The Hadza of Lake Eyasi

One of the last hunter-gatherer peoples in Africa, a few hours from Ngorongoro. What a visit involves, and how to make sure it is on their terms.

The Hadza (often called the Hadzabe) live around Lake Eyasi, a salt lake in the Rift Valley south-west of the Ngorongoro Highlands. There are only about 1,200 to 1,300 of them, and around a third still live entirely by hunting and gathering. A visit can be one of the most memorable days of a Tanzania trip. It can also be intrusive, so who you go with matters more here than almost anywhere else.

Before you go

Who the Hadza are: About 1,200 to 1,300 peopleLiving mainly in Karatu District, around the Lake Eyasi basin and the edge of the Serengeti Plateau. About a third still forage full time.
Language: Hadzane, with clicksA purely spoken language unrelated to any other known language. Most Hadza also speak Swahili.
Their land: A legal title since 2011Hadza in the Yaeda Valley secured a customary right of occupancy over more than 20,000 hectares.
Getting there: 45 to 75 minutes from KaratuAbout 45 km. From the Ngorongoro rim allow 1.5 to 2 hours, and from Arusha 3.5 to 5 hours, with a 4x4 for the last stretch.
What it costs: No set public priceA community fee is usually paid through your operator. Before you book, ask how much it is and who in the community receives it.
Entering Tanzania: Visa plus entry insuranceSince 1 October 2026 most visitors must also buy Tanzania's mandatory entry insurance, about US$44. Details in our Serengeti guide.

Sources: population, language and tourism impact (Wikipedia), land title and cultural visits (Duma Explorer, 2026) and distances and visit format (Resilience Safaris, June 2026), checked 2 November 2026.

The honest part

Tourism has not always been good for the Hadza

Since TV documentaries made them famous in the early 2000s, the Hadza have become a regular safari add-on. Much of the money has gone to tour companies and local offices rather than to the Hadza, and cash handed to individuals has been linked to alcohol problems in some camps. A good visit is small, unhurried, agreed with the camp in advance, and pays a clear fee to the community, never cash, sweets or alcohol to individuals. If an operator cannot tell you who receives the fee, choose another.

What a visit usually involves

The morning

A dawn walk with the hunters, leaving before sunrise for 2 to 4 hours on foot. Nothing is staged, so you may see a hunt, or nothing at all.
Foraging with the women, digging tubers and gathering berries and baobab fruit, for an hour or two.

Back at camp

Bow and arrow making, and a turn at shooting if you are invited.
Fire by friction, made with two sticks in a few minutes.
Overnight guests may be invited to an evening of song by the fire. Nearby, the Datoga, a pastoralist people, are known for their metalwork and can often be visited the same day.

How to choose a respectful visit

Look for

An operator with a long-standing relationship with a particular camp, who can name the people they work with.
A clear community fee, explained in advance, and paid to camp leaders.
Small groups of six to eight, in no more than two vehicles.
A guide who explains photo rules before you arrive and translates.

Walk away from

Anything sold as a "show" or "performance", or that calls the Hadza "primitive" or "untouched".
Big groups and convoys arriving one after another.
Pressure to hand out money, sweets or gifts, or to buy crafts on the spot.
A dawn walk treated as a photo shoot. Always ask before taking a picture, and accept a no.

When to go

Dry season

June to October is dry and the easiest time for walking, and fits a northern-circuit safari to Ngorongoro and the Serengeti.
Mornings are the best part of the day; the basin heats up quickly after about 9 a.m.

Wet seasons

November to December and March to May bring rain, and some tracks to the camps become difficult.
Groups follow food and water, so camps move during the year; a good operator will know where they are.