Lake Duluti: Trip III

Awesome picnic area.

Lake Duluti is one of my favorite day trips (Trip I, Trip II) because it's relatively close to Moshi (1 1/2 hours) and it provides a great place to go on a hike. You can walk along the crater rim or on a circuit around the lake through a very wooded area. There are hardly any other people there and the forest in the isolated rim of the crater gives a sense of true nature, though the audible music from the bar/restaurant can be an unfortunate reminder of how close you are to developed areas.

I also love this place because the park fees are extremely reasonable for residents. If I lived in Arusha (about a 20 minute drive) I'd be here every weekend for sure. The stunning views of Mt. Meru on a clear day and the vibrant bird life all offer a unique environment for the more arid and dry landscape (excluding Mt. Meru and Mt. Kilimanjaro).

We find ourselves doing the same route, mainly due to strategic choices in birding and temperature. We start the day climbing the ridge, come down for lunch, and then hike the forest path. We arrived at 9:30 and didn't leave until 4:00 and we really could have used more time. The place isn't large but there is ample space to explore!

View of Mt. Meru from the ridge.

View of Mt. Meru from the south side of the lake.

Great forest; notice the strangler fig slowly taking over the tree!