The lake is approximately 84 kilometers long and 66 kilometers wide, with a maximum depth of 15 meters, and an elevation of 1,840 meters. Lake Tana is fed by the Lesser Abay, Reb and Gumara Rivers and its surface area ranges from 3,000 to 3,500 km² depending on season and rainfall. The lake level has been regulated since the construction of the control weir where the lake discharges into the Blue Nile, which regulates the flow to the Tis Abbai falls and hydro-power station.

A sail or cruise on Lake Tana is one of the most pleasant excursions for visitors to this region, particularly in the heart of the summer. Boats can be hired from the Marine Transport Authority in Bahir Dar. Along the lake shore bird life, both local and migratory visitors, make the site an ideal place for bird-watchers.

Bird lovers will not want to miss Fasiledes island, which is specially famous as Lake Tana an important wetland. The whole of the lake Tana region and the Blue Nile gorge host a wide variety of birds both endemic and migratory visitors. The variety of habitats, from rocky crags to riverain forests and important wetlands, ensure that many other different species should be spotted. Archeological research at Yeha has unearthed many historical treasures, including a number of Sabaean inscriptions and a variety of animal figurines. Several of these antiquities are on display in the National Museum in Addis Ababa.