Blue Nile Falls
Blue Nile Falls
4
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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4.0
456 reviews
Excellent
184
Very good
166
Average
73
Poor
23
Terrible
10
adewale a
5 contributions
Oct 2022 • Friends
Blue Nile Falls locally called Tis Abay which means smokey- Abay. Abay is the local name for 'Nile'. Beautiful to visit during the raining season when the water volume is high.
Written 29 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert O
Rotterdam, The Netherlands5,717 contributions
Feb 2018 • Solo
The falls are 30 km from Bahir Dar near the village of Tissisat. There are regular buses going there from the Bahir Dar bus station (15 Birr one way). The last bus back from Tissisat to Bahir Dar leaves around 6:30 PM.
I cycled to the falls from Bahir Dar. The condition of the road is bad most of the time, but you cycle through beautiful countryside. The villagers are quite relaxed, but the children seem to know only one word in English: money, though they are not aggressive.
At Tissisat as well the locals seem concerned only about how to squeeze as much money as possible out of your pocket. All people who approached me had an agenda, leaving you with a rather unpleasant experience.
A ticket to access the falls costs 50 Birr for foreigners. There are two entry points: the closest one (also the shortest) is by motorboat from Tissisat to the top of the falls (20 Birr for foreigners, 10 Birr for Ethiopians -they start asking you 50 Birr); the longer option, but perhaps more enjoyable -if you are into hiking- is on foot. Guides who hang out at the ticket office say it is not possible to find your way, but it is not difficult. Coming from Bahir Dar along the main road, it is the last tarmac road to the right. Follow this road and keep left. The road is going to the electricity plant. At one point there is a trail going down on the left which is used by many locals. It leads to what is called the Portugese bridge. After crossing the bridge keep left. The trail goes uphill through another hamlet. Keep left slightly uphill. At some point you will see the falls and the suspension bridge to reach them. In case of doubt as locals about 'Tiss' and they will point you in the right direction. It took me 30 minutes to get to the falls taking this route.
Returning to Bahir Dar by bus. There is a bus stop in the village where most people gather. It is almost impossible to get to a seat, unless you are in for some kind of battle. The better option is to walk to the exit of the village in the direction of Bahir Dar. The incoming bus will dropp off people there or just flag it to stop. Board the bus. Once the bus reaches its final stop you will have a seat and you can just observe quietly how others struggle to get one. Actually this is what most touts do who offer to secure you a seat at the final bus stop.
The falls are beautiful, but not as spectacular as the Victoria falls or Iguacu.
I cycled to the falls from Bahir Dar. The condition of the road is bad most of the time, but you cycle through beautiful countryside. The villagers are quite relaxed, but the children seem to know only one word in English: money, though they are not aggressive.
At Tissisat as well the locals seem concerned only about how to squeeze as much money as possible out of your pocket. All people who approached me had an agenda, leaving you with a rather unpleasant experience.
A ticket to access the falls costs 50 Birr for foreigners. There are two entry points: the closest one (also the shortest) is by motorboat from Tissisat to the top of the falls (20 Birr for foreigners, 10 Birr for Ethiopians -they start asking you 50 Birr); the longer option, but perhaps more enjoyable -if you are into hiking- is on foot. Guides who hang out at the ticket office say it is not possible to find your way, but it is not difficult. Coming from Bahir Dar along the main road, it is the last tarmac road to the right. Follow this road and keep left. The road is going to the electricity plant. At one point there is a trail going down on the left which is used by many locals. It leads to what is called the Portugese bridge. After crossing the bridge keep left. The trail goes uphill through another hamlet. Keep left slightly uphill. At some point you will see the falls and the suspension bridge to reach them. In case of doubt as locals about 'Tiss' and they will point you in the right direction. It took me 30 minutes to get to the falls taking this route.
Returning to Bahir Dar by bus. There is a bus stop in the village where most people gather. It is almost impossible to get to a seat, unless you are in for some kind of battle. The better option is to walk to the exit of the village in the direction of Bahir Dar. The incoming bus will dropp off people there or just flag it to stop. Board the bus. Once the bus reaches its final stop you will have a seat and you can just observe quietly how others struggle to get one. Actually this is what most touts do who offer to secure you a seat at the final bus stop.
The falls are beautiful, but not as spectacular as the Victoria falls or Iguacu.
Written 11 February 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cape2wn2cairo
Mwanza, Tanzania17 contributions
Jul 2017 • Solo
Please just take yourself there - you do not need to go with a tour company. I got on a bus to Tis Abby at the bus station (15 birr) - be careful that some unscrupulous person doesn't try to make a deal with the conductor on your behalf - you'll be ripped. It took about an hour through lovely scenery. Once you reach the end, you need to pay at the tourism office. They will try to make you take a guide, but you can do this in your own. Really beautiful! You can then walk back for the bus, or do what I did - take a little boat across the river for 10 birr. Just ask someone where to get the boat and you will be shown. Blue Nile Falls is SO worth the visit!
Written 11 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
K72
Melbourne, Australia3,075 contributions
Dec 2018 • Friends
The drive to the Blue Nile Falls was excellent- over bumpy dirt roads through a vibrant village- lots to look at and photograph along the way. Once at the starting point there is a flat 30 min option or a longer walk which crosses the swing bridge and Portuguese bridge further along. the longer walk is rocky and a bit steep towards the end but not too challenging. It's worth doing the longer walk to see where the river joins the falls and to get an overview. You can see how the hydro plant has reduced the falls. The falls themselves are pretty but I found them a little underwhelming. The guide said they're spectacular in August. Dec is the dry season. Nice day out though.
Written 30 December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tanja S
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia1,366 contributions
Apr 2013 • Couples
Great hite to great Fall! Much has been written about going and seein Falls. The Portuguese Bridge, built in 1620, is still going strong (!). Water is much reduced as it's the dry season right now. View is spectacular, nevertheless! The suspension bridge is new construction (2 years). Before, one had to descent to water level, fork fast flowing stream on foot and hike up again. Am sure some of us remember! Now going to see the Falls is like a stroll in the park, almost!
Written 23 April 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael K
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia175 contributions
Sept 2016 • Family
This interesting water fall is located near Bahirdar town in northern Ethiopia, it is also known as “Tis Abay” which means the smoking water by the local language of Amharic, the waterfall height is around 40 meters and its width is vary depending on the season during the rainy season it is became up to 500 meters so it is more interesting to visit this waterfall during the rainy season, the rainy season in Ethiopia is from Jun- Sep.
Written 6 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sparklyflipflops
Herts52 contributions
Apr 2016 • Friends
A long and bumpy drive to get here but fascinating to see it. Not too much water when we went as it had been very dry - but great to visit all the same. Would love to see it after the rainy season as some of the photos on here look amazing. Met lots of children on route who were trying to sell us things. Might be worth taking pens or pencils to hand out if you go, as they were asking for them.
Written 11 April 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KeithfromBandon
Bandon, Ireland48 contributions
Dec 2015 • Family
Having seen complaints that it isn't very impressive as most of the water is diverted for hydro power, I was pleasantly surprised. It is still impressive, and I was surprised at how un-commercialised it is. With so many good roads in Ethiopia now, i was surprised to find that the entire road from Bahir Dar to the falls is unsurfaced, and parts of it VERY rough. Entrance fees and guide costs are paid in the village. Then there's a choice of about a 1.5 hour hike, or a shorter 30min hike that uses a boat to cross the river. With kids, we opted for the shorter route. There are a few fairly persuasive craft sellers along the way, but it is a very pleasant walk through various crops and livestock. We arrived at the falls around 4:30pm with the sun setting behind them. We just couldn't stop with the cameras! The kids thought it was great fun getting soaked in the spray the falls create. Nearby there's a suspension bridge over a gorge, which to my kids delight, had a steady stream of donkeys and people crossing and carrying goods. It may be smaller than it once was, but it is still very impressive and an enchanting setting. We paid 950 birr for a car +driver from Bahir Dar, entrance fees 50 birr/adult (under 10's free), local guide (obligatory and necessary) 100 birr, boat 20 birr/adult return, kids free.
Written 14 December 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rob W
Oxford, UK9 contributions
Jul 2015
We had read a lot of reviews of the falls saying they were under whelming. Not sure how people can think of such huge falls that way but there we go. We loved it and think it's worth the trip. However the journey can be long and bumpy
Written 25 July 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
F M
Toronto, Canada14 contributions
Sept 2014 • Friends
It is about a 45minute walk to the falls from where the car is parked. Worth every minute because there is so much to see on the way. We went in September so it was a very hot day and the falls were coming down in full force which made it all the more fun when we got closer.
Written 8 April 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, is there any where to buy any food once you get to Tis Abay?
Written 17 September 2019
Some people reported that they reached the Blue Nile Falls by boat not by road. Can you recommend a good tour operator who would arrange that? also, how long does it take to get there from Bahir Dar?
Written 21 February 2019
This was my review re: drive and walk:
The drive to the Blue Nile Falls was excellent- over bumpy dirt roads through a vibrant village- lots to look at and photograph along the way. Once at the starting point there is a flat 30 min option or a longer walk which crosses the swing bridge and Portuguese bridge further along. the longer walk is rocky and a bit steep towards the end but not too challenging. It's worth doing the longer walk to see where the river joins the falls and to get an overview. You can see how the hydro plant has reduced the falls. The falls themselves are pretty but I found them a little underwhelming. The guide said they're spectacular in August. Dec is the dry season. Nice day out though.
Written 22 February 2019
I would like to know with which tour group I can book a day trip to the blue Nile?
Written 17 January 2019
Hi, how are you
I didn't use a group or company, but there are local boys who will take you to the site. They all are well aware of the surrounding. For me, I posted the guy who took me for the tour. See his phone on the post I made.
Have fun
Written 28 January 2019
Hi could you please advise which day tour to the blue Nile falls I can book for 7 April 2019? I will be staying in Babar dar from 6 April to 8 April 2019.
Also include the cost please.
Regards
Tersia Kitshoff
Written 16 January 2019
Sorry, can't help. I was on an organized tour with Intrepid.
Written 16 January 2019
What would be a reasonable amount to pay for a trip to the Nile Feb 2019. We are going from kuriftu but want to book an independent trip.
Thankyou
Written 9 January 2019
Hi, how are you
I didn't use a group, but there are local boys who will take you to the site. They all are well aware of the surrounding and also cheap. But, you need a drive from Bahirdar if you are not going to drive by yourself. Some even drive a bike. For me, I drove. I posted the guy who took me for the tour. See his phone on the post I made.
Enjoy the trip.
Written 28 January 2019
leo955
Salt Lake City, Utah
Is it possible to reach the falls for a disabled person? Walking for 1 or 2 kms is possible, if the way is not too rough and steep.
Written 4 September 2018
Hi, I've just read your message.
The way to the waterfalls didn't seem hard to me, but I'd say I walked more than 2 km (crossing the old stone bridge). It wasn't especially hard, rough or steep, but I'm not disabled. Besides, I had to walk uphill sometimes.
In my opinion, if you go there from the campsite nearby, it'll be much easier. You have to cross a modern, suspended bridge (I dont remember having seen it when I first visited the place in August 2003; I must add that the waterfalls were far more spectacular then, as the current dam hadn't been built then).
If you can download Google Earth, look for "Blue Nile Waterfalls Ethiopia": I haven't checked it, but very often, one can find a 3D view of many places, which could show you more clearly their difficulty.
On the whole, Ethiopia didn't seem a disabled-friendly country to me. For Dallol, the Danakil, Simien, Lalibela... I'd say it's simply hard; for Aksum, on the other hand, it was very easy, but the obelisks are not that beautiful. All in all, I wish you a nice journey and feel free to ask anything you may need to know.
Best regards,
Treuiller
Written 9 September 2018
The journey is about an hour but can vary in time dependant on what vehicle and the road conditions. allow for 1hr 30 worst case scenario.
the shared mini bus mentioned by Addis Advisor is an exclusive rate for Blue Nile Camping customers. The price is normally approx. 500 birr depending on the provider/broker.
Written 7 January 2018
Based on you choice and the situations on the ground it may take from 30 minutes to more than an hour. It depends on the transport option you prefer. Are you going to walk part of the distance, use a boat, or would you like to take a ride all the way?
I wish you an enjoyable and safe trip!
Written 8 January 2018
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