Blue Nile Falls

The Blue Nile Falls — known locally as Tisissat, meaning 'water that smokes' in Amharic — are the second-largest waterfall in Africa, located about 30 kilometers south of Bahir Dar. During the rainy season, up to 400 cubic meters of water per second cascade over a basalt ledge up to 45 meters high, generating a mist cloud visible from kilometers away. The Blue Nile begins just upstream at Lake Tana, one of Africa's oldest lakes, making this stretch one of the most dramatic early sections of the river's 5,000-kilometer journey to the Mediterranean. Visitors reach the falls via a short hike through eucalyptus woodland and across a 17th-century Portuguese stone bridge. The surrounding area is habitat for waterbirds and gelada baboons, adding a wildlife dimension to the visit.