The Lake Chala is one of the most unexplored attractions in the area. The lake is a crater lake and on the eastern slopes of the Kilimanjaro mountain.
It’s about 34 miles from Moshi to Lake Chala and about 5 miles from Taveta in Kenya. It’s approximately 30 kilometers from the southern base of the Kilimanjaro.
Features of the Crater Lake
It is believed that this lake was formed about 250,000 years ago and since it’s a crater lake, its formation is related to the volcanic process that happened on the Kilimanjaro Mountain.
This crater’s rim rises to a height of roughly 560 feet. Streams from the nearby alpine woods feed the late. The entire area of the lake is roughly 4 square kilometers.
Its depth is roughly 98 meters. Compared to Lake Victoria, this lake is deeper. Rainwater makes up to 20% of the total water in this lake.
The streams from this lake flow to lake Jipe which almost 30 kilometers away from this lake. The evaporation rate in the area is a big threat to the existence of this lake.
Wildlife at Lake Chala
The lake boosts of over 200 bird species. The other animals you will find here are:
- Vervet Monkeys
- Blue Monkeys
- Monitor Lizards
- Bush-Bucks
- Kudus
- Peregrine falcons
- Baboons
- Colobus Monkeys
- Dik-dik among others
History of Lake Chala
An American adventurer was assisted by British soldiers in 1964 in constructing a route to the Chala Lake. After that, he wrote about his adventures at this lake. When there were developments around the lake in 2002, the lake was also the center of interest.
There are crocodiles in the Lake, and a British student was murdered by one of them, making headlines.
Activities on Lake Chala
Like most lakes, the biggest activities you can do here are canoeing and fishing. This lake is really deep and you have to be careful how far you go into the lake. Make sure you are always with you team or in a group of people to be safe.
