Lake Eyasi is a seasonal shallow endorheic salt 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. The lake is elongated, orientated southwest to northeast, and lies in the Eyasi-Wembere branch of the Great Rift Valley

The Hadzabe bushmen live in this region, as do the Datoga and Mbulu tribes. A visit with the bushmen is worthwhile and they will graciously show you where and how they live and hunt. They subsist entirely off the bush and by bow hunting. Everything they use is made from local materials, including their bows which are strung with giraffe tendon and their arrows which are coated in lethal poison. Their language resembles that of Kalahari bushmen tribe (who were featured in the 1980 film ‘The Gods Must Be Crazy’) with clicking noises used.

The Datoga and Mbulu people are pastoralists, like the Masai people.

The landscape around Lake Eyasi contrasts sharply with the neighboring Serengeti and Ngorongoro Highlands, appearing almost tropical in comparison. Palm trees line the lake, providing habitat for birds such as Fischer’s lovebird. The area also features trees like the umbrella thorn acacia and sandpaper bush. The climate is consistently hot and intense, as Lake Eyasi is situated in the Rift Valley floor, the oldest rift on Earth, which is believed to have formed over 65 million years ago, shortly after the extinction of dinosaurs.

Water levels at Lake Eyasi fluctuate significantly between the rainy and dry seasons. In the dry season, the lake may shrink considerably, concentrating the remaining water and making wildlife viewing easier. Conversely, during the rainy season, the lake expands and attracts hippos seeking refuge in its brackish waters.

Birdwatchers will find the lake a paradise, as it hosts a wide variety of bird species in vibrant colors and sizes. Notable birds include the African spoonbill, flamingos, gray-headed gulls, great white pelicans, pied avocets, and yellow-billed storks. The lake’s primary fish species are catfish and lungfish.