3-Day Private Safari: Lake Eyasi & Ngorongoro Crater from Arusha

Hunt honey and game with the Hadzabe, then descend into one of Africa's densest wildlife zones

A 3-day private safari from Arusha combines two days at Lake Eyasi with the Hadzabe people (hunting, arrow-making, fruit gathering and visits to Datoga blacksmiths and herders) followed by a full day descending into Ngorongoro Crater for game viewing. The crater supports roughly 30,000 animals, including black rhino and large predator populations. All park fees, transport and lodge accommodation are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arusha to Lake Eyasi activities

• Hunt with Hadzabe for honey
• Arrow making and target practice
• Lunch and rest at lodge
• Visit local village and onion farms
• Drive to Lake Eyasi for flamingos and sunset
• Dinner and overnight at lodge

Day 2: Lake Eyasi cultural experiences

• Breakfast early morning
• Gather wild fruits with Hadzabe
• Build huts with Hadzabe women
• Lunch and rest at lodge
• Visit blacksmith workshop
• Visit Datoga family and experience lifestyle
• Join cultural dancing
• Dinner and overnight at lodge

Day 3: Ngorongoro Crater game drive

• Early breakfast
• Drive to Ngorongoro Crater
• Descend into crater for game drive
• Picnic lunch on crater floor
• Late afternoon drive back to Arusha

The experience

The first two days center on the Hadzabe, one of the last tribes to live by traditional hunting and gathering near Lake Eyasi. Day one starts before dawn: you walk the bush with Hadzabe hunters from 6am, watching them locate and harvest honey from wild bee colonies, then return to the village by 9am for arrow-making and target practice. After lunch and rest, you visit a local farming community to see onion plantations and irrigation methods, walk through village forest where baboons and monkeys move through the canopy, then drive to Lake Eyasi itself to watch flamingos and pelicans at sunset before returning to camp for dinner and a fire.

Day two begins at 5:30am with breakfast, then another early drive to join Hadzabe women and children gathering wild fruits (baobab, yams and others pulled from the ground), and helping build traditional huts. After lunch, you visit a Datoga blacksmith to watch copper, brass and aluminum melted and shaped into bracelets, necklaces and arrowheads, then spend the afternoon with a Datoga family in their bomas, learning how they grind flour by hand, observing their cattle herds and joining in cultural dancing if you choose.

Day three is Ngorongoro Crater. After an early breakfast, you drive to the crater rim and descend to the floor for a full day of game viewing. The crater is home to an estimated 30,000 animals (one of the most densely populated wildlife areas in Africa), and holds some of Tanzania's remaining black rhino alongside large populations of lions, leopards and other predators. You'll have a picnic lunch on the crater floor, then drive back to Arusha in the late afternoon.

What’s included

• All park entry fees and taxes.
• transportation by vehicle for all three days.
• two nights of lodge accommodation at Ziwani Lodge and Tloma Lodge.
• guided activities with the Hadzabe people including hunting, arrow-making, fruit gathering and hut building.
• visits to Datoga blacksmith and family.
• picnic lunch on the Ngorongoro Crater floor.
• meals and overnight stays as described in the itinerary.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (16 to 65 years) · Senior (66 and older) · Youth (12 to 15 years) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 7 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Afromasai Eastern Safaris

Is this one for you?This is a private tour for a minimum of two travelers, so you travel as your own group rather than joining strangers. The fixed three-day schedule lets you experience both the Hadzabe's daily life and the crater's wildlife in a single trip, though it requires early mornings and full days of activity.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 15 years); Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (1 to 3 years): free.

What do you actually do when you hunt with the Hadzabe in the early morning?

You walk the bush with Hadzabe hunters from 6am, watching them locate and harvest honey from wild bee colonies using their knowledge of where bees nest in trees. After returning to the village by 9am, you learn to make arrows and bows, then practice targeting.

What animals will I see at Lake Eyasi and in the surrounding area?

Lake Eyasi itself hosts flamingos and pelicans, especially visible at sunset. The village forest nearby holds monkeys, baboons and a variety of bird species. The Ngorongoro Crater on day three supports roughly 30,000 animals including black rhino, lions, leopards and other predators.

Do I need to arrange my own transport between Arusha and Lake Eyasi?

No. Transport for all three days is included, with pickup from Arusha and return at the end of day three. You travel by vehicle between locations and walk only during the scheduled activities with the Hadzabe and at the crater.

Where do I stay during the three days?

You stay at Ziwani Lodge on the first night and Tloma Lodge on the second night, both near Lake Eyasi. Lodge accommodation is included in the tour price.

What is the Datoga people's role in this tour?

On day two afternoon, you visit a Datoga family and blacksmith. You watch the blacksmith melt and shape metal into bracelets, necklaces and arrowheads, then spend time at the family's boma learning how they grind flour by hand, milk cattle and perform cultural dances that you can join.