LAKE JIPE
-Lake Jipe is an inter-territorial shallow, narrow and enclosed by dense beds of tall papyrus lake straddling the borders of Kenya and Tanzania.
It is situated within Mwanga district in Kilimanjaro region.
It is entirely fed by the Lumi River, which descends from Mt. Kilimanjaro via Kenya as well as streams from pare mountains.
This lakes outlet from the Ruvu River. It is set close to Mkomazi National Park and its known for its endemic fish, water birds, mammals, lava edge swamps, and extending 2km from Jipe shore and wetland plants. The lakes primary inflow is River Lumi and outflow being Ruvu River.
-This beautiful lake has a maximum length of 19km and 4.8-6.4 km wide, a surface area of 30 km2 and a maximum depth of 3.5m
-Lake Jipe’s water is only drinkable after it has been well boiled and skimmed. On its southern bank, the Ugweno Mountains rise 1800-2100m (6000-7000ft) contrasting markedly with the opposite shore which is a flat plain, but little raised the lake. Mt. Kilimanjaro’s Kibo Peak can be seen from the lake adding taste to this lake. Being a shallow backwater of the Lumi River, which afterwards becomes the Ruvu River and enters in the Nyumba ya Mungu reservoir, then joins the Kikuletwa the stream flow as Pangani River in the great and 3rd largest ocean of the world, the Indian Ocean at Pangani.
MAP AND PICTURE
• DISTANCE; it is 120km from Arusha City Centre, about 80km from KIA and 43km from Moshi town.
• TIME: it takes 1-2-hour drive from Moshi to Lake Jipe, and 2-3-hour drive from Arusha City Centre.
• GETTING THERE: from Arusha, KIA, and Moshi drive on the surfaced road, branching along the Kifaru town then proceed on the dirty road to the lake.
• CLIMATE: the weather condition around the lake do varies greatly depending with the season of the year though it can be visited all year round.
TOUR DETAILS
START/END- either ARUSHA, KIA, MOSHI
GUIDING LANGUAGE- English
GUIDE METHOD- Live guide
TRANSPORT- 4WD safaris jeep, hiace, coaster, a Toyota v8 etc. depends with the group size.
ACTIVITIES
-Lake Jipe is among the best destination in Kilimanjaro region for your day long trip or an overnight stay with both indigenous and endemic species of living organism.
Bird watching
Kayaking
Fishing
Game viewing
BIRDWATCHING
-Jipe is an ideal and a heaven place for birdwatchers at it has over 200 species, ranging from waders to waterfowls, skulkers, reed birds and raptor which can be seen soaring from above.
Example of birds include African jacanas, rails, moorhens, purple swamp hens, francolins, egrets, herons, cormorants etc.
ii. KAYAKING
Lake Jipe being shallow and enclosed by papyrus it harbors different species of fish including the endemic Jipe tilapia, a great source of food to the crocodiles and locals living around the lake.
Kayaking can be done using the dug-out logs and enjoy the scenery of the lake passing through pods of hippopotamus and crocodiles get you in touch with nature as well.
INCLUSION
Entrance fees
Breakfast
Lunch
Mineral water
Bites and snacks
Canoeing
Transport
V.A.T
TAWA fees
All transfers as per itinerary
EXCLUSION
Things of person nature
Cumshaw
Personal activities
BUDGET RANGE
428-437USD.