Wolleka was once home to a thriving population of them. Most were airlifted to Israel in the 1980s and today, no Jews remain. There is, however, a small sad-looking synagogue adorned with hand-painted Stars of David. You can pay 10 Birr ($US0.70) to look inside. There is not much to see except evocative photos stuck to the walls. These show former residents of Wolleka and were put there by family members who have returned to visit Ethiopia from Israel.
Have Dinner at Four Sisters Restaurant
So-called because, yes, you guessed it, it is owned and run by four sisters, this restaurant has an excellent reputation for serving the best Ethiopian and international cuisine. It is open every day from 12 noon to 10pm. You usually need to book as it is very popular with locals and tourists alike.
We spent our last evening in Gondar here. I have to say that we were disappointed with the food we ordered (from the Ethiopian selection). I would describe it as mediocre at best. However, the ambience and the entertainment were excellent and provided us with yet more memories to take away from this incredible trip.
Where to Stay in Gondar
Hotel Lammergeyer
This is where we stayed. The hotel is in a great location within walking distance of all the city’s attractions. It has lovely gardens where you can relax and escape the chaos of the city. There is free wi-fi throughout the hotel. The rooms are clean and spacious. Hotel Lammergeyer is a good budget option with double rooms costing about $US35 per night for two people.
Check reviews and prices on Booking.com.
AG Hotel Gondar
This rather ugly-looking hotel benefits from a central location and receives consistently good reviews with guests praising the comfortable beds and the friendly staff. There is free wi-fi throughout the hotel and an airport shuttle service is available. There is a bar and a restaurant on site. Expect to pay around $US60 per night for two people in a double room.
Check reviews and prices on Booking.com.
Goha Hotel
For a more upmarket option in Gondar, you could choose the Goha Hotel which boasts an outdoor pool free wi-fi throughout. It is located on a hill outside of the city so affords lovely views from the pool terrace as well as from the bar and restaurant which specialises in Ethiopian cuisine. The hotel has local entertainment most evenings. A double room for two people costs $US90 per night.
Check reviews and prices on Booking.com.
Search Here for Other Accommodation in Ethiopia
Watch this Video
I took this video of a wedding taking place in the grounds of our hotel. I love the music and the tradition of the ‘best men’ and bridesmaids dancing around the bride and groom.
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Further Reading
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