Day 3: Bahar Dar, Gondar
Tuesday 10th February 2015
Bahar Dar – Gondar We set off early on the long road north to Gondar but stopped twice to look for birds on the flat grasslands north of Bahar Dar, the second time when the driver had to change a flat tyre! In addition to hundreds of The Best of Ethiopia Tour Report © Naturetrek April 15 3 Common Cranes, there were two beautiful Black Crowned Cranes quite close to the road. Wintering European visitors included literally thousands of Yellow Wagtails, amongst which we found the beautiful African Quailfinch and the endemic Erlanger’s Lark. Montagu’s Harriers quartered the plains whilst Long-crested Eagles scanned from roadside poles. On arriving in Gondar, we enjoyed a delicious lunch at the superb Four Sisters restaurant – probably the best in Ethiopia! Everyone enjoyed the opportunity to try a wide range of local Ethiopian dishes and to enjoy the traditional coffee ritual. In the afternoon, an expert local guide led us around the fascinating Royal Enclosure, a walled compound in the very centre of Gondar, which contains six castles built by the Emperor Fasilidas and his immediate successors. The sixteenth century buildings have been sympathetically restored and are very atmospheric. We also visited Fasilidas’ Pool, and Debre Birhan Silassie Church, where we were lucky to witness a lively wedding celebration. Walking around these cultural sites also revealed some new birds including Black-headed Oriole and Mocking Cliff Chat. We spent a pleasant evening relaxing over dinner at the Goha hotel, with its spectacular views over the city. Dozens of raptors and corvids rode the updrafts around us, including Steppe Eagle and our first Thick-billed Ravens. Day
Bahar Dar – Gondar We set off early on the long road north to Gondar but stopped twice to look for birds on the flat grasslands north of Bahar Dar, the second time when the driver had to change a flat tyre! In addition to hundreds of The Best of Ethiopia Tour Report © Naturetrek April 15 3 Common Cranes, there were two beautiful Black Crowned Cranes quite close to the road. Wintering European visitors included literally thousands of Yellow Wagtails, amongst which we found the beautiful African Quailfinch and the endemic Erlanger’s Lark. Montagu’s Harriers quartered the plains whilst Long-crested Eagles scanned from roadside poles. On arriving in Gondar, we enjoyed a delicious lunch at the superb Four Sisters restaurant – probably the best in Ethiopia! Everyone enjoyed the opportunity to try a wide range of local Ethiopian dishes and to enjoy the traditional coffee ritual. In the afternoon, an expert local guide led us around the fascinating Royal Enclosure, a walled compound in the very centre of Gondar, which contains six castles built by the Emperor Fasilidas and his immediate successors. The sixteenth century buildings have been sympathetically restored and are very atmospheric. We also visited Fasilidas’ Pool, and Debre Birhan Silassie Church, where we were lucky to witness a lively wedding celebration. Walking around these cultural sites also revealed some new birds including Black-headed Oriole and Mocking Cliff Chat. We spent a pleasant evening relaxing over dinner at the Goha hotel, with its spectacular views over the city. Dozens of raptors and corvids rode the updrafts around us, including Steppe Eagle and our first Thick-billed Ravens. Day