Lake Duluti

Duluti fills a small crater on the lower slopes of Mount Meru just outside Arusha, about a kilometre across, with a fringe of forest around it that is a protected reserve. A path runs the whole way round in about an hour, and canoes go out on the water. The forest holds monitor lizards, vervet monkeys and around one hundred and thirty recorded bird species including fish eagles and kingfishers, and Meru rises behind on clear days.

What you actually see

• The circuit path - a walk of about an hour around the whole crater rim.
• The canoeing - paddling on the lake among the forested banks.
• The birds - fish eagles, kingfishers and around a hundred and thirty recorded species.
• The monitor lizards - large monitors along the shoreline and in the trees.

When to go

Year round; mornings are best for birds and for the view of Meru. The rains make the path muddy. It is a short trip and suits an afternoon.

Honest expectations

The lake is small and the visit is brief. Guide fees are compulsory and negotiated at the entrance. Swimming is not permitted.

Nearby

Arusha is west, and Arusha National Park is northeast.