Destination

LakeEyasi

Lake Eyasi is a shallow soda lake at the foot of the Rift Valley escarpment, home to the Hadzabe, some of the last hunter-gatherers in Africa, and to the Datoga, herders and blacksmiths.

To the lake

1,030

Altitude of the lake shore

peoples

Hadzabe and Datoga

1.5

hours

By road from Karatu

Dawn

start

When the Hadzabe hunt

The Eyasi basin

Three Sides of Lake Eyasi

Eyasi is hot, dry and remote, and that is why the old ways survive here. A day or two is enough to understand how different life is on this side of the highlands.

The hunters

Hadzabe Camps

In the bush around the lake

Small family groups who still live mainly by hunting with bows and gathering honey, roots and berries. Their language uses click sounds and is related to no other living language.

Dawn hunts on foot
Honey gathering
Fire-making with sticks
Bows and arrows made by hand

The smiths

Datoga Homesteads

Scattered across the plains

Datoga families keep cattle and are known as blacksmiths. They melt scrap metal into arrowheads, bracelets and jewellery, and trade the arrowheads with the Hadzabe.

Blacksmiths at work
Brass and copper jewellery
Cattle herding families
Trade with the Hadzabe

The lake

The Shoreline

Seasonal soda lake

The lake rises in the rains and shrinks to salt flats in the dry season. When it holds water, flamingos and pelicans gather along the edge below the escarpment.

Sunset on the salt flats
Flamingos in the wet months
Views of the escarpment
Onion farms at Mang’ola

Hadzabe hunters · near Lake Eyasi

The Hadzabe

A morning withthe hunters.

You meet a Hadzabe group before sunrise and follow them into the bush as they hunt with bows, read tracks and collect wild honey. It is not a show: you walk at their pace, eat what is shared and learn how a family lives without farming or herding. Our guides arrange each visit with the group and make sure the fee goes to them directly.

Dawn

When the hunt begins

On foot

Two to three hours in the bush

Direct

Visit fees paid to the community

Things to do

A Day at Lake Eyasi

Most guests spend one night near the lake and start early, before the heat. These are the experiences worth the drive.

01—04

Hunt with the Hadzabe

Follow a Hadzabe group on a dawn hunt with bows and arrows, then help gather honey and wild fruit. Comfortable shoes and an early start.

Visit a Datoga blacksmith

Watch scrap metal melted over charcoal and hammered into arrowheads and jewellery, and meet the families who make them.

Lake shore at sunset

A short drive to the edge of the lake as the light goes, with the escarpment glowing behind and birds along the water when the lake is full.

Bush walk among the baobabs

An easy walk through dry bush and baobab country around the lake, with your guide explaining the plants the Hadzabe use for food and medicine.

Know before you go

Eyasi Essentials

Getting there

About an hour and a half by road from Karatu, the last part on rough tracks. Most guests visit between Ngorongoro and Tarangire or the Serengeti.

Timing

The hunts start at dawn, so we recommend a night near the lake rather than a day trip.

Heat

The basin is much hotter than the highlands. Bring sun protection, water and light long sleeves.

Respect

Ask before taking photographs. Your guide will explain what is welcome. Visits are arranged with each group, not dropped in on.

Fees

Village and community fees are included in your trip and paid to the people you visit.

— Your day at Eyasi

Meet the Hunters.

Lake Eyasi sits between Ngorongoro and the parks of the north. Tell us your route and we will add a night by the lake and a morning with the Hadzabe.

Plan a Lake Eyasi Visit →Cultural tours →

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