Dusty soil, shimmering heat, a shallow lake at the edge of the world. And people who live as they did thousands of years ago. The Hadzabe hunt with bow and arrow. The Datoga forge with fire. And towering above it all stands Ol Doinyo Lengai – the sacred mountain of the Maasai. Lake Eyasi is not a safari in the traditional sense. It is a journey into a different understanding of time. A different rhythm. If you listen closely, you’ll hear something we almost forgot.
The Hadzabe – Hunters of Eternity
The Hadzabe are among the last true hunter-gatherers on Earth. Their world is the bush. Their language a melody of clicks. Their measure of time: the moment. They live in small groups of 20 to 30 people, without hierarchy, property, or calendar. Men hunt with handmade bows strung with sinew, and poisoned arrows. Women gather berries, roots and honey – often guided by a bird, the honeyguide, which leads them to beehives.
Their diet follows the seasons: more meat in the dry months, more plants in the rains. Honey is a delicacy and can make up to 20% of their daily calories. The Hadzabe move with the land. Their homes are temporary shelters built from branches and grass in a matter of hours. They own only what they can carry.
Despite many attempts to settle them, they have preserved their way of life. Their society is egalitarian, decisions are made together, and conflicts are resolved by walking away. Their gestures are fluid, their hospitality honest, their time elastic. A morning with them is not a tour – it’s a lesson in being. A silence that feels like truth.
The Datoga – Forgers of the Savannah
The Datoga, also known as the Mang’ati, are a proud pastoralist people with deep roots in the region around Lake Eyasi. They are cattle herders and skilled blacksmiths – known for their resilience and craft. Cattle are central to their culture: food source, currency, status symbol. Every part of the animal is used – meat, milk, hides, horns, even dung.
Datoga blacksmiths recycle scrap metal into new tools, jewellery and weapons. Their beautifully crafted arrowheads are often traded with the Hadzabe. Socially, the Datoga are patriarchal. Men may have several wives, and extended families live in circular huts of clay and grass, protected by thorn fences around their herds.
Spiritually, they believe in Aseeta, an androgynous divine force, and honour their ancestors in rituals like the Bungeda ceremony – celebrating departed elders and uniting the community. Visiting the Datoga isn’t a performance. It’s an immersion. Listen – and you’ll hear myths. Watch – and you’ll witness knowledge. Stay – and you’ll feel a pride that’s quiet, but profound.
Ol Doinyo Lengai – The Sacred Mountain That Whispers
It stands as if painted onto the horizon – timeless and alone. For the Maasai, Ol Doinyo Lengai is the “Mountain of God,” home of Eng’ai, the divine force of creation and wrath. And those who behold it know instantly: this is no ordinary peak. It is the only active volcano in the world to erupt natrocarbonatite lava – black upon flow, white as chalk when cooled. The landscapes surrounding it feel unearthly, almost surreal. Yet they are deeply interwoven with the stories of the people who live here.
Climbing Lengai is not a hike – it’s a pilgrimage. The ascent begins in the dead of night, guided by local Maasai and lit by stars. As dawn breaks, you reach the crater’s edge – and stand before a steaming, whispering abyss that feels closer to the gods than to Earth. Many descend changed. Not because of the height. Not because of the view. But because of the presence – of something deeper, older, truer.
Andrew says: “Lengai was always here. We’re just guests in his story. But if he welcomes you, you may read a sentence or two.”
If you have any questions or would like to explore Lake Eyasi & Ol Doinyo Lengai National Park on a customised safari, just drop us a line.
