The Blue Nile Falls are a top tourist destination in the north western part of Ethiopia near Bahir Dar due to their enormous beauty that they add to the city of Bahir Dar. The Blue Nile falls get their water from the Blue Nile River whose source is the Lake Tana that is also located near the Bahir Dar city. The Blue Nile falls are locally known as the Tis Abay and this Amharic for great smoke due to the way the water from the falls splashes down to create a kind of smoke. The falls rise up to about 42 meters high and they also create a rainbow around them giving off a beautiful scenery to the tourists. The danger that the falls face is the hydro dam that was constructed which has almost killed all the aqua life that was in the water and it has also reduced on the level of the water in the falls.
Trekking around the Blue Nile falls
There are specifically two routes that you can use while you hike around the Blue Nile falls and these will take you through the different parts of the falls where you will be able to see different beautiful things surrounding the falls.
The first route is flat and you will not find any steep hills. This is where tourists take a boat in order to reach the falls and it is just a twenty minutes’ walk to the falls. The route is especially good to use during the dry season because you get to walk behind the water falls curtain and enjoy a close up with the waterfalls and this is only possible because of the reduced water level during the dry season.
The second hiking route through the steep part of the falls past the bridge where you get to stare down at the falls as they fall down into the river below. The bridge was constructed around the 17th century and it is the one place where you get to admire the falls and its surroundings. After crossing the bridge, you get to climb up more a little bit before getting to the waterfalls. While exploring the blue falls, you get the chance to see the various wild animals which include crocodiles, wildcats and numerous bird species that habitate in the area.
Both paths are good to use because they give you a different focal point of the falls and they are all perfect especially for those that would love to take photos around the falls and that is why some people combine the two routes so that they get to see the falls from different perspectives.
When you get to the Tis Abay falls, there will be many tour guides that might approach you in the guise of helping you with the tour and that is why we provide one for you so that you do not get to spend extra money on the tour guides. Adults get to pay some money before they can gain access to the Blue Nile Falls while children enter for free. The different fees that are paid so that you can gain access to the Blue falls always differs depending on whether you are depending in a group or individuals.
Getting to the Blue falls is quite easy and there are many ways on how you can get there one of them being by boat and the other by road. The different transport means that you use will also determine the amount of money that you will pay as they both charge differently. Note that the Blue falls are open from 7:30 am to 5:30pm every day.
The best time to travel to the Blue falls is during the wet season for those that want to see the falls in their full flow strength and this is between August and September. The only downside about visiting them during the rainy season is that they are always in full strength and you can get drenched even when you are just a radius away from it. Therefore if you are going to go during the wet season you will need extra raincoats to avoid getting wet in a minute.
The dry season is not bad as well even though the water levels in the falls reduce, it is still s good site and you can trek around the falls easily and get to see the few random birds and animals that habitate around the falls.
There are also a lot of other tourist attraction sites that surround the Blue falls and while on your trip to the falls, you can also visit the following places to add on the fun of your whole trip to Ethiopia.
Explore Lake Tana
Lake Tana is located I Bahir Dar where the falls are located and it is the source of the Blue Nile. It is the largest Lake in Ethiopia and there are many activities that tourists can carry out when they visit the Lake and these include sport fishing with the locals, learning how they preserve their fish using local methods, birding due to the many bird species that habitate around the Lake especially the lesser flamingo, enjoy a boat ride and also get to relax while having a picnic at the banks of the Lake Tana.
Explore the Wonkshet Monastery
The Wonkshet monastery is a just a walkable distance from the falls and they have the most outstanding springs that you will see once you get to the place. It is an extremely quiet place where you can rest especially for those who want to stay away from the busy life of the cities. The Wonkshet springs are believed to have healing power and while there you will see many locals getting the water so that they can heal their different ailments and the springs have also attracted many pilgrims from all over who come to be healed.
Visiting Bahir Dar
Bahir Dar as a city is one place that you will want to explore while visiting the falls. It is one of the best cities in Ethiopia with the great view it provides from the lake, the falls and not forgetting the landscape that is filled with green vegetation in form of palm trees that decorate the Lake banks. Some of the best places you can visit while in Bahr Dar include:
- The fish market where most of the fish that is got form Lake Tana is sold. The market is always busy in the morning and you can get yourself fish at a low cost and later in the afternoon, you will be able to see a few birds flying down to feast on the left- overs from the market.
- Explore the various monasteries that are found in Bahir Dar and your trip will not be wasted. No one knows when these monasteries were constructed but are worth visiting and some of these include the Entos Eyesu monastery, the Debre Maryam monastery and many more others.
- Visit the former Emperor Haile Selassie palace which is located on a hill. The hike will be worth it for you get to see the whole city from above.
Accommodation around the Blue falls
Many people who visit the Blue falls either sleep in the camp that is around the falls but most of the tourists tend to spend the night in Bahir Dar and they travel in the morning to the falls. The different accommodation facilities that you can use while on a trip to the Blue falls include the following:
The Blue Nile camp
The Blue Nile camp was constructed around the Blue falls and they give you a wonderful and clear view of the falls as they cascade down the rocks. There are tents and traditionally built huts where you can spend the night and they are not self- contained meaning you have to bathe from the River and they also do not have any electricity. It might not sound fun but it is the only way you are going to experience what all Ethiopians living in the rural towns go through every day. It is a fun experience once you get used to it.
The Abay Minch lodge
This is located around Lake Tana and it is among the luxury accommodation facilities. They have extremely comfortable self-contained rooms and beautiful gardens where you can rest. They also have good and tasty food making it one of the best places to go to for accommodation.
The Jacaranda hotel
The Jacaranda hotel is a mid-range accommodation facility with good and spacious private rooms that are self-contained and they offer good tasty food both local and international and it is located at the shores of Lake Tana.
There are more accommodation facilities that you can use when you get to the falls and these can be found in the different itineraries on our website and these can accommodate any budget from basic to luxury.
