Lake Chala is a startlingly beautiful crater lake straddling the Tanzania–Kenya border on the eastern flank of Kilimanjaro. Fed underground by the mountain, its deep waters shift from sapphire to jade through the day, ringed by steep forested crater walls.
The lake has no visible outlet, fed and drained entirely underground through Kilimanjaro’s volcanic rock, which keeps its colour shifting through the day as the light changes.
Best time to visit
Year-round; clearest Kilimanjaro views June–October and January–February.
How to experience it with us
A peaceful day trip or overnight from Moshi or Arusha: crater-rim hiking, kayaking and birdwatching, easily combined with Materuni Waterfalls.