Tour Guide, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
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Lake Tana biosphere reserve, a mesmerizingly beautiful inland sea fringed by lush green tropical vegetation, is Ethiopia’s largest lake, extending across the northwestern highlands for 3,156km^2 and stretching more than 84km north-south and 66km east-west. Tana also ranks as one of the county's most popular and engaging tourist destinations, thanks to its balmy tropical climate, fabulous birdlife, excellent amenities, and wealth of compelling sightseeing, which includes numerous atmospheric medieval island monasteries and the spectacular Blue Nile Falls.
Tana has deep historical links with the Mediterranean world. The ancient Egyptians called it Coloe, while the ancient Greeks extolled it as the ‘copper-tinted lake, that is the jewel of Ethiopia’. The Blue Nile, or abay, which exits the southern lakeshore close to the city of Bahir Dar, is widely identified with the biblical river Gihon, which flowed out of the garden of Eden to’ encircle the entire land of kush’ (an alternative biblical name for Ethiopia). Relics of these ancient historical links range from the Judaic sacrificial pillars on the island of Tana Chirkos to the Egyptian-style papyrus tankwa boats used by local fishermen. Between the 17th and 19th centuries, the Tana Region served as the political hub of Ethiopia. Much earlier, dozens of monasteries were founded on the lake’s islands and peninsulas. In June 2015, Lake Tana became the centrepiece of a newly created 5,000 square- kilometre UNESCO biosphere reserve.
Bahir Dar
The capital of Amhara Region and largest port on lake tana, Bahir Dar is a wonderful place to settle in to for a few days. Not only does it boast a mellow atmosphere and lovely location on a lushly wooded stretch of lakeshore teeming with wildlife, but it also has excellent tourist facilities and provides a great selection of sightseeing opportunities.
The sprawling daily market, busiest on Saturday, is a fun place to explore, weaving between stalls sell everything from traditional handicrafts to fresh tropical fruit and hardware. A host of great eateries and tourist-friendly traditional music venues means that Bahir Dar has the country’s most enjoyable nightlife outside Addis Ababa. Architectural landmarks include the medieval church of Bahir Dar Giyorgis and an adjacent stone tower built for Emperor Susenyos in the 1620s.
The Amhara martyrs’ Memorial and Museum display a vast collection of photographs and other artefacts documenting the last years of the imperial era, the formation of the Ethiopian people’s democratic movement’s in 1980 and the civil war against the Derg. A short taxi ride from the town centre leads to Bezawit Hill, with great birding and stirring views over the Nile River and Lake Tana. Bahir Dar is also the best base for exploring other local attractions such as the Lake Tana monasteries and the Blue Nile Falls.
Lake Tana Monasteries
The 20-odd medieval monasteries that stud the forested islands and peninsulas of Lake Tana are best known for their brightly painted interiors. Indeed, the like of Ura Kidane Mihret and Narga Selassie, their maqdas (holy of holies) covered in paintings from floor to ceiling, are absorbing examples of the colourful cast of saints and other legendary figures populating Ethiopia's ecclesiastic history. Many of the lake monasteries were established during the 14th century rule of Amda Tsion but some are more modern, while others, most notably Tana Chirkos, with its trio of ancient Judaic sacrificial pillars, might date back thousands of years.