11 DAYS NGORONGORO HIGHLANDS WALKING & TREK
OVERVIEW
The rugged and beautiful Ngorongoro Highlands offers one of the finest blends of culture, landscapes, and wildlife in Tanzania. The best way to experience the highlands is no doubt on foot. Its diverse landscapes consisting of elevated volcanoes and craters, forests, and vast grassy plains offer a remarkable experience for those hiking through this area. Hikers will experience first-hand how the Maasai people, who inhabit these highlands and the wildlife, coexist. The 57 km journey through the highlands takes us to the edge of the Great Rift Valley where we then descend to the base of the escarpment wall right on the foot of Mt. Ol-Doinyo Lengai. Known to the Maasai as the “Mountain of God” OlDoinyoLengai is one of the most unique active volcanoes in the world. Our trek ends up on the shores of the beautiful Lake Natron, an alkaline lake that serves as the breeding ground for the Lesser Flamingo.
ItInerary
DAY 1
Arriving in Tanzania.
You will be welcomed and picked up at the Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) by an Ahsante Tours representative and transferred to your hotel in Moshi town for your accommodation ready to explore the beauty of Tanzania.
Meals
Dinner & Breakfast.
Accommodation
DAY 2
Materuni Waterfall, Coffee & cultural Tour
As the journey begins, we’ll venture deep into the lush greenery of the Kilimanjaro region, where the Materuni Waterfalls await. Cascading from a height of 150 meters, these majestic falls will leave you in awe of nature’s power and beauty. Feel the mist on your face as you stand in the presence of this natural wonder, surrounded by the sights and sounds of the vibrant rainforest. With your Materuni Waterfalls and Coffee Tour, you’ll gain new insights into the local way of life, forge meaningful connections with the Tanzanian people, and create memories that will last a lifetime. Join us on this extraordinary journey, and let Ahsante Tours be your gateway to a whole new world of exploration and adventure. Later on, you’ll be transferred to Karatu for your accommodation.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation
DAY 3
Kikuletwa Hot Spring
Morning: Your guide will pick you up from your accommodation in Moshi and drive you to the picturesque Hotspring Kikuletwa, also known as Chemka Hot Springs. Located amidst lush greenery, this natural OASIS is a hidden gem in Tanzania. Enjoy a refreshing swim in the crystal-clear, turquoise waters of the hot springs, surrounded by beautiful trees and tropical foliage.
Afternoon: Indulge in a delicious picnic lunch at Hotspring Kikuletwa, prepared by your safari guide. Take some time to relax and soak in the serene ambience of this tranquil spot. You can also explore the surrounding area or interact with the friendly locals before heading back to Karatu for your good accommodation.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Accommodation
Karatu Forest Tented Campsite.
DAY 4
Olmoti Crater Trek
Your day starts off with a 2-hour drive to Nainokanoka Village where you will be based tonight. During your transfer, if it’s not too foggy, you may get great views of the Ngorongoro Crater from the viewpoint on the edge of the crater rim. You then proceed along the Henry FosbRooke Road through the dense forest towards Nainokanoka, where you will get to see wildlife such as buffalos and wildebeest. Today you will explore the Olmoti Crater and Munge waterfalls on a 3-hour hike. The Olmoti Crater is a shallow grassy crater where the Munge River originates.
Total Walking Time
3hrs
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner.
Accommodation
Camping at Nainokanoka Campsite
DAY 5
Trek from Nainokanoka Village to Bulati Village
We depart Nainokanoka camp at 0800hrs and commence our trek to Bulati Village. We will pass a few Maasai Bomas on our way. We will have a packed lunch halfway to Bulati. We cross the Elbulbul depression, a vast grassland with no trees, but many zebras can be seen grazing, wildebeests, and raptors due to the many mole rat mounds in the area. We arrive in Bulati early in the afternoon for rest and refreshments. In the late afternoon, Maasai Boma visit the village of Bulati where we will be spending the night.
Total Walking Distance
14km
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner.
Accommodation
Camping at Bulati Campsite
DAY 6
Trek from Bulati Village to Empakaai Crater
Today you will change the environment from temperate grassland to a montane forest zone on the crater rim. Plenty of spectacular panoramic views of the landscape. We packed lunch halfway through the trek. In the afternoon you will descend into the crater where you can see lesser flamingos who reside on the crater soda lake. The Caldera is 300m deep and 6kms wide. The trek is roughly 45 minutes down and an hour’s walk back up. Today we will be camping right on the rim of the Empakaai crater.
Total Walking Distance
13km
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner.
Accommodation
Empakaai Campsite
DAY 7
Trek from Empakaai Crater to Acacia
After breakfast, we walk a short way around the Empakaai crater to stretch our legs and get some good panoramic photos of the caldera. The first half of the trek is to Nayobi village where you will stop for lunch. From Nayobi we head down to Acacia Campsite. You will head out on a late afternoon walk to view the surrounding area and take photos of the majestic Mt. Ol-Doinyo Lengai, a Maasai name for the “Mountain of God”. This mountain is unique amongst geologists because it is the only active volcano on Earth that erupts with carbonatite, a type of igneous rock rich in carbonates such as calcite and dolomite.
Total Walking Distance
15km
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner.
Accommodation
Acacia Campsite
DAY 8
Acacia trek to Kamakia Campsite Lake Natron.
We finish off our last day of trekking with a very early start from Acacia. The terrain is very dry and recently covered by ash from the 2008 Ol-doinyo Lengai eruption. We maximize our trek in the early hours of the day to avoid the late morning sun intensity and heat. We descend the Rift Valley Escarpment, via Pembe ya Swala to the base of Ol Doinyo Lengai. At the base we are picked up by our vehicles and transferred to our camp in Lake Natron for Lunch. Late afternoon excursion to Lake Natron shores to view the Lesser Flamingos in their breeding habitat or for the fitter ones a hike up to the Engare Sero waterfalls.
Total Walking Distance
15km
Meals
Lake Natron Tented Camp
Accommodation
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Included
DAY 9
Ol Doinyo Lengai Climbing
After breakfast visit the waterfalls and lunch at the campsite afternoon visit Lake Natron. Midnight time when you will drive to the bottom of Oldoinyo Lengai for climbing. Climbing Oldoinyo Lengai in the remote wilderness area of northern Tanzania is an adventure of a life time. The trekking is very challenging, steep not ideal for everyone but for fit people. The steepness and existence of the hot sun during the day result to a high temperature which causes climbing oldoinyo lengai to be challenging. Due to these facts we highly recommend to start the climb in the early morning hours at 01:00 am or 02:00 am so that you reach the summit before the sunrise when it is cool.
The total time requires to climb Oldoinyo Lengai up and down is approximately 6 to 7 hours.
Oldoinyo lengai is part of the volcanic system of the East African Rift Valley which produces natro-carbonatite lava. This mountain has been experiencing occasional volcanic eruptions which makes the locals who lives in the near neighborhood to call it the mountain of God. They actually name it the mountain of Gold “Oldoinyo Lengai” due to the presence of fire and ashes occur during the eruption.
Elevation
2,960m / 9,711 ft.
Meals
7 hrs
Accommodation
2 Vertical kilometers
DAY 10
Oldoinyo lengai Base camp to Osiligilai Maasai Lodge.
After the descending you will be transferred by Ahsante Tours driver to your beautiful Maasai Lodge (West Kilimanjaro) for the good rest. You will have time to hear the history of Maasai People from the Elder Mzee Clement the Famous Maasai Babu. He knows very well the history Of Maasai People and their culture. He will teach you how to hunt and dance in Maasai Style. You will have time to swim in the midst of Mount Kilimanjaro and mount Meru.
Total Walking Distance
3hrs
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner.
Accommodation
DAY 11
Departure in Tanzania.
The day is left free to wind down after the trek and walking tour before your flight home. Depending on flight times you could go and explore Maasai Bomas and their cultures near the lodge before heading to the airport.
Meals
Breakfast Only
Accommodation
Non
Tours Include:
- All Park Entry fees, Walking fees & Camping fees
- All government and village fees
- 18% VAT on all applicable tour fees and services
- All land/vehicle transfers and other logistics of the trek
- All camping equipment
- Accommodation as indicated on the itinerary
- Allowance and wages for Support Crew, drivers and other staff
- Meals as stated in the itinerary
- 4 liters of bottled mineral water per day per participant
- 2-way Airport transfer
- All government fees and taxes
Tours Exclude:
- Tips to the guides
- Laundry Services
- Items of personal nature
- Travel Insurance