Day Trips · Kilimanjaro Region

Lake Chala Day Trip

Lake Chala is a crater lake on the Tanzania–Kenya border, about an hour and a half from Moshi. Fed by underground water from Kilimanjaro,…

Overview

What makes this journey special

Crater rim walkCanoeing on the lakeKilimanjaro viewsBlue monkeys & forest birds

A day at the crater lake on the eastern slopes of Kilimanjaro – turquoise water, a rim walk with mountain views and a canoe trip below the cliffs.

Lake Chala is a crater lake on the Tanzania–Kenya border, about an hour and a half from Moshi. Fed by underground water from Kilimanjaro, it is clear and blue-green and around 90 metres deep.

The crater walls drop steeply to the water and are covered in forest where blue monkeys and many birds live. On a clear morning Kibo’s snow-capped summit rises directly behind the rim.

It is a relaxed day out from Moshi – ideal before a Kilimanjaro climb or as a rest day after a safari.

See the journey

Destinations you will visit on this safari

Day by day

Your itinerary

Day 1
Moshi – Lake Chala – Moshi
Moshi · Himo · Lake Chala

Pick-up in Moshi and drive east through sugar cane estates and villages to Lake Chala (about 1.5 hours). Walk along the crater rim for views over the lake and towards Kilimanjaro, then follow the trail down to the shore. Paddle a canoe on the lake with your guide and enjoy a picnic lunch by the water before climbing back to the rim and returning to Moshi in the afternoon.

HikeCanoePicnic

Getting there

Arrival & transfers

Departs from Moshi (or Arusha, with a longer drive). Lake Chala is about 55 km east of Moshi, near the town of Himo.

Inclusions

What's included

  • Private vehicle with driver-guide from Moshi
  • Lake Chala entrance and conservation fees
  • Canoe hire
  • Picnic lunch and drinking water

Not included

  • International flights and visa fees
  • Travel and medical insurance
  • Tips for guides, drivers and camp staff
  • Drinks and items of a personal nature
  • Optional activities not listed in the itinerary

Ready when you are

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