Private Tour
Bahir Dar Tours
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Day 1 . Bahir Dar : After checking into our hotel, exploring Lake Tana and its islands by boat. There are 37 islands on Lake Tana and 30 of them have churches and monasteries of considerable historical and cultural interest. We visit the monastery churches of Ura Kidane Mihiret, Azwa Mariam,. Ura Kidanemihiret is the best known of the monasteries and has an important collection of religious icons from the 16th to 18th centuries A.D. Azwa Mariam is known for its paintings and we also have time to visit the small museum.
Day 2 drive to the Blue Nile Falls, which is known locally as Tissisat (smoking water) the water plunges for 45 m (148 ft), giving rise to steam clouds and rainbows. We climb down to the base of the falls for an up-close
look and then ascend the other side the round trip will take about 1hour walking. Than we cross the Blue Nile by boat to return to the point of departure. Overnight In hotel
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Specialized infant seats are available
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Local guide
Botel of water
Car to waterfalls
Boat
church entrance fee
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
What To Expect
Lake Tana
Day 1 . drive to the Blue Nile Falls, which is known locally as Tissisat (smoking water) falls: 100 m (328 ft) wide, the water plunges for 45 m (148 ft), giving rise to steam clouds and rainbows. We climb down to the base of the falls for an up-close look and then ascend the other side the round trip will take about 1hour walking. Than we cross the Blue Nile by boat afternoon exploring Lake Tana and its islands by boat. There are 37 islands on Lake Tana and 30 of them have churches and monasteries of considerable historical and cultural interest. We visit the monastery churches of Ura Kidane Mihiret, Azwa Mariam,. Ura Kidanemihiret is the best known of the monasteries and has an important collection of religious icons from the 16th to 18th centuries A.D. Azwa Mariam is known for its paintings and we also have time to visit the small museum.
Options
Luxury Boat
Boat
Pickup included
Luxury Boat with ...
Pickup included
Private tour
Duration: 2 days
Pickup included
Private Boat and car 100 HP
Boat
Pickup included
Reviews
9 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
the smell of the coffe attracts from far
hiwotc2025,
May 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The best spot to hang out with friends and family , experience this feeling near lake tana with experience of culture and modern coffee shop!
Thanks for making my travel experience good
explorer208,
Jul 23, 2023
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a very enjoyable time in Bahir Dar. All went smoothly except for a couple of hiccups early on flight delay and a bit of rain. Hotels were good, transport on time, and the guides were good. Information was very helpful.
Affordable , Reliable and Professional service in Bahir Dar .
184jemesh,
Oct 8, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Affordable , Reliable and Professional service in Bahir Dar . We used Ethio tours in this September. It arranged for all of our tours in country , booked Domestic country flights (negotiated with the gate agent when there was an issue with our baggage allowance), booked our lodging (including finding a suitable Hotel in each destinations), found restaurants that met our needs, arranged for cultural experiences and great natural sight viewing. We start our Tour in Bahir Dar his main Office found. ,We visited Lake tana monastery and waterfalls. Tana Monasteries are extraordinary places to visit and they are the calmest places to be and rich in religious attractions. The day started with my arrival at Bahir Dar then off to Tississat to have a walk and see the waterfalls of the Blue Nile. After about 5 km on pavement, the road became just gravel. So, about 30 km to enjoy an "African Massage". The 30 minute walk to the falls was great - lots of local people using the path we took. What was interesting was that we crossed the first stone bridge constructed in Ethiopia in 1626. The scenery was stunning! In the afternoon a visit to Lake Tana and 1-hour boat ride to Zege Peninsula. The objective was to see Ura Kidane-Mihret monastery which involved a short walk along a shaded trail lined with tourist knick-knacks stalls. The monastery was beautiful and the interior frescoes were stunning. Mas provided an explanation about the shape of the monastery and pointed out many of the biblical stories being told through the frescoes. The return boat journey culminated in a sighting of Hippos enjoying the cool water.tractions. Ethio Tours is very professional and also completely flexible, willing and able to tailor the perfect experience for each traveler. I highly recommend Ethio tours and car rent .
We had a wonderful week end in Lake Tana , Bahir Dar
yasminl814,
Aug 18, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a wonderful Time in Lake Tana and bahir dar . The staff were super friendly, very knowledgeable about the sites, and we felt very safe throughout the trip. We book our Boat tours with ethio Tours . Melese and Birhanu were our Guide and Capitan , they are extremely experienced, genuine and funny. They made sure we are safe in our Boat tours and create great vibes for us . I feel lucky to Book with ethio tours !
foreigner living in Addis Ababa
americanadianinaddis,
Dec 12, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The one-day tour of the Blue Nile Falls and two monasteries on the Zege peninsula on Lake Tana organized by Ethio Tours With Locals was excellent. The one-hour drive from Bahir Dar to the falls was interesting, driving through beautiful countryside and small villages, and was made very enjoyable by the relaxed and pleasant driver. The walk to the falls took me across a centuries-old Portuguese bridge, and included a boat crossing of the Blue Nile. The falls themselves are at reduced volume due to a hydroelectric power dam, but I had been forwarned. The afternoon boat ride on Lake Tana was peaceful, and the two 14th century monasteries, reached by walking through forest and coffee land, were fantastic, and full of Ethiopian religious painting, from floor to ceiling. Saw hippos at the outlet of the Blue Nile on Lake Tana. Money for numerous tipping occasions was necessary. All in all the trip and the service were excellent. 5/5.
Birding, fishing, fishwatching, and monestaris and falls with Melese!
Lawrence K,
Nov 21, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Melese designed a perfect two-day tour, totally responsive to my priorities, and then we executed it perfectly! Using a van and boat, he took me to the blue nile falls then two island monestaris, pointing out interesting birds and sights along the way while engaging in great conversation about Ethiopian opportunities. The next day he took me fishing, to fish markets, to the fish research center, and a fish restaurant. We also saw hippos, great birds, and a dozen species of fish, all at a very reasonable price. Fantastic!
Bahir Dar Lake Tana and Blue Nile Falls!
Omar K,
Oct 28, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I just got back from a 2 day trip Bahir Dar, and I just want to thank Melese for being such an amazing tour guide. He is extremely experienced and very knowledgeable of the history of the region, and knew how to best organize our itinerary for the 2 days we were there. He also incorporates your interests into the itinerary (for example we wanted to spend more time in the lake to look for hippos - which we found! - rather than visit another monastery, and he was on board!). His restaurant recommendations were also very good - he will direct you to the best fish dishes in Ethiopia!
Great guide and tour of Bahir Dar
Ninaravi,
Sep 9, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Just came back from a weekend in Bahir Dar. First day we took a trip out to the Blue Nile Falls. Nice little hike and lush countryside in the rainy season. The falls are no longer as big as they used to be because of the hydroelectric project. The second day was on the lake: monastery, hippos and a fisherman feeding pelicans from his papyrus canoe. Our guide was named Genanew. He was friendly, informative and very helpful. I would recommend him. Our tour operator was Melese who was very clear and helpful in all his communications.
Lake Tana Fishing
Dano G,
Apr 16, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I spent the weekend relaxing in Bahir Dar and wanted to be out on the lake but was not all that interested in visiting the monasteries. Melesse provided an excellent half day fishing trip that was just what I was looking for. He picked me up in the boat directly from my hotel (Kuriftu Lodge- highly recommended) and we fished several spots around the lake, as well a watched hippos, birds, and nile monitors. We caught a number of barbus and generally relaxed. The boat was shaded and Melesse was very knowledgeable about the local fauna and culture. It was a fun day and bit different from the typical Lake Tana tour.
Related Experiences
Operated by Ethio Tours