6 Tanzania Walking Safari – Luxury holidays in Tanzania.
Our walking safari is for the more adventurous of the heart wanting to experience the Ngorongoro Highland on foot.
Arusha – Ngorongoro Crater
Irkeepus – Olmoti Crater – Nainokanoka
Distance: 15 km
Walking time: 4 hours
Transfer from Arusha in the morning to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Driving along the Ngorongoro Crater rim to Irkepus (a Cultural Boma) where you’ll start your walking safari, via Nainokanoka (“the place of heavy mists”) through forest to the shallow grassy crater of Olmoti. Visit the beautiful waterfall of the Munge River, before you walk back to Nainokanoka. Overnight at the camp.
Nainokanoka – Empakaai Crater
Distance: 26.5 km
Hiking time: 10 hours
The trip to the crater passes through the breathtaking Embulbul Depression where Maasai people are still living. Their villages blending gracefully into the surroundings. Arriving at the Empakaai Crater, which is about 6000m wide and 300m high. Dinner and overnight at the campsite on the crater rim.
Empakaai – Elarai Village
Distance: 15km
Hiking time: 7.5 hours
Descend from the rim to the crater floor to visit the permanent Crater Lake. The shores of the lake are often fringed by millions of flamingoes and its secrets often hidden by mysterious swirling mist. Return to the camp to enjoy lunch before you continue to Elarai Village. Oldoinyo Lengai is clearly visible from your campsite. Overnight.
Elaria Village – Mt. Oldoinyo Lengai
Distance: 10 km
Hiking time: 5 hours
Walking northwards, you descend down the Rift Valley escarpment to Oldoinyo Lengai, an active volcano and the home of the Maasai God. It is the only active carbonate volcano in the world with the lowest lava temperatures. Camp will be set at the base of the mountain.
Mt. Oldoinyo Lengai – Summit – Lake Natron
Distance: 10 km
Hiking time: 10 – 11 hours
You will rise around 01H00, and after some tea and biscuits you shuffle off into the night. You will head towards the crater rim. This 7 to 8 hours walk to the crater rim is very demanding and dangerously steep at some stages of your ascend. The view from the top is nothing short of spectacular, with the wall of the escarpment separating the Serengeti Plains from Lake Natron and the Rift Valley below. The steep terrain at the top of Lengai consists of loose ash and rock. It will take about 4 hours to descend to the foothill where a vehicle will wait for your transfer to Lake Natron camp.
Lake Natron – Arusha
Distance: 270 km
Driving time: 7 hours
Visiting the waterfalls and the alkaline lakes. The walls, which are part of the East African Great rift valley have caused the waters coming from the underground rocks of the valley to pass over the cliffs, thus forming the beautiful waterfalls which deposit into Lake Natron. As a result this Lake has permanent water. Lake Natron is one of the many alkaline lakes of the Gregory Rift Valley and is situated in spectacular volcanic scenery. It is the main breeding area of lesser flamingos. Transfer back to Arusha.