What to do in Lake Chala

Day Visiting: 15.000 TSH a day (10.000 for citizen and residents) including use of all facilities and an accompanied walk, but except Kayaks. Kayaking is 10,000 TSH for day guests for one hour.  (Please note, that there is a governmental fee to the Wildlife Management Association at the barrier on the road before Chala land. This money is not available for Lake Chala, but is distributed elsewhere by the state administration.)

Climate: Chala has a temperate but varied climate. It can be very hot in the day time, especially in December to March, but evenings and mornings are cool and nights can be chilly. From May to September it can be quite cold, warm clothes are needed in the early morning and evening.

What to bring: We do advise good walking shoes, and maybe a stick to go down to the lake. It is a steep ascent. Bring binoculars for birding, sunscreen, hat, appropriate clothes for temperature changes, check 'Taveta weather reports'. If you want to have a cold refreshing shower after the hike, please bring a towel.

Walking: Chala is a wonderful area in which to walk. All walks have to be accompanied by a guide.

Birding: The Chala bird survey is ongoing. Birds are plentiful and raptors in particular are many and spectacular in the area. Chala is thought to be an important migration corridor on the eastern flank of Kilimanjaro, and unexpected birds can be found here during migration time. We appreciate reports of birds seen by visitors to increase our bird survey.

Fish: The Lake is home to the Lake Chala Tilapia, a species of fish in the cichlidae family. This fish is endemic to Chala, but is now a threatened species due to over fishing, a concern which needs to be addressed. That's why fishing is not allowed at Lake Chala.

Crocodiles: Crocodiles were introduced to Lake Chala in the 1930's. According to legend they were brought in by E.S. Grogan, a British explorer who became famous for walking from Cape Town to Cairo in 1898. The terrain is totally unsuitable for crocodiles to breed, there being no beaches or sandy areas to make their nests. In the early 1990s fishermen, angry that their nets were continually being destroyed, began began a program to eradicate them. Since 2002 there are no longer any crocodiles left in Lake Chala.