"The Camelot of Africa" Top 5 Page for this destination Gonder by Elisabcn

Gonder Travel Guide: 123 reviews and 369 photos

One of the things that I liked most of Ethiopia is the diversity of sites and sceneries that the country has to offer. After getting lost in the narrow streets of the Muslim Harar and some relaxing walks by the lake Tana, I found myself exploring the rock hewn churches of Lalibela to reach finally a kind of forgotten Cittadel in Gonder. Flanked by twin mountain streams at an altitude of more than 2,300 m and surrounded by eucalyptus trees, Gonder and its imposing fortress and castles appeared to me as a Medieval Camelot.

At the beginning of the trip, Gonder was not on my Ethiopia wish list. That means that, if time was tight, we were ready to skip it in order to spend some days in the Simien Mountains. But that would have been a pity because Debre Birhan Church with its angels-voyeurs were one of the highlights of my Ethiopian trip.

Use Gonder to spend some relaxing days before the great hike.

Pros and Cons

Pros:The churches' paintings are wonderful
In a nutshell:The last stop before Simien Mountains

Last visit to Gonder: Sep 2010
Intro Updated Dec 16, 2010
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Reviews (12)

THE LAST STOP BEFORE SIMIEN MOUNTAINS Things to Do (10)

If you are coming from the south of the country, Gonder is the last important stop before Simien Mountains. In the bus... more travel advice

SUNSET AT FOGERA HOTEL Nightlife (1)

Apart from some local pubs of questionable reputation that I did not visit, there is not much nightlife in Gonder. But... more travel advice

QOUSQUAM CASTLE Things to Do (10)

The construction of this residential complex on the hills, at 4km north west of the city, is attributed to Queen... more travel advice

FASILADAS' BATHS Things to Do (10)

This is a nice excursion at only few kilometres from the city centre. Fasiladas baths consist in a small pavilion... more travel advice

Hotels (1)
MISRAK PENSION

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Comments (10)

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MM212 May 24, 2011 at 5:11 AM

Great page in a fascinating country I hope to visit one day. Cheers from Los Angeles.
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toonsarah Mar 15, 2011 at 3:21 AM

The more I read of your Ethiopean adventures, the more it confirms my wish to go there one day. I enjoyed reading your tips about the castles & churches very much, and absolutely loved your photos of the Debre Birhan Selassie church :-)
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mircaskirca Jan 18, 2011 at 11:52 AM

With such variety of sightseeing, Gonder sounds like a great place to spend a few days. Loved those churches and its stunning decorations of the walls! Sunset + local beer + good company, that's certainly a very good choice of nightlife :)
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cachaseiro Jan 2, 2011 at 10:25 PM

So you went to Ethiopia. Now that looks really interesting.
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DAO Jan 2, 2011 at 12:29 PM

Absolutely superb information and tips!
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MalenaN Dec 29, 2010 at 11:32 PM

The paintings are amazing and Gonder seems to be an interesting place to visit. To end a day of sight-seeing on the terrace of Fogera Hotel sounds great!
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TravellerMel Dec 29, 2010 at 12:43 PM

What interesting tips and LOVELY photos! Not at all what I envisioned Ethiopia to look like - I look forward to reading more!
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yumyum Dec 29, 2010 at 1:47 AM

Wow, I like all these fascinating buildings!
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Jefie Dec 28, 2010 at 11:28 AM

Wow, I would never have guessed such treasures were hidden in Ethiopia, no wonder you like it so much! Truly fascinating tips & pics, thanks for sharing!
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willy_wonka Dec 18, 2010 at 4:51 AM

elisa! what a fantastic page about such a unique destination. i love all the historical buildings, so fascinating. the artworks in the churches are stunning too, so well preserved! looking forward to reading about the simien hike! nice work bella! x