Lake Eyasi, the largest body of water in Tanzania’s Arusha region, lies on the Great Rift Valley floor immediately southwest of Ngorongoro Crater and just south of Serengeti National Park. A shallow, seasonal soda lake that can dry up almost entirely in drier years, Eyasi is best known as the ancestral home of the Hadzabe, one of Africa’s last hunter-gatherer communities.
The lake at a glance
- The largest body of water in Tanzania’s Arusha region
- A shallow, seasonal soda lake that can dry out almost entirely in the dry season
- Located southwest of Ngorongoro Crater and south of the Serengeti
- Ancestral home of the Hadzabe hunter-gatherer community
A lake shaped by the seasons
Even at its fullest, Lake Eyasi rarely exceeds a metre in depth, and during wet periods it draws hippos down from the Serengeti and serves as a seasonal stopover for migrating flamingos. In drier months the lakebed can be crossed on foot, a stark contrast to its wet-season state, and local fishing communities still draw catfish and lungfish from its tributary streams and springs.
A deep human history
Mumba Cave, an archaeological site on the lakeshore, has yielded Middle and Late Stone Age artifacts, evidence of a very long human presence in the area that continues today through the Hadzabe communities living along most of the lake’s perimeter. The lake’s Serengeti-facing shore, meanwhile, falls within Maasai territory, giving the Eyasi basin a layered mix of cultures alongside its shifting wet and dry landscapes.
Things to do
- Combining a visit with a Hadzabe cultural encounter
- Birdwatching for seasonal flamingos and other waterbirds
- Exploring Mumba Cave’s Stone Age archaeological significance
Practical information
- Reached via Karatu, a common base for both Lake Eyasi and Ngorongoro visits
- Best visited in the wet season for water and birdlife, or dry season for lakebed access
- Easily combined with a wider northern Tanzania safari circuit
Lake Eyasi pairs striking Rift Valley scenery with one of East Africa’s richest cultural encounters. Offmap Safaris can build it into a northern Tanzania itinerary. To start planning, visit Plan My African Safari, message us on WhatsApp at +256 701 243 304, or email [email protected]. See also our notes on health and safety and responsible travel.
