Is Gonder safe? 🇪🇹

Gonder is currently affected by active conflict in Ethiopia's Amhara region, where fighting between government forces and local militias has persisted into 2026. The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Amhara, and Canada recommends avoiding non-essential travel to the country overall, both updated in October 2026. These advisories reflect the real risk of violence, including the potential for sudden clashes, arbitrary detentions, and disrupted movement. While Gonder does not show elevated levels of petty crime like pickpocketing, the security environment is shaped by instability rather than typical street-level risks.

Visitor sentiment is largely negative, with recent travelers and diaspora sources describing a tense atmosphere marked by military checkpoints and limited freedom of movement. The most recent incident in the dossier comes from April 2026, when the Amhara Association of America reported ongoing violence in the region during the week of April 20–26. Earlier reports from October 2019 and August 2016 describe outbreaks of violence and riots in Gonder itself, though these are less current. There are no recent reports of scams specifically targeting visitors in the dossier.

Given the official guidance and ongoing conflict, travel to Gonder is not advisable. The city's historical and cultural significance does not outweigh the current safety risks. If travel were to be considered in the future, it would require close monitoring of advisory updates and confirmation of a sustained improvement in security conditions. For now, the area should be avoided entirely.