Lake Eyasi

Lake Eyasi is located about 75 km from the Ngorongoro Crater and is the largest soda lake in Tanzania. Together with Natron, Lake Eyasi is off the beaten track. A visit to Lake Eyasi is an excellent add-on to a safari, as well as a great destination in its own right.

Bird lovers will be in paradise here, as the lake attracts vast numbers of birds of all sizes and colors. Some main birds to be found here include Africa spoonbill, flamingos, grey-headed gulls, great white pelicans, pied avocet and yellow-billed storks. The main fish found in the lake are catfish and lungfish.

The lake is the home of the Hadzabe and the Datoga tribes. Meeting them and sharing a moment of their daily life, will undoubtedly procure a more candid picture of traditional tribal life in Tanzania.

Hadzabe

As descendants of Tanzania’s aboriginal hunter-gatherer population, the Hadzabe have been in this area of the country for thousands of years. They have experienced relatively little modification to their basic way of life until the past hundred years. They speak a “click” language similar to the San people of Southern Africa.

They are said to be about 1,000 individuals living in the area, and are one of the last hunter-gather ethnic groups left in the world. The men hunt early in the morning with bows and arrows, while the women gather fruits and roots.

Observing an early morning hunting display, gathering honey, making fire to prepare their food and traditional dance performances are all part of this singular cultural experience.

Datoga

Similar to the Maasai, the Datoga are agro-pastoralist nomadic people. They mainly herd cattle and goat, as well as keeping sheep, chickens, and donkeys. They have adapted to an agrarian lifestyle and farm plots of land. The Datoga feed themselves primarily with meat, blood and milk. Their population is estimated to be around 80,000 individuals covering a vast territory spreading from Singida to Manyara Region near Mt. Hanang, Lake Basotu, and Lake Eyasi.

Visiting the homesteads of the Datoga tribe will plunge you into their daily routine. They are superb silversmiths. Forging copper and aluminum into bracelets, knives and other tools. They also trade these products with the Hadzabe.

Best time to visit : June to October

Activities/Visits/Excursions:

  • Walks with the Hadzabe and Datoga
  • Blacksmith tours
  • Cultural interactions
  • Wildlife viewing
  • Hike to rock art
  • Bird watching

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All of our trips are custom designed and we take your interests and budget into account while planning your trip.

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