Day trip to Lake Tana and Blue Nile Falls from Bahir Dar

Two of Ethiopia's most sacred and powerful sites in a single morning and afternoon

A day trip from Bahir Dar combines a private boat journey to Ura Kidane Mehret, a 14th-century Orthodox church on Lake Tana's Zege peninsula, with a drive to the Blue Nile Falls, the 37- to 45-meter cascade known locally as Tis Abay. An English-speaking guide leads both stops, with lunch, entry fees, air-conditioned transport and hotel pickup included. The morning boat ride also passes hippos at the mouth of the Blue Nile River, and the site's interior holds 100- to 250-year-old murals and the crowns of four Ethiopian emperors.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Lake Tana churches and Blue Nile Falls

• Travel by private boat to Ura Kidane Mehret Church
• Explore church murals and treasury
• See hippos at Blue Nile River mouth
• Travel by private van to Blue Nile Falls
• Visit and view Blue Nile Falls

The experience

If you've just arrived in Bahir Dar or have a free day, this tour packs two major stops into nine hours without requiring you to arrange transport or navigate between sites. The morning begins with a private boat ride across Lake Tana to Ura Kidane Mehret, a circular church rebuilt in the 16th century on foundations laid in the 14th. The interior walls carry murals painted between 100 and 250 years ago, and the church treasury holds the embroidered robes of Negus Tekle Haymanot and his wife, along with the crowns of Emperor Yohannes IV, Emperor Tewodros II, Negus Tekle Haymanot, and Emperor Tekle Giyorgis. The boat route also passes the mouth of the Blue Nile River, where hippos surface and birdlife is active year-round.

After lunch, the driver takes you about 40 minutes by van to the Blue Nile Falls, called Tis Abay in Amharic: meaning "great smoke." The falls sit roughly 30 kilometers downstream from Bahir Dar on the upper course of the Nile and consist of four streams that drop between 37 and 45 meters. In the rainy season they can spread over 400 meters wide, though regulation now moderates the seasonal swing. The falls are one of Ethiopia's most visited natural attractions and mark a geological boundary: they isolate Lake Tana's ecosystem from the rest of the Nile system, a separation that shaped the unique animal life of the lake.

What’s included

• Private boat service on Lake Tana.
• admission to Ura Kidane Mehret monastery.
• English-speaking guide for the full day.
• lunch.
• admission to the Blue Nile Falls.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• bottled water.
• government tax.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (under 60) · Senior (60 to 90 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Simien Mountain Trekking and Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're new to Bahir Dar or have one free day to see both the region's most important religious site and its most powerful natural landmark without splitting the experience across two separate outings.

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Top questions

What is Ura Kidane Mehret and why is it worth seeing?

Ura Kidane Mehret is a 14th-century Orthodox church on the Zege peninsula in Lake Tana, rebuilt in its current circular form in the 16th century. The interior walls hold murals painted 100 to 250 years ago, and the attached treasury contains the embroidered robes and crowns of four Ethiopian emperors, making it one of the most historically significant churches in the region.

How far is the Blue Nile Falls from Bahir Dar, and what makes them notable?

The Blue Nile Falls lie about 30 kilometers downstream from Bahir Dar on the upper Nile. Known locally as Tis Abay ("great smoke"), the falls drop 37 to 45 meters and consist of four streams that can spread over 400 meters wide during the rainy season. They mark a natural boundary that has isolated Lake Tana's ecosystem from the rest of the Nile system.

Will I see wildlife on the boat ride across Lake Tana?

Yes. The boat passes the mouth of the Blue Nile River, where hippos surface regularly, and birdlife is active throughout the year on the lake.

What's included in the price, and do I need to arrange my own transport?

The tour includes the private boat ride, entry to both the monastery and the falls, lunch, an English-speaking guide, air-conditioned van transport between sites, bottled water, hotel pickup and government tax. You don't arrange transport yourself.