Explore Mount Ol doinyo Lengai in the Ngorongoro conservation area, Tanzania: One of East Africa’s top attractions, Oldoinyo Lengai Mountain is well worth visiting, especially if you enjoy adventure sports. Whether you are traveling to east Africa for mountain gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda, viewing the great wildebeest migration in the Serengeti and Maasai Mara National Reserve, going on a hiking safari to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya, or taking a Zanzibar beach tour, the Oldoinyo Lengai Mountain should never be skipped or neglected.
The Maasai name for Oldoinyo Lengai is “the mountain of God.” This stratovolcano’s summit, which is 2962 meters above sea level, provides direct views into the caldera of the only carbonatite volcano in the world as well as Tanzania’s only officially recognized active volcano; eruption records date back to 1883, and the largest of these eruptions dumped ash 100 kilometers away in Loliondo on the Kenyan border to the north-west.
It is a sacred mountain in the Maasai community and may be found in northern Tanzania, in the Rift Valley, just south of Lake Natron. Looking north from its top crater, Lake Natron’s scorching, desolate salt flats are seen in the distance. The Ngorongoro Game Reserve and the Crater Highlands are both to the south. Mount Kilimanjaro dominates the horizons to the east, and the western slopes of the Rift Valley are comprised of forested escarpments and hills. Lengai erupts every seven years, sending smoke columns out of the crater.
The floor of the crater can be traversed on foot. Due to the intense daytime heat, scarcity of water, steep and hazardous slopes of ash and crumbly rocks, and significant height increase, climbing Oldoinyo Lengai is difficult. In most cases, you can begin your ascent to the summit early in the morning and arrive there at sunrise. Short, warm jackets are ideal for the ascent; long pants are also recommended because the summit can be chilly before daylight. An early descent from the peak in the morning shade is possible thanks to the access route from the north-west.
Mountain Oldoinyo Lengai, also known as the Mountain of God to the local Maasai population, is 2,878 meters above the soda ash lake Natron and is located about 120 kilometers northwest of Arusha, Tanzania, in the Ngorongoro highlands and the African Rift valley. The Maasai have used the holly Lengai to pray to their God, known as NGAI, since their forefathers. Oldoinyo Lengai is the only active volcano in the world that produces natrocarbonatite lava, which has a lower melting point than other lavas (510 degrees C) and a lower silicon content than basaltic lavas (1,100 degrees C).
The mountain frequently erupts mildly and forms cone-shaped formations at the bottom of its crater. One can see Soda Lake Natron clearly from Mountain Oldoinyo Lengai’s summit, and it provides suitable nesting locations for a variety of bird species, including more than 350 different varieties of geese, pelicans, and flamingos.
Oldoinyo Lengai takes roughly six to seven hours to reach the top crater, unlike the other two highest mountains. A walking safari led by Maasai guides armed with weapons is a great way for tourists to see wild animals like olive baboons, velvet, monitor lizards, hyenas, lions, leopards, jackals, Grant’s gazelles, impalas, and zebras. The Maasai BOMAS in the area provide you the chance to connect with the locals and learn about their customs, taboos, and cultures.
Trekking in Ol Doinyo Lengai
Ol Doinyo Lengai is a part of the Great Rift Valley’s volcanic system in eastern Africa. For the Maasai Tribes, the name refers to the “Mountain of God.” You’ll ascend to a height of 2,886 meters (9,524 feet). The volcano is distinctive in that it produces natrocarbonatite, and hikers are rewarded with the opportunity to see the vivid glow of molten lava after a challenging ascent, Explore Mount Ol Doinyo Lengai In The Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
What to wear when climbing mount Oldoinyo Lengai
- Sun hat
- Sunglasses
- Head torch
- Buff or lightweight neck gaiter (for keeping out dust)
- Rain shell
- Light fleece
- 2 long-sleeved t-shirts
- Hiking trousers, waterproof trousers
- 3 pairs of socks
- Hiking shoes, preferably with some decent ankle support.
- Walking poles
- Gaiters for those who have low-cut hiking shoes
Other Activities to Do During Your Oldoinyo Lengai Safari Tour
- Visit Lake Natron and see flamingos.
- Trekking to the waterfalls
- Visit Maasai bomas.
- You can spot zebras and other animals in this area.
Explore Oldoinyo Lengai Mountain with us at Focus East Africa Tours.
The Oldonyo Lengai Mountain should be on everyone’s Tanzania bucket list, especially for those who like adventures. The mountain provides an unforgettable Tanzania safari experience, and if you have time, the Oldoinyo Lengai safari tour can be combined with the great wildebeest migration safari experience in the Serengeti national park or Mount Kilimanjaro climbing in the Kilimanjaro national park. Contact Focus East Africa Tours today to begin planning your Oldoinyo Lengai trekking safari experience; we guarantee and promise an unforgettable safari.
