当旅行者们提起坦桑尼亚,脑海中往往会浮现出在塞伦盖蒂大草原上寻找“非洲五霸”(Big Five)的壮丽场景,或是挑战非洲之巅乞力马扎罗山(Mount Kilimanjaro)的豪情壮志。然而,在喧闹的游猎和高强度的攀登之外,坦桑尼亚还隐藏着一处宁静绝美的自然奇观。它就是距离莫西(Moshi)镇不远的查拉湖(Lake Chala)。如果您正在寻找一个能够远离人群、亲近自然的小众目的地,这篇详尽的查拉湖旅行指南将为您开启一段与众不同的东非秘境之旅。
查拉湖是一座典型的火山口湖(Caldera Lake),位于坦桑尼亚与肯尼亚(Kenya)接壤的边境线上,海拔约877米。大约在25万年前,乞力马扎罗山东侧剧烈的火山活动塑造了这片深达90米的巨型凹陷,最终形成了如今面积约4.2平方公里的湖泊。它不仅是坦桑尼亚最古老的火山湖之一,更是镶嵌在东非裂谷带上的一颗璀璨明珠。
查拉湖之所以令人着迷,很大程度上归功于它那如梦似幻的湖水。湖水并非来自地表河流,而是主要由乞力马扎罗山冰雪融化后形成的纯净地下甘泉补给。由于独特的水质和不同季节光线的折射,查拉湖的颜色会发生令人惊叹的变化——从生机勃勃的翠绿色、澄澈的绿松石色,一直过渡到深邃的宝石蓝。站在高达170米的陡峭火山口边缘俯瞰,这面巨大的变色镜泊与周围繁茂的绿色植被形成了强烈的视觉冲击。
查拉湖四周被陡崖和茂密的森林环绕,是徒步爱好者的天堂。在专业向导的带领下,您将沿着蜿蜒曲折的山径缓缓下撤至湖畔。徒步过程中,不仅可以从不同角度欣赏两国交界的壮阔全景,还能切身感受植被从干旱灌木向丰茂热带植物的渐变。请务必穿上一双抓地力强且舒适的徒步鞋,因为部分岩石路段可能会有些陡峭。
对于渴望沉浸式体验湖光山色的游客而言,租一艘皮划艇(Kayaking)在湖面上荡漾是绝对不可错过的项目。当您在静谧无波的湖面上划动双桨,四周只有水流的轻抚声和鸟儿的鸣叫。更奇妙的是,由于湖泊横跨两国边界,您甚至可以在水面上“划”出坦桑尼亚,短暂地体验一把穿越到肯尼亚的乐趣,这无疑是一次极具纪念意义的边境漂流。
这里不仅是人类的避世天堂,也是众多野生动植物的乐园。查拉湖周边记录在册的动物物种多达200余种。在您徒步或泛舟时,不妨抬头留意树冠上的动静——您极有可能邂逅活泼的草原狒狒(Baboons)、优雅的蓝猴(Blue Monkeys)以及身手敏捷的黑白疣猴和长尾猴。此外,这里也是观鸟爱好者的圣地,天空中时常能看到游隼(Peregrine Falcons)盘旋的身影,而灌木丛中偶尔还会闪过娇小可爱的犬羚(Dik-dik)。
莫西不仅是攀登乞力马扎罗山的门户大本营,更是前往查拉湖的最佳落脚点。查拉湖距离莫西镇约55公里,驱车前往大约需要1到1.5小时。一路上,您将穿过极具当地风情的坦桑尼亚村落和香蕉林。大多数旅行者会选择预订包含往返接送、午餐及导游服务的“查拉湖一日游”套餐,这不仅能免去自己租车导航的繁琐,专业的向导还能为您提供生动的自然与历史讲解。
坦桑尼亚四季如夏,但分为明显的旱季和雨季。前往查拉湖的最佳时间是每年的旱季(6月至10月以及12月至次年2月)。这段时间天气晴朗、路况良好,湖水的色彩在强烈阳光的照射下最为鲜艳夺目。若在雨季(3月至5月)前往,虽然植被最为翠绿繁盛,但通往湖畔的徒步小径可能会湿滑难行,需格外小心。
许多经验丰富的旅行者喜欢将查拉湖作为坦桑尼亚大环线的“缓冲站”。无论您是刚结束了惊心动魄的草原驱车游猎(Game Drive),还是刚刚从乞力马扎罗山成功登顶归来,在飞往内罗毕(Nairobi)或返回国内之前,花上大半天时间在查拉湖畔放松肌肉、平复心情,都是完美的行程搭配。
行前准备小贴士:
- 防晒与驱蚊:东非紫外线强烈,请备好高倍数防晒霜、墨镜和宽沿帽;同时携带驱蚊液以防蚊虫叮咬。
- 着装建议:准备轻便的速干衣物和抓地力好的徒步鞋。如果您计划下水游玩或玩皮划艇,别忘了带上泳衣和速干毛巾。
- 摄影器材:带上您的长焦镜头或双筒望远镜,以便更好地捕捉对岸肯尼亚的风光以及树冠深处的野生动物。
Arthur Preston This is a very calm and serene environment. It harbors the most rare fish in the world Oreochromis hunteri. The environment is breath taking from the vegetation, the lake, the monkeys and the geckos. You should visit the place, and the lake has it legend that a long time ago some villagers were staying on top of the hill before it sank with the village clan. So every night people can be heard screaming and beating drums to be rescued...... Visitors should be very careful with the waters as it's very deep and most people who drowned in it have never been found. And the lake has 7 outlets that drain water to Indian ocean, lake Jipe, Tanzania,
Ivo An absolute marvel! Lake Chala, bordering Tanzania and Kenya, is a sight to behold. The beauty of this lake is unmatched, with its serene waters and stunning surroundings. Canoeing along the edges, with playful monkeys in the trees, is a delightful experience that adds an extra touch of wonder. The view here is simply breathtaking, offering an escape into nature's beauty. If you're looking for a serene, picturesque spot that showcases the natural wonders of East Africa, Lake Chala is a must-visit destination.
nicole joan Lake Chala is a crater lake that borders Kenya and Tanzania. Visited from the Kenyan side. You can have views for days and we set up a picnic lunch there and It was so beautiful. The water is so blue and fresh. There are fishermen around that can take you fishing or just canoeing. Note that,the roads are dusty and you need a 4 by 4 fully equipped with water,food and personal effects if going camping as there are no hotels or shopping centres nearby. Such a beautiful place should be invested in.
Jimmy Gitau Gorgeous crater lake in Taveta, at the border of Kenya and Tanzania. The lake is surrounded by lush vegetation and best of all there isn't much human activity, you see the lake in its most natural setting. The path down to the shores is steep but not difficult to climb. A word of caution - the lake is very deep right from the shores so it's advisable not to swim, however tempting it might be, unless you're an expert swimmer.
Daniel Msirikale This is a strikingly beautiful crator lake inside a a caldera. The hike to the bottom is a bit steep so you have to be careful with your footing. The lake itself has magnificent shades of blue, green or turquoise depending on the time of the year and how the light hits it. Only downside is that it isnt that swimmer friendly and you are met with warning signs all the way down. There is a broken canoe there but it would have been a perfect place to canoe or kayak. If you have a drone its also a great place for some aerial shots.