How to get to Lake Eyasi
ARRIVING INTO KILIMANJARO INTERNATIONAL (JRO)
Kilimanjaro International airport is served by a number of international airlines, including Condor, Ethiopian Airlines, Fastjet, Kenya Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Precision Air, Safarilink, Turkish Airlines, RwandaAir and Fly Dubai.
From the Kilimanjaro International Airport, it’s around 3.5 hours’ drive on a tarred road to Karatu, followed by an hour on a bumpy dirt road to Ziwani Lodge. Alternatively, it’s just over an hour to Arusha if you’re planning on spending a night there.
ARRIVING INTO JULIUS NYERERE INTERNATIONAL IN DAR ES SALAAM (DAR)
Julius Nyerere International airport is served by a number of airlines, including Egypt Air, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad, Fastjet, FlyDubai, Kenya Airways, Malawian Airlines, Precision Air, Qatar Airways, South African Airlines, Turkish Airlines. From here, there are plenty of connecting domestic flights to Kilimanjaro International Airport from where you can proceed to the Lake Eyasi area.
If your international flight doesn’t allow for a same-day connection to Kilimanjaro International Airport, you can overnight in Dar Es Salaam and continue the next day.
ARRIVING INTO ZANZIBAR INTERNATIONAL
Zanzibar International Airport is served by a number of airlines, including Fastjet, FlyDubai, Kenya Airways, MANGO, Meridiana, Qatar Airways, Precision Air, Oman Air, Ethiopia Airline and Turkish Airlines. If your international flight doesn’t arrive in time for a connection to the Kilimanjaro International Airport, you will be required to spend the night in Zanzibar. Our safari team is on hand to arrange domestic flights, airport transfers and local accommodation to suit your itinerary.
3 ways to go to Lake Eyasi
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Lake Eyasi FAQ's
We recommend a minimum of two days at Lake Eyasi. On day 1 you may visit the lake and meet the Datoga Tribe. On Day 2 you may join the Hadzabes early in the morning, and take part in their daily activities.
Lake Eyasi is a great location for a cultural tour rather than a game drive. Those who are fascinated by the ways of the hunter-gatherers they have read about in the books will enjoy this location. It will be a unique experience to actually take part in the activities of such a tribe. However, if you are not interested in such an activity then you should not really consider Lake Eyasi.
The experience of meeting the Datoga tribe will be similar to meeting the Maasai, so it will not be as unique. Although, visiting a Datoga village might feel more authentic as the Maasai village tour in popular locations will be staged.
Similarly, you will be able to go birdwatching in other national parks, so besides a different scenery, birdwatching at Eyasi won’t be that different either.
You will encounter some Tse Tse in the wild while joining the Hadzabe so we advise you to dress up accordingly and carry a repellent with you.
Tse Tse flies are attracted to darker colours such as black and dark blue so refrain from wearing such tones.
You will be able to join them on their hunt, collect fruits and berries, prepare food with them, and take part in fun activities such as dancing and having a look at their traditional jewellery. However, you must understand that you will have to keep up with the Hadzabe during their morning hunt. They will not be able to wait for you to catch up while stalking animals. To get a more detailed idea about what goes on a Hadzabe visit,
| Distance: 221 KM | Time: 3HR |
Lake Eyasi
Lake Eyasi is situated at the southwestern end of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area between Great Rift Valley Eyasi escarpment and Kidero mountains, just 133 km (95 miles) west of Lake Manyara.
Lake Eyasi cover an area of about 1,050 square km (400 square miles). The lake is as all the other lakes in the Rift Valley a soda lake. Lake Eyasi, which has one principle spring, the Sibiti River, is enclosed with walls consisting of purple lava.
The main attraction of Lake Eyasi are the Hadzabe bushmen, the indigenous inhabitants and the last community of hunters and gatherers in Africa.
Serengeti Trips Tanzania
Find all the transport options for your trip from Arusha to Ngorongoro Crater right here. We displays up to date schedules, route maps, journey times and estimated fares from relevant transport operators, ensuring you can make an informed decision about which option will suit you best.
Lodges and Tented Camps in Lake Eyasi
Lake Eyasi
Lake Eyasi is a famous soda lake near Ngorongoro Conservation Area and offers a very different experience from national park safaris in the northern circuit.
The location is famous for being home to the Hadzabe – the last hunter-gatherers of East Africa whose practices have remained the same for over 10,000 years. Besides the Hadzabe there is another tribe that lives nearby – the Datogas.
The Datogas however are more like the Maasai. They engage in agriculture and are excellent at working with metals. The shallow salty waters of the lake also attract a lot of birds. Flamingos, weavers, storks, and many others can be found enjoying the salty water or the shade of the trees nearby.
Since the region is dominated by a salt lake with smaller wooded areas around it, not a lot of wildlife is present here. Although, you can still find smaller animals like dik-diks, vervet monkeys, mongooses, warthogs, and waterbucks. Hippos can also be found wallowing in the lake’s waters. The small herbivores also attract predators like hyenas, caracals, and jackals.
In the lake, you will be able to spot catfish and lungfish.
Birds
The salty waters of Eyasi are inviting for a variety of birds. Flamingos, Storks, and Pelicans are some of the most popular species found here. Besides them, you can also spot spoonbills, avocets, superfowls, Fischer’s lovebirds, barbets etcetera.
Vegetation
The region around Lake Eyasi is dominated by Palm trees, African Blackwoods, Acacias, and swamps of Typha.
Due to the absence of predatory animals, such as lions, Arusha National Park lends itself perfectly for an exciting walking safari with a ranger.
Walking freely alongside the wildlife of Tanzania offers a truly unique experience. Here you´ll be walking at the foot of Mt. Meru, surrounded by green forests, lakes, waterfalls and a huge population of giraffes. A walking safari offers an amazing chance to be up-close with wildlife. The Colobus monkey is one of the highlights you can spot in Arusha NP and can often be found swinging from the trees.
Visiting Lake Eyasi is more for those wanting to experience different cultures and watch birds rather than viewing the wildlife. There is not much game present in this region except for the smaller herbivores and carnivores mentioned above. But you may enjoy going bird watching here. Jewel-toned birds swooping down to the lake or chirping in the trees are a great sight for bird lovers.
Once you are done with bird watching, you can decide to go meet the Hadzabes early in the morning the next day. You are even welcome to go on a hunt or fruit collection with the tribesmen. They will also show you their weapons, jewellery, and the clothes that they make from elements found in their surroundings. Meeting the Hadzabes really gives one an insight into how our hunter-gatherer ancestors survived thousands of years ago.
Once you have met the Hadzabes, you may go and meet the Datogas. It will be similar to meeting the Maasai. They will show you their homes, farms, jewellery, and their metalwork. They are highly skilled metalworkers.
While the cultural visits are fascinating, you should understand Lake Eyasi is more of a detour and it takes you off the main track. The region will also be dusty and while meeting the tribes you might even have to sit on bare ground. So a Lake Eyasi trip might not suit everyone’s taste.
Lake Eyasi experiences a mild climate.
During the dry season which is from June to October, the temperatures are around 20°C / 68°F early morning and at night, while during the day they can go as high as about 30° / 86°F.
During the Wet Season, which is from November to May, the temperatures are a bit high because of the humidity. During the day the temperatures go above 30°C / 86°F. Early morning and at night it will hover around 20°C / 68°F.
Lake Eyasi is a seasonal place.
Most tourists visit Tanzania during the dry season, although during this time the lake will be dried up. There will be just a dry lake bed or very little water. You won’t be able to find birds either. However, the location will still be quite scenic, and you will still be able to meet the Hadzabes and the Datogas.
During the wet season, however, you are sure to find a lake full of water with a variety of birds in the area. The springs near the lake will have attracted smaller wildlife too. So you can go bird watching and engage with the Hadzabe and the Datogas during this time.
