Blue Nile Falls

The Blue Nile Falls are about a 30 minute drive southeast of Bahir Dar	Thatched hut outside Bahir Dar	A small procession for Timkat, the Ethiopian Epiphany holiday	Timkat procession outside Bahir Dar
This is the first of many Timkat processions we'd see over the next three days	Blue Nile Falls Tourist Information Center	Blue Nile Falls ticket prices	There are a couple of small tourist shops near the ticket office
Two young boys driving a mule cart	There are two ways to get to the falls, walking or by boat - we opted to walk one way and take the boat back	Stone bridge over the Nile below the falls	Portuguese Bridge over the Blue Nile
Stone bridge built by the Portuguese around 1620	Keith at the Portuguese Bridge	Portuguese Bridge over the Blue Nile	In the dry season, the Nile is very low with much of the water being diverted to the hydroelectric plant
The Blue Nile passing through a narrow gorge	View downstream from the Portuguese Bridge	I bet you could jump across the Nile here	Portuguese Bridge
Blue Nile downstream from the Portuguese Bridge	Scenery along the 25-30 minute walk to the Blue Nile Falls overlook	Village along the walking path to the Blue Nile Falls	Thatched Ethiopian hut
The kids here try and sell souvenirs to the tourist	Tree along the path to Blue Nile Falls	A local boy staked out this spot	Ethiopia boy playing a washint, a traditional bamboo flute
The guide says he's always here	Part of the Blue Nile Falls hydroelectric plant	First view of the main falls	The impressive Blue Nile Falls are the second largest in Africa
There are several minor cateracts	Blue Nile Falls	Keith at the Blue Nile Falls	People were always asking if we were brothers
Keith with the Blue Nile Falls	Keith with the Blue Nile Falls	Minor cateract, Blue Nile Falls	Tree with Blue Nile Falls
The local name is Tis Issat - Smoking Water	The flow is much diminished since the construction of the hydroelectric plant in 2003, so not much Smoking Water now	They say in the rainy season, the falls are up to 400m wide	Blue Nile Falls
Blue Nile Falls Panorama	It's worth doing the walking route because the boat people didn't get to this viewpoint	Rainbow in the mist, Blue Nile Falls	I must say that at Victoria Falls there is so much mist, you can't see more than a small section of the falls
Blue Nile Falls, 30 km downstream from Lake Tana	From here, it's around 1000 miles to the confluence with the White Nile at Khartoum	The falls are around 45m high	Blue Nile Falls with rainbow
Tis Issat - the Blue Nile Falls	Blue Nile Falls with tree and rainbow	Little Bee Eater (Merops pusillus)	From the viewpoint, we had to hike down to cross this small tributary
Washing in the river	I was lazy and didn't want to take my shoes off	Ethiopians crossing ahead of us	Our guide Haile getting carried across
Keith getting lent a hand crossing	Ethiopians are often seen carrying sticks	Ethiopian in traditional clothing	Local girls posing for the tourists
Local kids near the Blue Nile Falls	Two trees which have grown together	Approaching the main falls	Souvenirs for the tourists
Blacked cooking vessels	Cattle heading to the water for a drink	Cattle with the Blue Nile Falls	Cattle with the Blue Nile Falls
Hiking with the cows to the base of the Blue Nile Falls	Herder with cattle, Blue Nile Falls	Herder and the falls guide, Blue Nile Falls	Any closer and I'd be in the mist
Blue Nile Falls	Small rapids in the Blue Nile above the falls	Girl fetching water from the river	Tree
Ethiopian girl, Blue Nile Falls	I was a bit surprised to see so many men with AK-47s	Making new benches for one of the Nile ferry boats	Pier near the boat landing, Blue Nile
Ethiopian boy looking bored	Boat on the Nile	Blue Nile Falls boat landing	On the ferry across the Nile