Lake Eyasi

Lake Eyasi is located about 75 km from the Ngorongoro Crater and is the largest soda lake in Tanzania. Together with Natron, Lake Eyasi is off the beaten track. A visit to Lake Eyasi is an excellent add-on to a safari, as well as a great destination in its own right.

Bird lovers will be in paradise here, as the lake attracts vast numbers of birds of all sizes and colors. Some main birds to be found here include Africa spoonbill, flamingos, grey-headed gulls, great white pelicans, pied avocet and yellow-billed storks. The main fish found in the lake are catfish and lungfish.

The lake is the home of the Hadzabe and the Datoga tribes. Meeting them and sharing a moment of their daily life, will undoubtedly procure a more candid picture of traditional tribal life in Tanzania.

Hadzabe

As descendants of Tanzania’s aboriginal hunter-gatherer population, the Hadzabe have been in this area of the country for thousands of years. They have experienced relatively little modification to their basic way of life until the past hundred years. They speak a “click” language similar to the San people of Southern Africa.

They are said to be about 1,000 individuals living in the area, and are one of the last hunter-gather ethnic groups left in the world. The men hunt early in the morning with bows and arrows, while the women gather fruits and roots.

Observing an early morning hunting display, gathering honey, making fire to prepare their food and traditional dance performances are all part of this singular cultural experience.

Datoga

Similar to the Maasai, the Datoga are agro-pastoralist nomadic people. They mainly herd cattle and goat, as well as keeping sheep, chickens, and donkeys. They have adapted to an agrarian lifestyle and farm plots of land. The Datoga feed themselves primarily with meat, blood and milk. Their population is estimated to be around 80,000 individuals covering a vast territory spreading from Singida to Manyara Region near Mt. Hanang, Lake Basotu, and Lake Eyasi.

Visiting the homesteads of the Datoga tribe will plunge you into their daily routine. They are superb silversmiths. Forging copper and aluminum into bracelets, knives and other tools. They also trade these products with the Hadzabe.

Best time to visit : June to October

Activities/Visits/Excursions:

Walks with the Hadzabe and Datoga
Blacksmith tours
Cultural interactions
Wildlife viewing
Hike to rock art
Bird watching

It was fabulous! Excellent organization, super guide. If it was possible, we could come back again just with Nature Discovery. We have a lot of memorable pictures. It was a wonderful trip. Thanks a lot.

Cochemé, France

Excellent organization with a very good choice of accommodation. Quality welcome and contact on arrival. Pleasant and competent French-speaking guide, thanks to Joseph and Emilie for this wonderful trip.

Brigitte de Coulon, Switzerland

C’est Emilie de Nature Discovery qui nous a organisé ce SAFARI photos. Ce fut parfait : très professionnel, tout à la hauteur de nos esperances aussi bien les parcs que les lodges, et aucun incident à deplorer. Cerise sur le gateau: notre guide Joseph PANDA, parle parfaitement le français, plein de savoir sur la faune, repere les animaux mieux qu’une paire de jumelles et est très attentionné.

Mantovani Mireille, Nouvelle Caledonie

Excellent support from Emilie from Nature Discovery, who organized our safari. She listened carefully beforehand to understand our wishes and adjusted our itinerary accordingly. Contacts by email and WhatsApp were very fluid and responsive. We felt very well accompanied throughout our entire trip. The safari itself ran perfectly. Our guide and driver, Joseph, was very friendly and attentive.

Sophie Valais, France

If like us you have done a huge amount of reading/research and are unsure which tour operator to use, then look no further than Nature Discovery. The communication from the central office is quick and clear as you email direct to the office in Arusha. We undertook two trips with this company and could not fault them.

Michelle, UK

Working with Upendo to plan this amazing experience was absolutely wonderful. She was thoughtful, knowledgeable, professional, and impressively responsive. When we arrived, she helped us have an amazing experience in Arusha, Ngorongoro Crater, Kilimanjaro, and Arusha National Park. Even when we came out of the mountain trek a day early, she made us wonderful last-minute accommodations. Upendo is a dream to work with.

Gretchen Warner, USA

Very well organized safari and activities, great choice of accommodations. Upendo helped a lot with organizing the perfect safari, communication was always very fast and clear. The biggest Thank You goes out to Mbise who was a reliable, funny, and heartwarming guide, who made us feel comfortable the whole trip, showed us amazing wildlife and taught us a lot about Tanzanian life and culture.

Anna, Austria

Très bon circuit avec un guide très professionnel où on a pu voir des milliers d’animaux dans leur lieu de vie. Des instants magiques. La journée à Longido était super avec Sambeke. Juste j’aurais aimé partir une fois au lever du soleil en safari. Émilie a été super disponible à l’écoute de nos attentes. Sinon tout était au top. Voyage juste magique.

Lamera, France

Tout d’abord sachez que nous avons été enchantés de notre voyage en Tanzanie. La partie Nord que vous avez organisée a été parfaite, elle a pleinement répondu à nos attentes. Les lodges étaient tous super bien très différents des uns des autres. Mais surtout la réussite de cette partie du voyage tient à un nom… Joseph ! Il a été exceptionnel à tous niveaux, professionnel, précis, discret, humble.

Pierrette Mercadal, Nouvelle Calédonie, France

Very good safari, enjoyed a lot. Good communication from start to end. Our guide was experienced and very nice. Recommendations!

Markku Nieminen, Finland

I have just returned from the trip of a lifetime to Tanzania with Nature Discovery. I completed the 8-day Grand Traverse Kilimanjaro Trek, followed by a two-day Safari in Tarangire. The entire trip was extraordinary. Everyone who supported us on the Kilimanjaro trek was kind, caring, generous, professional, happy, and supportive. I strongly recommend Nature Discovery for the trip of a lifetime!

Katrina, Australia

Our safari with Nature Discovery has been the experience which changed our lives! We spent 10 days in the north to see the migration, each day a new adventure in the parks, being part of nature. The camping in public camps has been unforgettable: totally immersed, no price! Emilie, Henry our guide, and Jacks our cook made the trip perfect.

Augusta & Andrea, France

It was the second time now that we went on safari with ND and it was the best decision to book it with them again. Everything was so easy, the correspondence was uncomplicated, same as the organization and planning of the trip. If we needed any assistance or help even before the trip, it was no problem at all. We always felt safe throughout the trip.

Janine, Germany

We had the most exciting moments of our lives! Our main guide Polite and his well-organized team were amazing. We could feel their overall experience, care, knowledge, and safety in every step. Even the hardest moments they didn’t give us a single doubt that we will not make it to the peak! Keeping us in positive thinking and perfect organization helped us reach the Peak of Kilimanjaro!

Laura Kaukenaite, Lithuania

Very well planned and very nice both the organization and the guide. Very supportive during all the organization and the hotels chosen have been incredible. Very recommendable.

Ana, Spain

Excellent safari, with a great guide/driver (Nelvin) and a perfect contact officer (Emilie). We saw what was supposed to be expected (Mara River crossings) and much more. We are strongly recommending Nature Discovery for a Northern Tanzania safari (including a Zanzibar extension).

Marc Lebrun, France