Lake Chala Day Trip

A border runs through it. Lake Chala is located some 55km northeast of Moshi town on the south-eastern flank of Mt Kilimanjaro and on the Kenyan border. In fact, the international boundary between Tanzania and Kenya runs through the middle of the lake!

Lake Chala is a water-filled caldera that was formed after volcanic activity (probably from Mt Kilimanjaro) caused it to collapse. The crater itself is 3km in length and 2.4km wide. The depth of the lake is between 70 to 90m with the walls almost vertical and as high as a 100m in some places.

Depending on the time of year the colour of the water changes from turquoise, deep blue to green. It is said that the lake is fed via underwater streams from Mt. Kilimanjaro and drains again into neighboring Lake Jipe also via underground tunnels. The critically endangered Lake Chala tilapia (which actually belongs to the cichlid family) is found only in Lake Chala.

The lake has a great diversity of life. From lush lake shore forest to stunning volcanic savannah; from river beds marvelously carved through ancient rock, to thick bush.

Spend a day and walking at Lake Chala is a magical experience that will put you back in touch with nature. Chala has a huge variety of amazing trees, grasses and plants; some are unique to the area. According to the time of year there are hundreds of species of butterflies and birds, including spectacular birds of prey.

Activities at this lake are walking safaris, canoeing, swimming and fishing