Monasteries of Lake Tana
There are about 37 Islands on lake Tana , the largest lake in Ethiopia. Many of Lake Tana's Islands and peninsuals shelter churches and monasteries of historical and cultural interest most of which were founded in or before the 15th century, and are still in service today .some of these include
Narge Selassie ,
Dega Istifanos,
Ura Kidanemeheret ,
Tana Cherkos,
Kibran gebreal, and
Debre Mariam .Access for some of the churches is closed to women, who are allowed to land on the banks of the island but not permitted to proceed further.
There are also other Islands which are suitable for bird lovers and are considered as nature sanctuaries . Mitsel Fasiladas Island is a breeding ground for wetland birds. The Zege Peninsula, which supports by far the largest remaining tract of natural forest on Lake Tana, still harbours monkeys and various forest birds, while most of the monastic islands remain remarkably undisturbed in environmental terms. Other places known for bird life include the area around Debre Mariam, the outlet of the Blue Nile,the eastern shore of Lake Tana and the south Western end of Narge Selassie.
