Ethiopia Part 3: Gondar

After having spent some time figuring out Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa and walking through the still quite active, rock-cut shrines of Lalibela, my journey through Ethiopia now takes me to the more Western province of Amhara. We leave early in the morning, and I find myself in the back of an Ethiopian matatu minibus, sitting on a jerrycan while being wedged between two seats. It’s an uncomfortable seven-hour drive to Gondar, but the spellbinding scenery is a welcome compensation.

Amhara's spell-binding scenery

The landscape reminds me of The Lord of the Rings books; even the region’s names are similar to the ones used by Tolkien. There’s Gondar (Gondor), Roha (Rohan), Bahir Dar (Barad-dûr) and even a city called Shire, north of the Semien Mountains. Could it be that the Amhara region inspired Tolkien (a native South African)? 

Lalibela's small bus station, with even smaller buses

Gondar is most famous for its well-preserved castles and palaces in the stonewalled Fasil Ghebbi complex, a perfect location for a morning walk. But the Debre Birhan Selassie Church is the absolute highlight of my Gondar visit. After stopping for lunch at Master Chef (they serve great fish, freshly caught from the nearby Lake Tana), it’s a 20-minute walk out of town. 

Gondar boasts some stunning castles, built by Ethiopian rulers

A monk hangs the chasubles to dry in a Gondar courtyard

In a peaceful courtyard, where a monk hangs the clerical chasubles to dry, I find one of the most beautifully decorated churches of Ethiopia. Every corner of this 17th- century church is graced with superb art depicting bible stories. And don’t forget to look up: the painted ceiling features the faces of 80 beautiful angels (see header photo).

A monk browses through a guide book

With the Fasil Ghebbi complex around the corner, my hotel is perfectly situated. Although the walls of Lodge du Chateau’s rooms are wafer-thin, Simon, the owner, makes up for that by going the extra mile. From here, you can hop into a tuk-tuk and head to the south of town, where a visit to Fasilidas’s Pool – a sunken bathing place surrounding a small fortress – is still used for the annual Timkat celebration in January.

Fasilidas's Pool

A visit to this royal pool is a great excuse to check out the city’s Dashen Brewery, which has a charming beer garden that is often packed with students from the adjacent university. It's the perfect spot to relax, talk to young Ethiopians and prepare for my next trip to Bahir Dar, which will be my final stop on this Ethiopia journey.

A Gondar street, as seen from Lodge du Chateau

Hoi! My name is Joost Bastmeijer, and I’m a Dutch freelance travel writer and photojournalist currently traveling through Africa. Check out my photos on Instagram at instagram.com/joostbastmeijer, or visit my website to see some more of my work: joostbastmeijer.com!

Our next stop: Bahir Dar!

To read more about my trip to Ethiopia, make sure to check out my Ethiopia Guide! In part 4 of the guide, I will write a bit about the last visit of my trip to Ethiopia: the beautiful Lake Tana and the Blue Nile. 

Lake Tana, as featured in Part 4 of this Guide