杜鲁提湖(Lake Duluti)位于坦桑尼亚旅游重镇阿鲁沙(Arusha)以东约14公里处,是一座海拔1290米的深水火山湖。这座湖泊隐藏在梅鲁山(Mount Meru)脚下的葱郁森林中,虽然面积仅有60公顷左右,却以深不可测的湖水和丰富的生物多样性闻名。对于刚结束长时间驱车游猎或者正准备挑战乞力马扎罗山的旅行者来说,这里是完美的落脚点。相比塞伦盖蒂的狂野,杜鲁提湖展现的是东非温润、宁静的一面。
关于杜鲁提湖的深度,当地一直流传着各种神秘说法。坦桑尼亚林业局(TFS)的官方数据标注其最深处可达700米,尽管这一数字在地理学界仍有争议,但足以说明它作为一个微型火山口湖的特殊地位。这片水域没有明显的入水口和出水口,主要依靠地下水和季节性降雨维持水位。当你划船到湖中心,脚下几十米甚至上百米的深幽湖水会让产生一种对自然的敬畏感。湖边长满了原始丛林,茂密的枝叶低垂至水面,形成了一道绿色的天然屏障。
这里不仅是地质奇迹,更是动植物的避难所。根据记录,杜鲁提湖森林保护区内栖息着超过130种鸟类,包括巨大的非洲鱼鹰、色彩斑斓的翠鸟以及成群的鸬鹚。运气好的时候,你会看到数以百计的牛背鹭在黄昏时分归巢。除了飞鸟,湖边的巨石上经常能见到体型庞大的尼罗河监视巨蜥(Monitor Lizards)在晒太阳。虽然森林里潜伏着绿曼巴蛇等爬行动物,但它们通常避开人类,只要跟随向导走在步道上就非常安全。
划皮划艇是体验杜鲁提湖的首选方案。租一艘双人独木舟,在向导带领下缓缓划向湖心,整个过程大约需要1.5到2小时。水面极其平稳,几乎感觉不到波浪。划船时最好保持安静,这样能近距离观察到正在俯冲捕鱼的翠鸟。如果赶上清晨出发,湖面上经常笼罩着薄雾,远处的梅鲁山若隐若现,那种静谧感是阿鲁沙市区绝对找不到的。划船费用通常在20至40美元之间,建议出发前先去售票处确认最新价格。
如果你更喜欢陆地,全长约3.5公里的环湖步道是个不错的选择。这条步道隐藏在茂密的森林中,大部分地段都有遮荫,走起来并不暴晒。步行一圈大约需要2小时,沿途会经过当地部落举行祭祀仪式的地方。这里的梅鲁族人(Wameru)视杜鲁提湖为圣地,偶尔能见到在特定区域祈祷的信徒。建议穿防滑的徒步鞋,因为雨后的林间小路会变得有些湿滑。遇到斜坡时别走太快,停下来听听林间的猴鸣声,那是黑白疣猴在树冠间穿梭的信号。
去杜鲁提湖非常方便。从阿鲁沙市区包车前往大约需要20至30分钟,单程费用通常在15美元左右。如果想省钱,可以乘坐当地的达拉达拉(Dala-dala)巴士到腾格鲁(Tengeru)镇,然后步行约1.3公里即可到达入口。目前外国游客的门票大约是10美元左右,通常只能刷卡或通过移动支付缴纳,现金在很多时候不受欢迎。如果是参加包含午餐和接送的一日游团,价格通常在70到100美元之间,这取决于成团人数和包含的项目。
尽管坦桑尼亚全年可游玩,但6月至10月的旱季最适合杜鲁提湖之旅。这段时间天气清爽,森林步道干燥好走,观鸟视野也更开阔。12月到次年2月也是不错的窗口期。要是赶上3月到5月的长雨季,虽然植被最翠绿,但林中蚊虫较多且路面泥泞。衣服方面,短袖配薄外套即可,但一定要带上长裤和防蚊液。清晨六点半出发时可能会感觉挺冷,建议随身备一件挡风的衣服。
虽然当地人偶尔会下水,但不建议游客在此游泳。湖水极深且水温分层明显,更重要的是湖中栖息着大型监视巨蜥和一些水生生物。为了安全和卫生考虑,选择划船或在岸边休息更为稳妥。
单程车程大约30分钟,距离14公里。你可以选择在阿鲁沙中心地带打车,或者预定酒店的班车。如果赶上早晚高峰,通往腾格鲁方向的莫希公路(Moshi Road)可能会有些拥堵,建议避开上下班时间。
如果自助前往,基础开销包括10美元门票和约30美元的往返交通费。如果增加划船体验,每人至少要准备50美元以上。参加全包的一日游通常起步价在70美元,包含向导费、租船费、门票以及简单的当地午餐。
这里非常适合家庭出游。环湖步道相对平坦,没有陡峭的攀爬,学龄后的孩子都能轻松完成。划船时会提供救生衣,湖面风平浪静,安全系数很高,是向孩子介绍非洲生态系统的绝佳户外课堂。
Brooke D Really nice little canoe ride. Lots of different types of birds to see. Allan was our guide and he was really knowledgeable and very pleasant. I would def recommend him. There were two types of canoes, 1 for 10$ per person, the other for 15$ per person. The guide was an additional reasonable amount and they come along in the canoe with you. For some reason our hotel told us it was 40$ per person but that ended up not being the case.
Richard Kyaka Great boat ride. Views are breathtaking. There is a restaurant and the prices are affordable. Entry fees and boat riding fees are worth your pocket. You get to enjoy at least an hour of the ride.
Ari Weissman Spent two hours with a guide slowly canoeing around the lake and bird watching. Amazing flora and great diversity of birds. Not great if you're looking for adventure, but a nice way to spend the morning if you have an afternoon flight.
Edwin Lifted from nature reserve website Lake Duluti Forest Reserve is located in the Northern part of Tanzania - Arumeru District, Arusha Region. The Lake has an area of 62.3 ha with its deepest point reaching 700m. Roundabout the lake there is a natural forest. The lake’s outstanding tourism attraction features are the volcanic and green colored water of the Lake and the absence of any above ground stream feeding it; apparently, the Lake receives water from underground flows. The natural forest roundabout the lake is teeming with wildlife that include reptiles such as green mambas, and monitor lizards; different bird species that include grey herons, fish eagles, cormorants, ospreys and kingfishers. Furthermore, the variety of different tree species form beautiful scenery and a prayer mountain. Ecotourism Activities For adventurers the reserve is suitable for: Kayaking, Canoeing, Sport Fishing, Bird Watching, Forest Walk, Picnic Camping, Filming, Photographing Worshiping Seclusion. Accessibility The reserve is located in Arumeru District near Tengeru town. It is 14km from Arusha City center and about one km from Arusha Moshi highway. Other Tourist Attractions near Lake Duluti Forest Reserve Other tourist attractions available near Lake Duluti Forest Reserve are Meru Usa Plantation, Arusha National Park, Kilimanjaro National Park, Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru, Mererani Tanzanite Mining Site. Arumeru District is also famous for a number of Cultural Tourism Enterprises such as Ifulong Cultural Tourism Enterprise and Tengeru Cultural Tourism Program. Supporting Facilities Among supporting facilities are canoes and camping sites. Accommodation facilities are found outside the reserve in Arusha City and Tengeru Township.
carrie mitchell This sacred lake is Incredibly beautiful. We saw Cormorants and many other birds, monkeys, monitor lizards, a snake, termite mounds and lush green jungle. Our guides were very knowledgeable and fun. On a clear day there’s a lookout to see Mount Kilimanjaro. At a lookout you’ll hear people praying