Lake Eyasi, Tanzania

Northern Circuit

Lake Eyasi

A seasonal soda lake south of Ngorongoro, home to the Hadzabe hunter-gatherers and Datoga blacksmiths.

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Overview

About Lake Eyasi

Lake Eyasi is a remote seasonal soda lake in the Rift Valley southwest of the Ngorongoro highlands, and one of the last places in East Africa where hunter-gatherer life continues. Mornings are spent with the Hadzabe on a traditional bush walk — tracking game with bows and arrows and foraging for berries and honey — followed by a visit to the Datoga, skilled pastoralists and blacksmiths. Birdlife around the lake and palm groves is excellent, especially after the rains.

Cultural visits here are the main draw rather than big game, and are best in the early morning with local guides. The area stays genuinely off the beaten track compared with the nearby crater highlands.

Best time to visit

June to October

Getting there

About three hours by road from Karatu on the southern edge of the Ngorongoro highlands, on rougher roads best driven in the dry season.

Highlights

  • Hadzabe hunter-gatherer experience
  • Datoga blacksmith and pastoralist villages
  • Sunrise bush walk
  • Rift Valley scenery and birdlife

Wildlife

What you will see

  • Flamingo
  • Pelican
  • Ostrich
  • Marabou stork
  • Yellow-winged bat

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  • Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) logo
  • Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) logo
  • Amref Health Africa logo
  • Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) logo
  • Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) logo
  • Amref Health Africa logo
  • Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) logo
  • Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) logo
  • Amref Health Africa logo