Gondar

Gondar Trips

The former capital of Ethiopia, Gondar is famous for its imposing castles, built in the 17th and 18th centuries by several generations of Ethiopia’s kings. Once the seat of Ethiopian emperors, the walled Fasil Ghebbi fortress and palace compound contains the immense 17th-century castle of Emperor Fasilides, combining Portuguese, Indian and local architectural styles. 

Nearby is Debre Birhan Selassie church, with its sensational angelic ceiling, and the bathhouse of Fasilides where thousands of Ethiopians celebrate the Timkat Festival every January. This is one of the greatest festivals in the world and the most important day in the Ethiopian Orthodox calendar. Crowds gather at the Facilides baths, where the water has been blessed by priests, and young men dive in to symbolise the baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan. Our Gondar tours also visit the Kindu Trust, a local organisation working with disadvantaged children, their families and communities.