Lake Chala Day Trip

Introduction

Lake Chala is the unique caldera lake which is thought to be the deepest inland water body in Africa. The source of water of the lake is the underground water springs from Mount Kilimanjaro. It is also drained with a rate of about 10 million m3/year. The lake varies in color from deep blue to turquoise and green and it is surrounded by a 100 meter high crater rim.

Location

Lake Chala is the Crater Lake that marks a border between Tanzania and Kenya on the eastern edge of Mount Kilimanjaro; it is 51 km from Moshi town and 8 km north of Taveta. The lake has a mean depth of 81 meters and it covers the area of 4.2 km2and it has the diameter of 3 km.

Attractions

Lake Chala and the surrounding area is spectacularly interesting, not just because of Kilimanjaro that can be seen on clear days towering in the background but also because it thrives with life. The lake itself is an attraction, the crater rim, bird species and small mammals such as colobus monkeys, baboons, dikdik and kudu.

Activities

Some of the activities include; bird watching, game viewing swimming (not advisable), walking safari in the village and canoeing.

Spending time

The activity shall take almost 7 hours from 0930 hours in the morning to 1630 hours in the evening.