Filming location · Amhara
Tana is where Ethiopia looks tropical: palm-lined lakeshore, papyrus tankwa boats, pelicans, and monasteries hidden in forest on the islands. It is one of the easiest northern locations to work in logistically, and one of the richest for interiors, because the monastery murals are extraordinary and the monks are often willing.
Short answer
Bahir Dar sits on the southern shore of Lake Tana, Ethiopia's largest lake and the source of the Blue Nile. The lake's islands and peninsulas hold monasteries dating back centuries, several of which house remarkable mural paintings and manuscripts, and some of which do not admit women. About thirty kilometres downstream are the Blue Nile Falls, known as Tis Issat, whose flow varies dramatically by season and with upstream hydro operation, peaking after the main rains from September to December. Filming needs boats, church consent for each monastery and heritage permissions.
Ura Kidane Mihret on the Zege peninsula, Azuwa Maryam, and the Daga Estifanos and Tana Cherkos islands. Painted interiors, ancient manuscripts and crowns. Note that some monasteries do not admit women, which must be planned around.
Roughly an hour from Bahir Dar plus a walk. Flow is highly seasonal and affected by upstream operations; the falls are at their most dramatic from September to December. Check the current position before scheduling.
Papyrus reed boats still built and used on the lake. A reliable and beautiful sequence, easy to arrange with the boat builders at Zege.
Where the river leaves the lake, with hippos frequently visible, and the seventeenth-century Portuguese-era bridge downstream.
Palm avenues, a relaxed lakeside town and a large market. Straightforward to film with city permission and a good base for the whole region.
Nearby and related
Start a production
Send your dates and shot list. We will come back with the permit route, the access position, realistic travel times and an itemised cost — usually within a working day.
