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Abay Minch Lodge, Bahir Dar | Timbuktu Travel
Bahir Dar

Abay Minch Lodge

Travel and Leisure Worlds Best Awards for number 1 tour operator in the world 2024 and number 2 tour operator in the world 2025
We're one of the World's Best Tour Operators!
Named three years running in Travel+Leisure World's Best, including No.1 in 2024

About Abay Minch Lodge

Lush garden sanctuary near Ethiopia's Lake Tana and ornate historical sites
Abay Minch Lodge sits on the outskirts of Bahir Dar, a modestly sized city on the southern banks of Lake Tana in northern Ethiopia. It's an ideal spot to explore the lake's intriguing monasteries, of which there are some 20 or so, mostly dating to the 14th century and filled with paintings and other treasures. Also nearby are the Blue Nile Falls, an important locale for the lake's endemic species (no crocs here!). The lodge offers good service and tranquillity in its lush gardens dotted with stone bungalows – you may even glimpse a turaco, hornbill or a vermilion paradise-flycatcher.
Bahir Dar , Ethiopia
From $40 per person/per night
Retreat
44 Rooms
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Property details

The property

The large, open-plan restaurant has high bamboo-lined ceilings and oodles of warm natural light flooding through the tall windows. With a small seating area for in-between meals and several tables to dine at, it attracts guests throughout the day. However, when the weather is good there's no place to be but the garden. The exquisitely maintained grounds burgeon with tropical plants and colourful wildlife, from monkeys to several bird species. There's nothing quite like dining in an open-air sanctuary!

The rooms

Several bungalows are spread through the lodge grounds, mostly sharing a wall with another, but with a rock partition to allow privacy on your own veranda. Glass doors and thatched roofing allow the beauty of the garden to permeate indoors; and you could spend hours lost in the lushness in a chair on your veranda. Rooms sleep two to four guests in double- or twin-bed configurations, with en-suite bathrooms (with hot water), flat-screen TVs and wi-fi standard throughout.

Activities

Top of the must-see list are Lake Tana's extraordinary monasteries, most of which can be reached by boat. Many have those famously decorated walls, and some also contain fascinating artifacts, like the mummified remains of five embalmed emperors, notably King Fasilides, at the monastery Daga Istafanos. Don't miss a visit to the dramatic Blue Nile Falls, about an hour's drive from Bahir Dar, and Ethiopia's oldest stone bridge, erected by Emperor Susenyos in 1626.
Trips

Tours & Trips

Start with a recommended trip or create one from scratch

The Best of Northern Ethiopia
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The Best of Northern Ethiopia

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Northern Ethiopia & the Omo Valley
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Ethiopia: The Full Works
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Ethiopia: The Full Works

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How to book Abay Minch Lodge

How do I book Abay Minch Lodge?

Abay Minch Lodge can be booked with Timbuktu as part of a tailor-made Ethiopia trip, rather than as a standalone room reservation. Start online, customising one of our recommended Ethiopia trips featuring Abay Minch Lodge or get advice and suggestions from one of our Ethiopia specialists who will design the trip around your dates, check availability and handle every booking for you.

How much does it cost to stay at Abay Minch Lodge?

Stays at Abay Minch Lodge start from around $40 per person per night as part of a tailor-made trip. The exact price depends on your travel dates, room type and the shape of the rest of your itinerary. A Timbuktu travel specialist can give you an accurate quote for your dates.

Abay Minch Lodge

Ethiopia

Bahir Dar

The Ethiopian Riviera is for relaxed days cruising around Lake Tana and visiting the Blue Nile Falls.