Gondar - The Ancient City of Ethiopia, Gondar, Ethiopia

On the afternoon of my 28th birthday I decided to take a little road trip from Bahir Dar to Gondar the historic city to the North of Bahir Dar.

Much to my surprise, Gondar was nothing like what I had imagined. Chaotic streets, crowded shops, plentiful of restaurants and debunked the image that I had painted of a laid back city, something more like Bahir Dar.

Gondar (also spelt as Gonder) is the fourth largest city in Ethiopia, people often stop by for a night or two to take a tour of the renowned Fasilides Castle and other historic buildings before heading to Debark for Simien Tours.

As my four hours of nerve shattering journey from Bahir Dar came to an end, I decided to look for a place to stay by getting a first hand impression than browsing through other’s reviews. I walked with my backpack lugged through my shoulders towards the center of the city, Meskel Square where the Fasilides Castle is located.

I checked in to one of the local backpackers what Ethiopians refer to as penision. Though, most rooms have shared toilets and shower, it seemed like an ideal place to spend my 2 nights in the city for 50 ETB per night. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).