BTC 10 - 8 Days Crater Highlands Trek
Areas of Interest: Ngorongoro Crater, Ol Doinyo Lengai, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara National Park, Nainokanoka Masai Village, Empakaai Crater, Olmoti Crater, Lake Natron, Lake Magadi, Lake Manyara, Ngare Sero, Ol Doinyo Lengai, Nairobi Village, Crater Highlands
Activities: Game Drive, Game and Bird Watching, Camping, Scenery, Culture, Ethnic, Photography, Exploring on Foot
Country: Tanzania
The Crater Highlands consist of an elevated range of volcanoes and collapsed volcanoes, which rise from the side of the Great Rift Valley and run along the Eastern edge of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The peaks include Oldeani, Lemagrut, Olmoti, Loolmalasin, Empakaai, Ngorongoro and the active Ol Doinyo Lengai all with a number of impressive peaks, with steep escarpments, crater lakes, dense forests and grassy ridges, streams and waterfalls. The area is secluded and rarely visited but offers some of Tanzania’s most jagged and extraordinary scenery and some of the finest trekking. This is a reserve where the local communities live alongside the wildlife as it is home to many Masai people who have grazed cattle on the grasslands here for hundreds of years. Most walking is done at around the 3000mts mark though there are more routes available to the more adventurous.
To see Kenya route map click here
To see East Africa route map click here
Day 1 - Ngorongoro Crater
We depart Arusha town in the morning and drive via Lake Manyara National Park for lunch and an afternoon game viewing before proceeding on to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Overnight at the Simba campsite on the crater rim.
The Lake Manyara National park is serene and beautiful with main attractions of a rich bird life, tree-climbing lions, its elephants, and hippos that you can see at closer range than most other places. Lake Manyara is an alkaline lake and at certain times of the year hosts thousands of flamingos and a diversity of other bird life. Although it is one of the smallest parks, its vegetation is so diverse enabling it to host a variety of wildlife habitats.
The Ngorongoro crater is the world’s biggest whole volcanic caldera at 8300 sq km and is frequently described as one of the wonders of the world, not only because of its geological magnificence, but also because it serves as an extraordinary natural sanctuary for some of Africa’s largest populations of large mammals. Ngorongoro and other freestanding mountains are volcanic in origin, formed during the fracturing process that created the Rift valley 15 to 20 million years ago.
Day 2 - Olmoti Crater
Departing the campsite after breakfast we drive up to Nainokanoka Masai Village on the slopes of Olmoti mountain where we pick-up the local guide/and ranger and start the ascent of Olmoti crater. We set camp back at Nainokanoka village close to the Masai boma.
Olmoti crater is a sunken caldera that can only be reached on foot and is about a 3-4 hours walk to the rim. From the rim you could walk to an appealing waterfall where the Munge River leaves the Olmoti crater. Water collecting in the crater flows down the falls and eventually runs into Lake Magadi in Ngorongoro Crater.
Day 3 - Empakaai Crater
After breakfast we depart Nainokanoka village and follow Masai cattle trails north-east across the grass-lands of the Embulbul depression, towards Empakaai crater, reaching the lightly wooded crater rim on its southern edge which normally takes 7 - 8 hours. Camp on the crater rim for the night.
Almost half the floor of the 6km wide, 300m high Empakaai crater is taken up by a deep soda lake. Blue monkey, buffalo, and bushbuck are likely to be seen on the rim, which boasts good views of Lengai Volcano, Kilimanjaro and Lake Natron. The crater floor is home to a variety of antelope and water birds.
Day 4 - Empakaai Crater rim trek
A path circles the whole of the crater rim and we can follow this to reach a low point on the western rim. The view from here down into the crater is stunning. The steep inner walls are densely forested and drop to the flat crater floor, which is partly submerged under a lake, often surrounded by huge flocks of Flamingos.
Day 5 - Nairobi village
From the north or northeast side of the crater [Depending on your route] we follow tracks, which descend gradually to a village called Nairobi (meaning ‘spring’ in Masai). Here we socialize with the locals and collect water to camp in a clearing beyond the village.
Day 6 - Ngare-Sero River
This is an 8 - 9 hour trek from Nairobi village. We follow paths through beautiful grassy hills and patches of light woodland, along a ridge running parallel to the main Rift Valley. You come to the Ngare-Sero River, which flows north from the Crater Highlands into Lake Natron. Overnight is spent at the campsite on the shores of Lake Natron.
Lake Natron is a spectacular soda lake north of Ol Doinyo Lengai and lies at 610m below the Rift Valley in the harsh Kenyan border area. Lake Natron is highly scenic in an almost ancient quality; it also offers fine game viewing and bird watching. Natron is also the only known breeding ground for East Africa’s lesser flamingo. After a long hot walk, a swim in the clear running water is very refreshing.
Day 7 – Ol Doinyo Lengai Summit [2878m] and return to Lake Natron
A very early start is in order to gain as much height as possible in the cool of the morning. Ol Doinyo Lengai is a demanding ascent to the crater of the Masai Mountain of God; the only lively carbonate volcano in the world. We camp at Lake Natron campsite for the night.
Great care should be taken on the way down: loose volcanic gravel on bare rock makes it risky in some places. Sun hats and large water in-takes are essential. We walk through some superb arid scenery with amazing views of the Rift Valley. Ol Doinyo Lengai last erupted in 1966 and between 1996. Although the crater has been filling with lava; it has not yet spilt over the edge.
Day 8 - Arusha Town
We depart for Arusha town after breakfast. Overnight at a hotel of your choice for an extra cost.
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