Lake Eyasi Questions...
 

I am borrowing the questions from alldaytravel & atravelynn from another post because I have the exact same questions on Lake Eyasi - I would greatly appreciate this advice from anyone who has been!

Particularly in terms of visiting Lake Eyasi vs. Lake Manyara....

And, if you would recommend Lake Eyasi, I have similar questions to what atravelynn is asking below....Thank you!!

From alldaytravel:

I do have a quick question for you on Lake Eyasi - I am currently planning a trip for September and am trying to decide whether I should include Lake Eyasi in my itinerary to spend time with the Hadzabe or, if I should skip it and go to Lake Manyara instead (or even adding this day onto another park). I only have time for 1 of these places...

Since you went to both Eyasi & Manyara, can you recommend one over the other? Was it worth the trek to Lake Eyasi? Did you feel that the experience with the Hadzabe was commercial/touristy?

Did you feel that the cultural interaction you experienced stopping through the Masai boma would have sufficed?

Also, can you provide some additional feedback on your wildlife viewing experiences at Lake Manyara?

From atravelynn:

I am very interested in your experience in Lake Eyasi with the Bushmen, so I have extensive questions. Of course it is your choice to answer as many or as few in as much detail or as little detail as you want. Don't want to give you a homework assignment.

1. Did you meet the Bushmen at their home or where?
2. How long was the walk?
3. How many Bushmen went with you?
4. Was it just the people in your vehicle, which I assume were the two of you, on the walk?
5. Were there other walks in progress going on around you?
6. Communication--Did your guide go too and interpret? which would mean the Bushmen speak Swahili. Or do the Bushmen speak English?
7. Is there any wildlife element to Kisima Ngeda Camp or is the main focus the Bushmen?
8. It looks like you spent one night at Kisima Ngeda Camp, then drove to the crater. (a)How far was Ngeda from Manyara? (b)How far was the crater from Ngeda?
9. Can you spell Kisima Ngeda for me phonetically?
10. I think some people spend 2 nights at Kisima Ngeda. Do you know what is done on the 2 night stays and did you hear about any 3,4,5 night stays?
11. I could be wrong, but I thought there was another place to stay when visiting the Bushmen. Any comments on that or why you'd prefer one place over the other for logistics?

We also visited Lake Eyasi and the Bushmen so I am going to try to answer a few of your quwtions....
The walk with the bushmen was a very non-commercial visit lasting about an hour on the hunt and an hour at the tribe's camp. We had to run a little on the hunt to keep up and sometimes fell a little behind. It was only us, our guide and the translator/guide who spoke a little of the bushmans dilect (clicking) as the bushman do not speak english or swahili. Four yourng men took us hunting - about 14-19 years of age. No wildlife to speak of and no other tourists (I beleive they visit only one group at a time...they live in groups of about 12 - 16) There is another tented camp in the area - not as nice as Kisima but decent.
The road to Lake Eyasi is rough and the vehicle rarely gets out of second gear...and it is very hot and humid in Lake Eyasi. I thought it was worth it but I also loved Lake Manyara and we had three weeks to travel. If you have no other culture tours on tour safari I would go for Lake Eyasi over Manyara.

Hi,
We went last year to Lake Eyasi and enjoyed very much. I topped my trip report Tanzania/Seychelles and "My pictures" if you'd like more info.
Good luck!

Thanks for the info Silverparrot. We're staying 2 nights at Kisima Ngeda at the end of October. What time of year were you at Lake Eyasi and what did you do when not out with the Hadzabe?
Sherry - thanks too for topping your report. Very helpful.

Thanks for topping your report Cybor. I'll have to remember that polite way to decline first blood. "No thanks I had a big breakfast."

Lynn - Lol, always too full from breakfast, lunch or any other time bloods offered.

Queen,
The lake was bone dry when we were there with the exception of a small swim hole at Kisema. When full, I believe you can boat around the lake and take some nice hikes.
Other than that, there are other tribes and sub tribes to check out and hang with - The Datogas (sp.) are one.

Our visits were not at all commercial or panned and we had to hike some distance to find the Hadzawbes as they're nomads. Plan on spending a good chunk of the day with them.

If you'd like to donate $'s try to leave Tanzanian $, as most of these people have never seen a bank.

This, btw, was a much better (truer) experience than seeing the roadside Maasai. It's my belief that one has to get off the beaten path, as we did, to see less Westernized Maasai.

I will look thru my notes to find our guides' email, if you're interested. He spoke Hadzabwe, Datoga, Swahili and very good English. You will need a translater.
Thanks for reviving my memory's of this wonderful place.

Cybor, No need to find what specific languages were spoken. I mainly wanted to be sure there was way to communicate.

Hi Lynn,
I think I may have confused you about the reason for obtaining my guides email - what I meant was that I would get his email address if anyone was interested in using his services.

Now it's my turn to be confused - are you also going to Lake Eyasi? The first couple of posts thru me off. Are these copy and pastes from another thread?

HI Cybor - YES!! I would love the name of your guide. You can post it here or e-mail me at [email protected]. I will be traveling to Lake Eyasi in Sept. Thanks!!

Cybor
If you would be so kind as to post it, I'll see if my TO can get him for us in October as well.
Thanks!

<b>Also, can you provide some additional feedback on your wildlife viewing experiences at Lake Manyara?</b>

Here's a link to a game-drive-by-game-drive description of what we saw at Manyara in January. On the last page there's a summary of how this compares to what you might expect to see (on previous trips we saw several lions but no leopards, for example).

http://members.aol.com/bhilton665/ta.../manyara-1.htm

Bill

His name is Momoya Muhindoi. He's very well known in the area for his support of the tribes. He also owns a camp ground, as well. Great and very fascinating man.

Momoya can be reached at: [email protected] or P.O. Box 120 Karatu via Arusha, Tanzania.

Cybor,
I'd like to go to Lake Eyasi--some day, which could be a long time from now. These questions were copied from another thread where I asked them of a recently returned traveler.

Thank you for the guide recommendation!

Imavolio,
We overnighted at Ksima Ngeda last year, loving it very much, a small camp, very personal, warm service and caring attention, one of our more memorable spots. Our interest was in meeting the Hadzabe and the Datogas.

The ride up was bumpy, but interesting watching the Iraqwi schoolchildren hiking home from school for lunch. Driving from the red dust and clay into the tropical lushness around Lake Eyasi was a surprise in scenery change.

Our guide had to search out an Iraqwi translator/Hadzabe/Datoga guide, but kept looking until they connected and set up plans for our cultural interaction. We had to be up early to find the nomadic camp, as Cybor mentioned, but the Iraqwi guide had a basic sense of where to look. My report is titled &quot;Safari Mzuri&quot; and there are lots of pictures. The tribes accepted our intrusion into their daily routine as a &quot;job&quot; - creating income, but not as commercial and touristy as the Maasai stops. At the end of the hour/hour and a half visit, there was a dance, which was a little contrived, but shared as a demonstration of their culture. These tribal interactions were very interesting, even with the guide having to translate the &quot;clicking.&quot;

As for skipping Lake Manyara, are you spending time in Tarangire or Arusha National Park? You might catch some of the same wildlife in those places that you'd see in Lake Manyara.

You'll enjoy the smallness and warmth of Ksima Ngeda - have fun! The stories around the evening campfire, with the moon shining off the lake, just lovely!! Deb

Thanks for the great info on Lake Eyasi! I am definitely planning to include it in my trip...On that note, I now need to decide how long to stay at Kisima Ngeda. Any advice?

Here are my 2 options - which would you do?

Option # 1:
12 Sep - Morning crater tour at Ngorongoro - drive to Lk. Eyasi - overnight at Kisima Ngeda

13 Sep - Hunting w/ Hadzabe; drive to Lake Manyara; lunch at Gibbs Farm; afternoon game drive Manyara - o/n

14 Sep - Morning game drive at Manyara; afternoon Mto-wa-Mbu - o/n at Manyara

OR

12 Sep - Morning crater tour at Ngorongoro - drive to Lk. Eyasi - overnight at Kisima Ngeda

13 Sep - Hunt with Hadzabe - overnight at Kisima Ngeda

14 Sept - drive to Lake Manyara, afternoon game drive - overnight at Manyara

I guess the main difference between these 2 portions of the itinerary is that the first option allows me to see more (2 drives at Lake Manyara vs 1, Mto wa Mbu), but I potentially spend less time with the Hadzabe tribe and it may be a bit rushed.

Would I be missing out on anything with the Hadzabe if we left shortly after the hunt?

The 2nd option gives me more time at Lake Eyasi, but after the hunt, not sure if there is much more to do, so maybe I should just move on to Manyara??

It is so difficult to plan this stuff!!

Any advice would be much appreciated...

Ima,
Not easy questions to answer.
Couple questions for you:
What are you planning on doing Mto? If I recall there's not much there.
Are you the type to linger and savor or one who likes to get in as much as possible?
Are you overnighting in the Crater or just doing the morning trip?

Hi Cybor - Thanks for attempting to respond to my itinerary questions. I know they are difficult, which is why I am having such a tough time...

I am not too keen on visiting Mto wa Mbu, but my travel agent said there is some good souvenir shopping there. I am not a big shopper, so I think I could probably skip that...

I usually like to balance lingering and savoring, so not sure if that answer helps you much.

As for Ngorongoro, my current itinrary has me there for 1 night - doing an afternoon game drive on the day I arrive. Then overnight at a lodge and a morning game drive before departing for Lake Eyasi...

FYI - After sharing some of these concerns, my travel agent did revise this itinerary a bit so that she cut out the 2nd full day at Lake Manyara and Mto wa Mbu.

So now, the decision would be, am I rushing Lake Eyasi too much?? If I arrive at Kisima Ngeda on the evening of the 12th and then depart Lake Eyasi right after my hunt on the morning of the 13th, am I missing out on anything?

This would enable me to see Lake Manyara, but I don't know if I am rushing the Lake Eyasi portion of the trip...

I hope this isn't too confusing :-) Appreciate the feedback!!

Hi Ima,
Not confusing to anyone but yourself - I feel for you.
You know what though, it's all good. Whatever you decide, you'll be ok as you're going to Afree - kah (tm of Sandi)

As for Ngo - I think it's a good idea that your overnighting - are you doing a game drive on the way out? It's nice to see the wildlife in the early AM.

The thing with Kisimi is that it's so far off the beaten path and the roads are extremely treacherous, particularly after/during rain that spending extra time may be a consideration.

Padding your stay will do 2 things, it will ensure you that you won't miss out on your next location in the event that you get tied up on the bad roads or it will give you a chance to chill after seeing the tribesmen.

This will also enable you to spend more time with the Hadzabwes which may or may not be as important as wildlife viewing to you.
As for Mto, we did stop there for souveniers and I found that I hated the stores and the bartering. Despite my guide bartering for us, I still found less stressful and less costly places up in Nairobi - More of a selection of hand made goods, as well.
If you're into hand made and beaded jewelry, I scored some beautiful stuff at the roadside Maasai places.
Hope this helps - feel free to ask.

Somehow I had thought Mto-wa Mbu was more of a cultural stop and not primarily a shopping for souvenir stop. (Never been.) If it is mostly shopping and you are not that big on shopping, then I'd remove it. At least I'd reduce the time to just a short visit if it is on the way and use the bulk of that time elsewhere.

The travel conditions brought up by Cybor are a good point in favor of an extra day.

Imavolio,

Don't know if you decided how much time you want to spend at Lake Eyasi but I am reading an interesting book by James Stephenson about living with the Hadzabe. Also found a CD called &quot;The Hadza Bushmen of Tanzania&quot; so I can hear their songs and language prior to arrival.

Is Lake Eyasi still on your itinerary?

Hey QueenofdaNile - Yes, Lake Eyasi is still on my itinerary and I plan to stay there for 2 days/nights. I added an extra day to my itinerary particularly to spend more time there. Not sure if it is warranted, but it certainly can't hurt. Thanks for the tip on the book - I will definitely make sure I pick it up before I leave!! Let me know what your plans are and when you will be there...I am going in September. Thanks!