Lake Eyasi
Lake Eyasi is a seasonal, shallow, endorheic salt lake on the floor of the Great Rift Valley at the base of the Serengeti Plateau, just south of Serengeti National Park and immediately southwest of the Ngorongoro Crater in the Crater Highlands of Tanzania.
The lake is elongated, oriented southwest to northeast, and lies in the Eyasi-Wembere branch of the Great Rift Valley, approximately 95 miles (155 km) southwest of Arusha.
At an elevation of about 3,400 feet (1,040 m), the lake covers an area of about 400 square miles (1,050 square km). It occupies the bottom of a bowl-like depression in a region of volcanic activity.
The walls of the lake are purple lava, enclosing a broad expanse of white alkaline shallows with some freshwater at depths below 33 feet (10 m).
The lake has no outlet; its main inlet is the Sibiti River in the southwest. The lake drains an area of about 25,300 square miles (65,500 square km).
Greater and lesser flamingos inhabit the lakeshore in vast flocks.
Hadzabe
The Hadzabe bushmen live in this region, as do the Datoga and Mbulu tribes. A visit with the bushmen is worthwhile, and they will graciously show you where and how they live and hunt.
They subsist entirely on the bush and by bowhunting. Everything they use is made from local materials, including their bows, which are strung with giraffe tendon, and their arrows, which are coated in lethal poison.
Their language resembles that of the Kalahari Bushmen (who were featured in the 1980 film ‘The Gods Must Be Crazy’), with clicking sounds used.
The Maasai and Mbulu are pastoralists, like the Masai.
The scenery of Lake Eyasi differs dramatically from that of the surrounding areas. Compared to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Highlands, this area seems downright tropical.
Palm trees border the lake and make homes for birds such as Fischer’s lovebird. Other trees in this area include the umbrella thorn acacia and sandpaper bush.
The weather is nearly always very hot and intense because the lake is located on the floor of the Rift Valley, the world’s oldest rift.
The rift is thought to have opened more than 65 million years ago, shortly after the dinosaurs became extinct.
Lake Eyasi’s water levels vary significantly between the rainy and dry seasons. During the dry season, the lake is virtually nonexistent, and animals are forced to share the remaining water, making wildlife viewing easier.
The lake can get quite deep during the rainy season, and it attracts hippos who like to cool off in its brackish waters.
Bird lovers will be in paradise here, as the lake attracts vast numbers of birds of all sizes and colors.
Some of the main birds found here include African spoonbill, flamingos, gray-headed gulls, great white pelicans, pied avocet, and yellow-billed storks. The main fish found in the lake are catfish and lungfish.
Things to do in Lake Eyasi
This lake is particularly suited for exploring on foot, and day or half-day hikes are highly recommended.
It is also possible to go on a hunting trip with the Hadzabe or to visit the other tribes.
Almost any time of year is a good time to visit Lake Eyasi, with only April and May being questionable, as the long rains occur then.
