Gondar

Get around

The blue and white minibuses run through the city efficiently. There are also some horse drawn taxis called garis. Both are inexpensive. You can contract a small blue coloured taxi for a day or several days during your visit. Tuktuks/bajajs (three-wheeled motor vehicles) are ubiquitous and inexpensive: rides around the city shouldn't cost more than 10 birr -and often should be substantially less- during the day time, and no more than ~25 birr at night (Jan 2015).

See

thumb|Debre Birhan Selassie: 17th-18th century wall paintings

Fasilides' Castle (Fasil Gemb), built in 1640. Iyasu's Palace, the home of Iyasu I, emperor from 1682 to 1706, the son of Yohannes I and grandson of Fasil. An earthquake and bombings by the British destroyed its once ornate and lavish interior, but the structure remains mostly intact and is the largest in the compound. Dawit's Hall, built by Dawit III, emperor from 1716 to 1721 and son of Iyasu. Mentewab's Palace, belonging to Mentewab, empress from 1723 to 1730, the wife of Emperor Bakaffa, Dawit's brother.

Do

Timkat festival, Epiphany, 19 January. Christian celebration with re-enactments of baptism and dancing.

Buy

Dashen Bank & Awash Bank has ATMs that accept Mastercard & Visa cards all over the town, one of them at the university.

There is a fairly large market in Gondar, near the bus station, where you can find clothes, spices, etc.

Drink

The pure tej (without sugar - only from honey), tela (korefe, tiru) are the local famous drinks. They are also common throughout Ethiopia, particularly in the Amhara region, although there is some sugar. Factory beers of all kinds are found. It is very common to get Dashen Beer, as Dashen Brewery is in Gondar.

There are bars and clubs with music and dancing on the street running down the slope from Walia Ibex roundabout (with a statue of an ibex in the centre) towards Atse Tewodros Square. The Walya club is on the corner of the ibex roundabout; down the slope there are the Balageru, the Atse Bakafa and others.

Sleep

Prices start at 20 birr for very basic rooms. Timkat in Gondar is the one time and place in Ethiopia when you might really struggle to find a room