Outlet of the Blue Nile Lake Tana & Its Monasteries

The Blue Nile outlet, a 20-minute boat ride east of Bahir Dar, has far greater geographical significance than it does natural beauty, although there's plenty of birdlife and you might see the odd hippo. From here, the Blue Nile snakes its way, eventually tracking north and 5223km to the Mediterranean; it joins the White Nile in Khartoum, Sudan. Although you can organise a dedicated boat excursion here, most visitors come as part of a boat trip that takes in nearby monasteries.