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.

Background

This volcanic crater lake sits along the eastern margin of the Great Rift Valley's eastern branch, in Meru District close to Tengeru. The centre of Arusha is 14 kilometres away and the Arusha-Moshi road 1.31 kilometres, and the lake lies at an elevation of 1290 metres. The water covers about 63 hectares, 1.11 kilometres long and 0.73 kilometres wide, and the Duluti Forestry Reserve around it adds about 19 hectares. Depth reaches about 9 metres at the centre, and the water grows shallower toward the shore, unevenly from one side to another. A side road from the Arusha-Moshi road ends at a lakeside restaurant on the north shore, which rents out canoes.

Source: Wikipedia, "Lake Duluti"

What's there

• 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.

Things to know

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.

Key facts