Hadza Experience Background
The Yaeda Valley is home to Hadzabe hunter gatherer people. The focus of a visit here is to learn about and from the Hadza by taking natural history walks with them and by visiting their camps. This is a very special experience in this day and age. The Hadza are such fun people to be with and their bush skills are really amazing. Note that this program has been carefully set up and run together with the Hadza community – it is structured but not staged!! The country is a pleasing mosaic of open valley grasslands and rocky ridges punctuated by thousands of baobab.
• visitor bed fees go into community accounts the use of which is determined by the community
• adjacent village communities (Datoga pastoralists and Iraqw/Iramba) also incorporated in revenue sharing to ensure support for Hadza land use zones (traditional economy zones) and their own conservation zones
• Ward and District also incorporated in revenue sharing to ensure political support for land and use zones
• tourism has played a huge role in bolstering the self identity of Hadza who generally face severe prejudice due to a hunting and gathering lifestyle
• educational support for Hadza youth
The Yaeda Valley is home to Hadzabe hunter gatherer people. The focus of a visit here is to learn about and from the Hadza by taking natural history walks with them and by visiting their camps. This is a very special experience in this day and age. The Hadza are such fun people to be with and their bush skills are really amazing. Note that this program has been carefully set up and run together with the Hadza community – it is structured but not staged!! The country is a pleasing mosaic of open valley grasslands and rocky ridges punctuated by thousands of baobab.
• visitor bed fees go into community accounts the use of which is determined by the community
• adjacent village communities (Datoga pastoralists and Iraqw/Iramba) also incorporated in revenue sharing to ensure support for Hadza land use zones (traditional economy zones) and their own conservation zones
• Ward and District also incorporated in revenue sharing to ensure political support for land and use zones
• tourism has played a huge role in bolstering the self identity of Hadza who generally face severe prejudice due to a hunting and gathering lifestyle
• educational support for Hadza youth
Day 1
Depart for your trip from either Arusha, Karatu, Tarangire. Manyara or Haydom Airstrip is also an option. Get picked up by a Dorobo driver in a safari kitted landcruiser. Long but interesting travel day through the rift valley, up the escarpment, over the Mbulu plateau and into the Lake Eyasi basin to camp in the Yaeda Valley. Introductions to your Hadza hosts who will be in camp with you your entire stay. See picture above for your private Dorobo mobile camp..
Depart for your trip from either Arusha, Karatu, Tarangire. Manyara or Haydom Airstrip is also an option. Get picked up by a Dorobo driver in a safari kitted landcruiser. Long but interesting travel day through the rift valley, up the escarpment, over the Mbulu plateau and into the Lake Eyasi basin to camp in the Yaeda Valley. Introductions to your Hadza hosts who will be in camp with you your entire stay. See picture above for your private Dorobo mobile camp..
Day 2
After breakfast in camp walk about an hour to a nearby Hadza camp. Some introductions and a brief tour around camp. Head off with the women to dig for tubers and pick berries & baobab fruit when in season. During this foray you are accompanied by men who will be harvesting honey. Head back to camp for lunch. Afternoon activities include making arrows with the Hadza men . Evening target practice and an optional short hunt. Sundowners with great sunsets and views!
After breakfast in camp walk about an hour to a nearby Hadza camp. Some introductions and a brief tour around camp. Head off with the women to dig for tubers and pick berries & baobab fruit when in season. During this foray you are accompanied by men who will be harvesting honey. Head back to camp for lunch. Afternoon activities include making arrows with the Hadza men . Evening target practice and an optional short hunt. Sundowners with great sunsets and views!
Day 3
Day is focused on going out for longer hunts and always being opportunistic looking for honey and berries. Preferable to leave early by 6.30 or 7 am while it is still cooler and animals are more active. Lunch back in camp. Afternoon one has the option to go on another hunt or harvest honey from stinging and sting-less bees.
Day is focused on going out for longer hunts and always being opportunistic looking for honey and berries. Preferable to leave early by 6.30 or 7 am while it is still cooler and animals are more active. Lunch back in camp. Afternoon one has the option to go on another hunt or harvest honey from stinging and sting-less bees.
Day 4
Optional early morning hunt with Hadza then after a later breakfast say good by to your Hadza hosts and head out of the Yaeda valley to either Arusha, Karutu or Tarangire. You can also catch a charter from Haydom airstrip which is about a 2 hour drive depending on the road. Manyara airstrip is also 2.5-3.5 hours depending on the road conditions.
Optional early morning hunt with Hadza then after a later breakfast say good by to your Hadza hosts and head out of the Yaeda valley to either Arusha, Karutu or Tarangire. You can also catch a charter from Haydom airstrip which is about a 2 hour drive depending on the road. Manyara airstrip is also 2.5-3.5 hours depending on the road conditions.