Bahir Dar.
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Overview

Bahir Dar, also spelt Bahar Dar, on the southern shore of Lake Tana, the biggest lake in Ethiopia, is the third largest city in the nation, after Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa, with a population of half a million. It's the capital of the Amhara region, dominated by the Amhara people, the Ethiopia's second largest grouping; the Ethiopian official language is Amharic. Bahir Dar is a clean and well-maintained city by African standards. Even the cheaper accommodation has neat, but basic, services.

Get in

Bahir Dar is 555 km north-east by road from Addis Ababa, using national highway 3. It's 170 km south of Gondar via road 3, and 314 km east of Lalibela via Woreta.

By bus The city is connected by daily buses from Addis Ababa and Gondar. Many private minibuses also run from Gondar and Addis Ababa. They often do not leave from the bus station but are instead arranged through your hotel or by local touts (who will find you before you find them!). The minibuses are more expensive but faster, especially from Addis Ababa. Try Selam bus or Sky bus for a more comfortable (and potentially safer) ride.

From Gondar, minibuses leave from a bus station near Azezo (July 2019) in the south of the town. You can take a local minibus to reach Azezo (10 birr) or a bajaj (200 birr).

To get to Bahir Dar from Lalibela by bus, take a dawn bus to Gashina (about two hours south of Lalibela) and change there to the Woldia - Bahir Dar bus, which passes through Gashina around 10:00. To get from Bahir Dar to Lalibela, take the dawn Bahir Dar - Woldia bus and catch the last Lalibela bus at Gashena, which passes through around 15:00.

By boat A ferry service runs between Bahir Dar and Gorgora via Dek Island and villages on the lakeside.

Get around

Bajajs (three-wheel rick-shaws) are the most common form of transportation in the city. There are also blue minibuses, but few still exist as means to get around town.

See

Lake Tana Monasteries. Some of the world's oldest churches and monasteries are on islands in Lake Tana. There are lots of boat tours available to the monasteries. Entrance at each monastery is 100 birr as of 2016. The tours range from 2 to 12 hours long and can be booked through your hotel, by contacting a guide directly on WhatsApp, or by one of the many touts in the city. At some of these monasteries, women are not allowed to enter. Be cautious and aware of the traditions and rules of the Ethiopian Orthodox church when you visit. These churches are unique to Ethiopia, but they tend to be expensive and the tours are overrated. The boat trip on the lake is nice, but there are better examples of rural churches elsewhere in Ethiopia in a more pleasant and less touristy environment. As part of a boat tour, you may also swing by the 'Head of the Blue Nile', where the river flows out of the lake. There's a good chance of spotting a hippo or two pop up their heads. Otherwise, it's nothing too spectacular.

Blue Nile Falls. A once spectacular sight that has been ruined by the building of a hydro-power dam. In rainy season (May to Sep) there is a decent flow but in the dry season the falls are pretty minimal and probably not worth suffering for 2.5-3 hours on bad gravel roads. If you take the bus, ignore anyone in the village who insists that the last bus back to Bahir Dar will be full and wants you to pay them to hold a seat, or that the last bus has already left but they can offer you an amazingly expensive taxi ride. There are plenty of buses back to Bahir Dar, the last one leaves at 17:00 or later, and the bus conductor will find a seat for you! You can also arrange for a tour to the falls through your hotel. If you visit during rainy season, be aware that paths are very muddy (deep mud) and bring adequate shoes. A nice alternative to the standard day trip, especially if you'd like to experience sunset and sunrise at the falls, is an overnight stay at Blue Nile Camping, right at the top of the waterfall.

Martyr's Memorial Monument. Huge monument with waterfalls going to Blue Nile. Include a museum with pictures.

Palace of Emperor Haile Selassie & Viewpoint over Bahir Dar/Blue Nile. Bahir Dar grew around a Jesuit settlement, founded in the sixteenth or seventeenth century, from which time the Pedro Páez building dates. One of Emperor Haile Selassie's palaces is near the city, and the Emperor considered moving the national capital to the town. The palace is an impressive architectural work of its time. Facing Lake Tana it provides a beautiful, picturesque scene of the Blue Nile. You cannot actually go inside the palace, or see it very well. Nevertheless, there are “tour guides” who hang out around the site and will tell you a few facts for ~100 birr per person. It’s a nice nature hike...sort of.

Hornbill trees. In the center of town, there is a small row of trees that attracts around 30 or so hornbills every night. Grab a drink or dinner at one of the places on the first floor across the street and enjoy the view.

Do

Cycling Bikes can be rented at Ghion Hotel.

Buy

Bahir Dar has a big and colourful market that is open every day. Saturday is the biggest day. Sunday has very few activities.

The local speciality is small footstools covered in goat hide. Find them along the road that runs from Ghion hotel to the main highway. They can apparently be "unstuffed" for travel.

There are many ATMs that accept MasterCard & Visa cards at Dashen Bank and Ethiopia Commercial Bank.

Market. A big and colorful market. The second largest in Ethiopia, after Mercato in Addis Ababa.

Goat skin handicraft products shops. Around twenty shops selling goat skin seats and other things.

Eat

Checheho Cultural Restaurant. Not just a restaurant, an excellent cultural club with azmari music and dance performances, one of the best nightspots in town.

Lake Shore Resort. It has good food and amazing views of the lake from the garden. The foiled fish has a good reputation. Appears closed in July 2021, probably for refurbishment.

Desset Restaurant. A new restaurant that has OK food and a beautiful view of the lake. Highly recommended to enjoy a beer here while watching the sun set.

Azewa Hotel. It has some of the best fish goulash in the country and is inexpensive.

Tana Restaurant serves fabulous fish dishes cheaply. Al-Hanan Muslim Restaurant, near the Dalot Pension, serves huge and tasty mutton dishes, even during Lent. Also a good place for an Ethiopian coffee ceremony. The owners are exceedingly nice and don't charge tourists extra.

Hotel Bahir Dar. Cosy outdoor area and inexpensive food.

WaWi Pizzeria & Restaurant. Second floor restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. Serves pretty good Western food.

Drink

Balageru Cultural Club. Meals, tej and azmari music.

There are many cultural night clubs throughout the city center. There are a few Western music clubs, with Dream House and a bar above Friendship Cafe the most popular.

Wude Coffee. Wood and stone building. Nice for a quiet drink. Also serves Ethiopian food.

Sleep

Bahir Dar Backpackers Hostel. Opened on Dec 2019, so everything is clean and tidy. It accommodates mostly backpackers, which makes it easy to find travel partners and good people to hang with. There's also a common area, fully equipped kitchen to cook in, and Wi-Fi. Lots of travelling information is available around the hostel, so it's a nice place to plan your next step. Walking distance from great restaurants and Tana lake, where it's nice to walk around.

Koriftu Resort is a nice getaway after roughing it around Ethiopia. One of the nicest resorts in Ethiopia with a complimentary massage for every night's stay. Good, but expensive, restaurant and a nice pool. Tana Pension.

Bin Anbessa Hotel. Large hotel with restaurant. Was being renovated in 2013. Friendly staff. Very good, by Ethiopian standards, free Wi-Fi.

Blue Nile Hotel. OK with old rooms. View on the lake on the 3-5th flood. Free Wi-Fi. They can organize for you the boat trip and car trip to the Blue Nile Falls. Festive area (noise). Not to be confused with “Blue Nile Resort Hotel”.

Papyrus Hotel. Mid-range hotel with swimming pool.

Blue Nile Resort Hotel. A luxury resort on the shore of the lake. Not to be confused with “Blue Nile Hotel”.

Ours Guest House. Clean place with hot shower and double rooms. You will need to add extra 50 birr for the breakfast for a second person, as of July 2019.

Blue Nile Camping. Great option if you'd like to see the falls at sunset and/or sunrise. Don't expect anything super clean or comfortable. Freshly cooked meals served upon request – dinner was very delicious – as well as beer, coffee, etc., so you don't have to prepare very much. They can also arrange for luggage transfer, so you don't have to carry everything from the park entrance (15 min walk + short boat ride).

Delano Hotel. A reasonable modern hotel near the new stadium. Rooms have air conditioning, good enough wifi and hot water. It is close to the main road, but is quiet at night. The credit card machine rarely works.