What You Need to Know: The 2-day Lake Eyasi tour costs US$650 per person for two travelers (US$325 per person per day). It includes pickup and drop-off in Arusha, a private vehicle and guide, a night at a lodge near the lake with meals, and the Hadzabe and Datoga visits with a local guide who translates, arranged with the communities. It can easily be added to a safari, since Lake Eyasi is about an hour and a half to two hours from Karatu.
Who Should Book the Lake Eyasi Tour?
It is for travelers curious about how people live in the Rift Valley, not just its animals. The visits are informal and depend on what the community is doing that day; you walk, watch and ask questions through your local guide. It suits most ages, but the hunting walk starts at dawn and goes through rough bush.
| This safari suits you if… | Consider another trip if… |
|---|---|
| You'd like a cultural experience off the usual route | You'd prefer a Maasai visit near the parks: a Maasai village visit |
| You're happy to be up at dawn | You want flamingos and volcanoes: the 2-day Lake Natron trip |
| You want to add a culture day to a safari | You want it all in one trip: the 8-day safari with Natron and Eyasi |
2-Day Lake Eyasi Itinerary
A drive past Lake Manyara and Karatu, the Datoga in the afternoon and the Hadzabe at dawn:
-
Day 1: Arusha to Lake Eyasi and a Datoga family
Pickup in Arusha and the drive past Mto wa Mbu and through Karatu, then down to the hot, dry Eyasi basin. In the afternoon your local guide takes you to a Datoga family, where the blacksmiths melt scrap metal over a charcoal fire to make arrowheads, bracelets and knives, many of them traded to the Hadzabe.
Datoga visitLake EyasiLunch, dinner -
Day 2: Dawn with the Hadzabe, then Arusha
Before sunrise you join a small group of Hadzabe men as they light a fire by hand and set out with bows to hunt for birds and small animals, or to gather berries and honey; you follow as far as you like. Back at the lodge for breakfast, then the drive to Arusha.
Hadzabe hunting walkLake Eyasi, ArushaBreakfast, lunch
Who Are the Hadzabe and the Datoga?
The Hadzabe are one of the last hunter-gatherer peoples in Africa, a small community of roughly 1,000 to 1,500 people who still live largely by hunting with bows and gathering wild food, and speak a language with click sounds. The Datoga are cattle herders and skilled metalworkers who live alongside them. Both communities welcome visitors on their terms; the visit fees go to them, and your guide explains what is polite, such as asking before taking photographs.
Is a Hadzabe Visit Respectful?
Yes. The visit is arranged with the community, which receives the visit fee, and your local guide explains the customs; photography is by consent. You see what people are actually doing that morning rather than a show. If you'd like to bring a gift, ask your guide what is welcome rather than handing out sweets or money.
How Much Does the 2-Day Lake Eyasi Tour Cost?
US$650 per person for two travelers, US$325 per person per day; ask us for other group sizes.
What the 2-Day Lake Eyasi Tour Includes
Included:
- Pickup and drop-off at your Arusha hotel
- A night at a lodge near Lake Eyasi, named in your quotation, with lunch, dinner and breakfast
- The Hadzabe and Datoga visits and community fees, with a local guide who translates
- Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof, a window seat for every guest (at most 6), charging points and a fridge for drinks, with your own driver-guide
- Drinking water in the vehicle
Not included in the 2-Day Lake Eyasi Tour price
Not included:
- International flights and visas (US$100 for US citizens)
- Tanzania's mandatory inbound travel insurance, US$44 per adult from October 1, 2026 (we can help you buy it)
- Travel insurance, including medical evacuation
- Tips for your guide and lodge staff
- Drinks, except where a lodge includes them, and personal items
- Gifts, if you choose to bring any
Adding Lake Eyasi to a Safari
Lake Eyasi is about an hour and a half to two hours from Karatu, so it fits well after the Ngorongoro Crater: spend the night by the lake, join the Hadzabe at dawn and drive back to Arusha or on to Lake Manyara. We can add it to any safari that passes through Karatu, such as the 5-day or 7-day safaris.
How to Book the 2-Day Lake Eyasi Tour
Send your dates and group size through the form, on WhatsApp +255 678 992 599 or by email to jaynevytours@gmail.com. You get a written quotation with the lodges for your dates. A 30% deposit holds the safari, the balance is due on arrival, and the booking terms explain refunds.
Common Questions About the Lake Eyasi Tour
Short answers to the questions our guests ask us most often:
How much is a 2-day Lake Eyasi tour?
US$650 per person for two travelers, including the vehicle and guide, a night with meals and the Hadzabe and Datoga visits.
How far is Lake Eyasi from Arusha?
About 4 hours by road, through Mto wa Mbu and Karatu.
Do you really go hunting with the Hadzabe?
You walk with the hunters and watch; they decide where to go. Some mornings they find game, some only berries or honey.
Can children join the Lake Eyasi tour?
Yes, though the dawn walk is through rough bush, so it suits children who walk well.
Can we take photographs?
Usually, yes, but always ask first through your guide.
Should You Book the 2-Day Lake Eyasi Tour?
Book it if you want to meet the Hadzabe and Datoga and see a side of Tanzania that safaris miss, for US$650 per person, or add it to a safari after the crater. For landscapes instead, see the Lake Natron trip; for game, all our Tanzania safaris.