lake Eyasi safari trips  : Lake Eyasi is a seasonal shallow salt lake located at the bottom of the Great Rift Valley, at the base of the Serengeti plateau. It is located in northern Tanzania South of the Ngorongoro highlands. On your lake Eyasi trip, you will have plenty of time to savor this serene setting and take in its natural surroundings. This big lake rises significantly above sea level. Lake Eyasi has tall palm trees along its shores, in contrast to the savannah and dry plains of northern national parks. During the breeding season, Lake Eyasi is home to sizable populations of flamingos and pelicans.

LAKE EYASI SAFARI TRIP

 One of the many stunning lakes in the East African Rift Valley is Lake Eyasi, which is situated directly southwest of Ngorongoro Crater in the Crater Highlands region of Tanzania. The vast plains of the Serengeti are to its north, and the mildly alkaline lake stretches for about 50 km to the southwest. Take leisurely strolls along the lake’s edge and spend your afternoons exploring the region’s ancient Baobab trees. Join the Hadzabe family on a hunting trip to witness their incredible capacity for tracking and hunting small game. The Hadzabe are Africa’s last remaining hunter-gatherers.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT LAKE EYASI

Over 10,000 years ago, the Hadzabe tribe made Lake Eyasi their home. They continue to hunt and gather various fruits and honeydew honey while remaining steadfast to their traditional way of life. It is unlikely that you would want to pass up the opportunity to visit their community. The use of a monkey bone as a shower head and many other intriguing aspects of their way of life may even be revealed to you. The Datoga tribe’s men and women have maintained their ancestor and spirit worship practices. They carry out healing magic and rainmaking rites. It is truly amazing how well all of their traditions and customs have been preserved. It is no accident that research teams flock to the ancient African rituals that have survived in the midst of advancing civilization.

HIGHLIGHTS OF EYASI

In our history books, we have all read about the hunter-gatherers. But what if you encountered one right now? One of these tribes resides in the area around Lake Eyasi. The last hunter-gatherer group in East Africa is known as the Hadzabes. You can learn more about our ancestors’ lifestyles before the development of agriculture, among other things.

You can also get to know the nearby semi-nomadic Datoga tribe if you’re interested or have the time.

The area is renowned for attracting a wide variety of birds as well as stunning natural scenery.

A safari in Eyasi will undoubtedly be very different from those in Tarangire, Manyara, or the Serengeti.

WILDLIFE AROUND THE LAKE EYASI

You won’t find the big five here because Lake Eyasi doesn’t draw large populations of big-game wildlife like those found in the nearby parks and conservation areas. Due to the large number of resident bird species present, the lake is a birdwatcher’s paradise. From June to November, a huge variety of breeding waterbirds are supported by the shallow waters. The abundance of flamingos and great white pelicans is the main draw. Around the shores of Lake Eyasi, birds like the Africa spoonbill, Fischer’s lovebird, gray-headed gulls, pied avocet, spurfowl, stork, barbet, weaver, and many more can be seen.

The numerous hippos at Lake Eyasi make for another fantastic sighting. They have a place to retreat from the hot sun during the day thanks to the lake. When the lake is full, they are known to visit and cool off in its salty waters. The nearby springs are home to a variety of other wildlife species. Most prevalent wildlife at Lake Eyasi includes:

• Hippos
• Flamingos
• Great white pelicans
• Africa spoonbill
• Fischer’s lovebird
• Gray-headed gulls
• Pied avocet
• Spurfowl
• Stork
• Barbet
• Weaver

EXCURSIONS AND ACTIVITIES IN LAKE EYASI

 Lake Eyasi is home to the Hadzabe Bushmen. The Datoga and Mbulu tribes are also present here. The bushmen will graciously show you where and how they live and hunt, so it is worthwhile to visit them. They only eat wild plants and hunt with bows. One of the last hunter-gatherer groups to still exist in Africa is the Hadzabe Bushmen, who are purely a land-based people. Like our ancestors did for thousands of years in the Stone Age.

On this cultural activity, you can get a firsthand look at the culture, habitat, and way of life of the Hadzabe Bushmen. Early in the morning, you go hunting with the Bushman near Lake Eyasi. Find out how they prepare their food and make fire. You will go to a market in the afternoon where Hadzabe exchange their honey, fruits, and other goods for Datoga silversmiths’ made-to-order knives, arrows, and spears. This cultural experience is unquestionably memorable and well worth the extra time.

THE BEST TIME TO VISIT LAKE EYASI

The lake is accessible year-round. The landscape at Lake Eyasi is covered in a lush carpet of grass during the two rainy seasons and is dry from June to October. Longer rains fall from the middle of March to May, with shorter rains occurring in November and December with sporadic showers. Heavy rains will have an impact on walking trails and roads, which may affect how easily you can get around.

HADZABE BUSHMEN LIVING AT LAKE EYASI

The Hadzabe Bushmen are one of the few tribes that continue to conduct their daily lives in the same manner as they did hundreds of years ago. The Bushmen are worth visiting! They only eat wild plants and hunt with bows. One of the last hunter-gatherer groups to still exist in Africa is the Hadzabe Bushmen, who are purely a land-based people. Like our ancestors did for thousands of years in the Stone Age.

What can you expect on Lake Eyasi Hadzabe trip?

Your designated tour guide will make arrangements for a local guide who speaks Hadzane, the language of the tribe, and take you to the bush where the tribe may be hiding. Once you locate them, you are free to fully acclimate to Hadzabe culture by joining the men on their hunts or the women as they gather fruit. You will need to get up at around 5 or 5:30 in the morning because the hunting and gathering take place very early.

The bushmen are also physically fit from living in the wilderness, and they move quickly and nimbly. When they are following animal trails, they won’t stop for tourists. So, in order to keep up with the men during the hunt, you must be swift. However, once you get used to it, things will start to become simpler, and eventually, you may even be able to understand their hand and whistle signals. Additionally, the men will take larvae and honey from the beehives in Baobab trees. They consume the larvae with honey, which has a salty flavor.

You can decide to follow the women as they gather fruit if you find it difficult to keep up with the men while they are out hunting. They will demonstrate the trees that they use to gather berries and fruits. They also frequently gather tubers and the tart fruits of baobab trees.

After the hunt is finished, you can hang out with the tribe by the campfire and get to know them while being assisted by guides. You can learn to make bows, arrows, and jewelry, dance with the tribesmen, and exchange hunting tips. You might get shooting instruction and an arrow-making demonstration from the Hadzabe. You’ll notice that the Hadzabe people speak a distinct language. One of the few languages that employs click sounds is this one.

Things to consider before the visit

You must be prepared to get up very early in the morning for the hunt and get dirty if you want to have an authentic lake Eyasi trip experience. The Hadzabe may not be able to provide you with a clean stool or a mat to sit on since they only have a few possessions and live in caves. You might even have to crouch or sit on the ground while hunting in the wild.

To add to that, you should think twice before visiting the Hadzabe camps if the thought of killing and dissecting animals for food makes you uncomfortable. It should be noted, though, that the tribesmen will not kill the animals just to put on a show for you. They hunt animals for food as a part of their way of life, and whether or not you are there, they will kill and cook the animals.

A Maasai tour will not be at all like the Hadzabe visit. A Maasai tour is not truly authentic if you are not included in their daily activities, such as farming, water collection, or grazing their cattle. However, the Hadzabe visit will not be staged or commercialized. The Hadzabe people will let you tag along as they go about their daily business. The following day, when you are not present, they will participate in the same hunt, fruit collection, arrow-making, and other activities.

 The experience will then be fascinating and quite distinctive. In the modern world, you don’t come across a hunter-gatherer community very often, after all.

THE DATOGA LIVING AT LAKE EYASI

While the Hadzabe draw more visitors to Lake Eyasi, the Datoga Tribe also calls the area home. They don’t hunt and gather like the Hadzabe do, though. They cultivate land and raise sheep. The Datoga are also skilled metalworkers. They use iron to create tools, jewelry, weapons, and other practical items.

What to expect on Lake Eyasi Datoga Trip

Like the Maasai, they will hospitably welcome you into their community by performing dances and guiding you into people’s homes when you approach. The guides will be able to translate the Datoga language for you so that you can truly understand their way of life. The Datoga people speak a language known as Datooga. They may even request that you participate in rituals involving the grinding of corn or the making of arrows.

 The Datoga, like the Maasai, may try to sell you some of their goods, but they won’t be as pushy as the Maasai, and most of their goods will be small and inexpensive. Therefore, the purchases could be thought of as donations to the camp.

If you get going early in the morning, you can visit both the Hadzabe and the Datoga on the same day. With the Hadzabe, you would go on fruit gathering and hunting expeditions; however, with the Datoga, you would simply visit their homes, observe a variety of mundane tasks like ironwork, and converse with them.

The post lake Eyasi safari trips appeared first on Best of Tanzania safaris.