Travel Guide to Lake Eyasi: Things to Do & History

In a country with parks offering The Big Five, The Great Migration, and Africa’s tallest mountain, Lake Eyasi is an overlooked Tanzanian gem. It’s a birdwatcher’s paradise, a haven for hippos, and forms part of the region where the Hadza (Hadzabe) live. They are one of the last hunter-gatherer cultures in Africa. 

Short History

Lake Eyasi, during a plentiful wet season, is Tanzania’s largest alkaline lake, and during prolonged drought, it is the country’s smallest (it dries up). The shallow lake is in a volcanic depression, with walls made of purple lava. Eyasi can stretch over 400 square miles (1,050 km²) and has no outlet. 

Like other alkaline lakes in the region, Eyasi attracts many birds, including greater and lesser flamingoes. Hippos also hang out in it when the water is high. However, the area rarely attracts visitors for its wildlife. Most travelers come to the area because it is home to the Hadza (Hadzabe) people. 

The Hadza are one of the few remaining hunter-gatherer tribes left in Africa still living their traditional way of life. Evidence suggests that the nomadic people’s roots in the Lake Eyasi region date back 30-000-50,000 years. While there is some debate, they are arguably the oldest tribe in Tanzania.

Unlike most African tribes, no evidence exists that the Hadza wandered into their current region from elsewhere. Yet their ancient DNA is a closer match to non-Africans than Africans. 

The revelation now has researchers believing the Hadza are related to people who migrated out of Africa. “They’re somehow in the middle of everything,” explained David Reich, a senior associate member of Harvard and MIT and a professor of genetics. 

The Hadza’s oral history speaks of self-sufficiency and adaptation and does not tell tales of famine. They live communally, sharing resources, especially food. Women and children do most of the foraging, and the men hunt, primarily with bow and arrow. 

The Hadza have a meat etiquette surrounding kills. Small birds are eaten by hunters while out in the bush. More substantial kills are taken back to the community to be shared. However, if the hunters bring down a large game, such as a kudu or bigger, the camp is moved to the kill so all can feast. 

Visitors should not try to meet the Hadza on their own. Instead, they should be introduced by a local guide who is familiar with customs and how to avoid offending the people. With the correct arrangements, invites are extended to visitors to food gathering excursions or hunts. 

Things To Do

Lake Eyasi is not your typical Tanzanian Big Five adventure. Nonetheless, there are worthwhile things to do. 

Enjoy the Sunset

The lake and the surrounding area look absolutely stunning during sunset. So, regardless of whether you are a professional photographer or a snap-with-a-cell-phone type of person, your pictures will be gorgeous. 

Take a Canoe Ride

Canoe and boat safaris are an excellent way to explore the lake and its wildlife. Residents include various birds and sometimes crocodiles and hippos. 

Go Hiking

There are hikes and guided nature walks around Lake Eyasi. It’s an excellent way to see more birds and learn about the indigenous plants in the region and their various uses and importance to the area.

Meet Local People

As mentioned, the Hadza do meet outsiders, as does another local tribe, the Datogas. Visitors are often introduced to the cultures and shown their weapons, jewelry, and clothes. They sometimes demonstrate how they craft and source the materials to make these items. 

Again, it is polite to meet local people through arranged channels. It’s highly frowned upon to try to find where they are currently living or rushing up to a person gathering food or going about their day. 

Interesting Facts

Eight fascinating facts about the Hadza people living in the Lake Eyasi region. 

1. They don’t have a chief. Instead, they live in a communal social structure with an obligation to share.

2. They don’t have a religion. Instead, they have what is defined as a “cosmology” that includes their ancestors, as well as the stars, moon, and sun. 

3. 21% of Haza infants die in their first year, and 46% die by 15, generally by disease. 

4. The people do not suffer from malnutrition. The food they gather and hunt produces a healthy and balanced diet.

5. The Hadza is believed to have the most diverse gut microbiomes of any human community. 

6. Tourism has helped protect the Hadza way of life but also created harm by introducing alcohol. 

7. It is taboo for Hadza men to eat tortoise; it is believed it will weaken the poison on their arrows. However, women and children are allowed to eat tortoise.

8. Hadzane, their language, is so unique that it isn’t related to any other language currently spoken in the world.

Best Time to Visit

Advice on when to visit Lake Eyasi is contrary to most safaris; the best time to visit is in the late wet season or early dry. Coming during the end of the dry season risks viewing a waterless lake bed. That said, the dried-up lake creates a hauntingly beautiful landscape. 

However, for those who want to see Lake Eyasi and the river crossing during The Great Migration, visit in June and maybe July. The advantage of the decreasing water is the wildlife concentrates. 

Are There Other Tribes Living Near Lake Eyasi?

The Datoga also lives in the greater Lake Eyasi area. The agro-pastoral, semi-nomadic, Nilotic-speaking group is known for their blacksmith skills. They trade arrowheads with the Hadza for meat. But they also sell to tourists and local communities. 

When visitors want to meet the Hadza, a member of the Datoga is often the official guide who helps act as a translator and to smooth things between parties and avoid cultural missteps. 

However, the Datoga and the Hadza have had their differences. Most of the modern friction has been due to land. As Indigenous people get squeezed out, there are fewer resources, and this can create conflict.

Advocates and initiatives have led to the Hadza and the Datoga securing land. Now that the Datoga have areas for their cattle to graze, they no longer feel a need to infringe on the Hadza. 

Other tribes living near the borders of Hadza land include:

• Iraqw

• Masai

• Isanzu

• Sukuma

What to Wear When Visiting Tribes Near Lake Eyasi?

Visitors don’t have to wear their Sunday best to meet the tribes near Lake Eyasi. However, we generally advise you not to expose too much skin while visiting Tanzania. It is a pretty modest country. You can technically wear shorts, but even ignoring cultural sensitivities, it can be uncomfortable. 

Lake Eyasi’s “hidden gem” status means its roads are rougher, and the landscape is all natural. There is lots of dust, hot sun, mosquitoes, flies, and bumpy roads. Longer, light, loose layers will protect your skin and provide a more comfortable experience. 

You will want to wear sturdy, closed-toe, ventilated shoes paired with breathable socks. The locals might wear sandals or even go barefoot, but your feet are not as hardy. 

Are National Parks & Conservation Areas Near Lake Eyasi?

Lake Eyasi is fabulous. But if you’ve traveled all the way to Tanzania, then embrace the opportunity to visit some other unique and incredible national parks and conservation areas nearby.

Check out the Tanzania Safaris and adventures for ideas. Need help? Contact us, and we'll help create your dream itinerary.

Arusha National Park

GPS Coordinates: 3° 23' 12.9300" S and 36° 40' 58.7820" E

Arusha National Park is an excellent day trip for those staying in Arusha at the start or end of a Tanzania Safaris adventure. It also offers several ways to enjoy the park:

• Horse riding

• Cycle tours

• Canoe excursions

• Walking safaris

• Game drives

The park is also home to Mount Meru, the country's second-highest mountain. It's the perfect warm-up for or alternative to Kilimanjaro. 

Serengeti National Park

GPS Coordinates: 2° 19’ 59.9988” S and 34° 49’ 59.9952” E

Serengeti National Park’s fame is so massive it hardly needs an introduction. It is the safari destination for the Great Wildebeest Migration. Twice a year, 1.5 to 2 million wildebeest, zebras, and other grazing animals travel at least 497 miles (800 km) to find better grazing and water. 

The two most dramatic crossings are the Grumeti and Mara rivers. The animals must reach the other side while battling the currents and avoiding the crocodiles, who view the event as the ultimate feast. 

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

GPS Coordinates: 3° 12’36” S and 35° 27’36 E

Lake Eyasi creates the southern border of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is nicknamed “The Garden of Eden” and is the world’s largest unflooded and intact caldera. The park is worth a visit, especially as it is home to the black-mane lion and an array of other wildlife. 

Other attractions to see while visiting the conservation area include:

• Olduvai Gorge

• Olmoti Crater

• Ndutu Lake

• Ol Dionyo Lengai, the world’s only active volcano with carbonatitic lava 

Lake Natron 

GPS Coordinates: 2° 25’ S and 36° 00’ E

Nicknamed Lake Medusa, Lake Natron  is the birthplace of 75% of the world's lesser flamingos. The pink-red, alkaline lake has a pH of 9-10.5 and reaches hot spring-worthy temperatures of 140° F (60 C).

The lake is where Nick Brandt took the eerie and iconic “stone animal” photographs. Animals that die in the lake are calcified, creating a natural mummification. The photographer found the remains on the lake’s shore and repositioned them to create the portraits. 

Lake Manyara National Park

GPS Coordinates: 3° 35’ 0” S and 35° 50’ 0” E

Lake Manyara National Park is another alkaline lake that attracts flamingoes. But the tree-climbing lions are the highlight. Only a few lion prides in Africa regularly exhibit this behavior, and researchers have yet to establish why, although there are some theories. 

Lake Manyara also has hot springs, the most popular being Maji Moto, meaning “hot water.” The water comes burbling out of the earth at 140 F (60 C). So, you can’t boil an egg, but it is still plenty warm.

Tarangire National Park

GPS Coordinates: 3° 57’ 2.3264” S and 35° 51’ 58.05” E

Tarangire National Park is where visitors come to admire the large elephant herds. The park has the highest concentration of pachyderms in Tanzania.

The 1,615-mile (2,600 km) park has its own mini-migration during the dry season. The migration is made possible by unfenced boundaries with other game-controlled areas. Buffalo, giraffe, zebra, antelope, and more elephants come from the rest of the surrounding ecosystem, including:

• Lake Manyara

• Maasai Steppe

• Lake Natron

• Mount Kilimanjaro

The park is also a top birding site, with over 500 species recorded. The best spotting is done between November and May, which is at odds with the mammal migration.

Conclusion

Lake Eyasi is a bird watcher’s paradise, perfect for spying on hippos. It is also an excellent opportunity to connect with an authentic hunter-gatherer culture. Bonus: the lake is ideally located to visit other national parks and nature conservation areas. Book one of our Tanzania Safaris tours and prepare for an unforgettable journey.