Lake Chala Day Trips

Tour Itinerary

Lake Chala Day Trips also known as (Dschalla) is a crater lake in a caldera on the borders of Tanzania and Kenya on the eastern edge of Mount Kilimanjaro, not far from the town of Moshi and 8 km north of Taveta. Depending on the time of year, it ranges in color from deep blue to turquoise and green, it is surrounded by a 100 metres high crater rim. The lake is fed by groundwater flows, which come from Mount Kilimanjaro, fed and drained underground with a rate of about 10 million m³/year. Recent researches shows that the Chala Lake loses its water volume. Its level had dropped in the last 6 years by 2.4 metres; at the start of 2011 the water level has risen again by over 1 meter.

The lake is a home to the endemic Lake Chala tilapia (Oreochromis hunteri), which is now considered critically endangered on the IUCN red list of threatened species.

Crocodiles were introduced to Lake Chala in the early 1900s, and in 2002, a woman was killed by a rare Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) while swimming in the lake. Since then the local fishermen, tired of having their nets ripped to pieces, started an eradication program by shooting and poisoning. It is doubtful if any crocodiles remain in the lake today. (No crocodiles in Lake Chala). This stunning volcanic area is rapidly growing in tourism and it is now possible to stay at Lake Chala at the new camp on the Tanzanian side.

Distance and Time

2h5m drive from Moshi to the lake, 3h40m drive from Arusha to the lake.