Get off the beaten track to a remote region that few can visit. Trek across northern Tanzania from Arusha to Lake Natron and Lake Eyasi.
This stunning area will reward the adventurous traveller with spectacular scenery, flamingo-filled lakes and fascinating cultural experiences,
With the volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai, ‘Mountain of God’ in Maasai, as a background, you’ll be amazed by the scenery.
Today, you will be collected from your Arusha hotel and driven towards Lake Natron.
Lake Natron is like no other. As you approach this salt or soda lake, you’ll be amazed by its vibrant colours, with the deep red of the open water is deep red merging into the orange of the shallow water along the lake edge.
You will see the millions of flamingos that flock here to breed. The otherwise deadly waters of the lake are a haven for flamingos, making it the largest breeding colony in the world.
Lake Natron lies in a scenic area below the Rift Valley escarpment in northern Tanzania, near the Kenyan border.
This morning, chat with your driver to arrange the day’s travel plans based on your preferences.
Travel to the nearby Ngare Sero gorge, a 600 m crack in the Great Rift Valley. At the heart of the gorge is a lovely waterfall where you can cool off in the water, often all to yourself.
You’ll hike leisurely along the river (sometimes in it) before reaching the powerful Ngare Sero waterfall. The waterfall is a stunning oasis with calm waters, lush greenery, and palm trees, a stunning contrast to the surrounding arid landscape.
You’ll then journey towards Lake Eyasi overnight with an optional visit to the lake on the way.
Today, you’ll explore Lake Eyasi.
Lake Eyasi is a seasonal shallow soda lake on the floor of the Great Rift Valley at the base of the Serengeti Plateau, just south of the Serengeti National Park and immediately southwest of the Ngorongoro Crater in the Crater Highlands of Tanzania.
This is an ideal place for bird watchers or those who want to relax in total peace.
The lake is a seasonal stop for migrating flamingos, storks, and pelicans. You can also spot spoonbills, avocets, spurfowl, Fischer’s lovebirds, barbets, and more.
The lake also supports minor local fishing in wet years, but catfish and lungfish are often taken from the streams and springs that feed the lake.
Early in the morning, you’ll set off for a fascinating cultural experience, visiting the Hadzabe tribe, the region’s indigenous inhabitants who have lived here for over 10,000 years.
These hunter-gatherers still maintain their traditional lifestyle, living in harmony with nature. You’ll have the opportunity to engage with the busmen and learn about how they hunt, survive in the harsh environment of the African bush, food preparation, and their culture.
This authentic cultural experience provides a fascinating insight into these ancient people and our ancestral roots.
Depart to Arusha to continue with your onward travel plans.
Depending on your flight schedule, there may be time for lunch and shopping in Arusha. Fortes can make arrangements for an optional lunch or a day room to relax at a hotel if required.