Bahir Dar is the gateway to Lake Tana and the Blue Nile Falls.  The area is set round a wetland rich in endemic birds, fish and hippos.

There is an extraordinary concentration of monasteries mostly between 400 - 800 years old which perch on 20 of the lake's 37 islands.

Short boat trips on the Lake take you to some of the more accessible monasteries on the Zege Peninsula.  Due to their isolation they were used to store treasures and religious relics from all parts of the country. 

Lake Tana is the largest lake in Ethiopia, covering more than 3600km2.  Due to it's variety of habitats, from rocky crags to riverside forests and wetlands, there are many local and migratory birds found here.

The 45m-high Blue Nile Falls is one of Africa's most spectacular waterfalls.  The Blue Nile Falls are approximately 30 km's downstream from Bahir Dar and Lake Tana.  At its fullest, in the rainy season which is between mid-June to the end of August, the Blue Nile can reach 400m wide!!  The millions of gallons of water that cascade over the cliffs create some of the most stunning rainbows.