2 Days Ol Doinyo Lengai Climbing Tour
Summiting Ol Doinyo Lengai: A 2-Day Adventure
The Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano is situated in one of the most beautiful places in North Tanzania, near Lake Natron, where hundreds of thousands of pink flamingos fly every year. Ol Doinyo Lengai is unique among active volcanoes in East Africa and globally, producing natrocarbonatite lava, often referred to as “cold lava.” The lava has a dark-brown or black color in its liquid state and flows as fluidly as water. Despite its name, the temperature is lower than that of other lavas, ranging from approximately 510-600°C, though not cool by any means.
In the last hundred years, Lengai has erupted about 15 times, with the most recent eruption occurring in 2013. Fortunately, these eruptions have occurred without causing any casualties, as the volcano is relatively small and situated at a considerable distance from the nearest Maasai villages.
Summiting Ol Doinyo Lengai: A 2-Day Adventure
The Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano is situated in one of the most beautiful places in North Tanzania, near Lake Natron, where hundreds of thousands of pink flamingos fly every year. Ol Doinyo Lengai is unique among active volcanoes in East Africa and globally, producing natrocarbonatite lava, often referred to as “cold lava.” The lava has a dark-brown or black color in its liquid state and flows as fluidly as water. Despite its name, the temperature is lower than that of other lavas, ranging from approximately 510-600°C, though not cool by any means.
In the last hundred years, Lengai has erupted about 15 times, with the most recent eruption occurring in 2013. Fortunately, these eruptions have occurred without causing any casualties, as the volcano is relatively small and situated at a considerable distance from the nearest Maasai villages.
Tour Summary
Duration
2 Days
Vehicle Type
4WD Safari
Tour Type
Languages
Highlights
- This tour will take you through the following: Ol Doinyo Lengai
- En-route animal viewing as your professional tour guide describes and explains in detail the different species of animals.
- Overnights at campsites let you sleep beneath the stars.
- Guaranteed window seat for daily tours and game drives.
Tour Itinerary
Day to day Best of Tanzania Safari Itinerary
Day 1 - Arusha - Lake Natron
Our driver will pick you up at your hotel in the morning and drive you to Lake Natron. The drive is fairly long and you will reach Lengai Safari Lodge sometime after lunch. At the same time, the scenery on the way is picturesque and you will have an opportunity to see the local people, including Maasai tribesmen, as well as some African wildlife. After your check-in, a guide will take you on a walking tour to Ngare Sero waterfall. The trail runs through a gorge and you will sometimes need to ford the stream, so we recommend that you wear sandals or the like to avoid constantly having to take your shoes off. A drive to the lakeshore, where you get a chance to capture its great scenery on camera takes place before you return to the Lodge for dinner and some rest.
- Accommodation: Bed- Breakfast-Lunch-Dinner.
Days 2 - Trekking to Ol Doinyo Lengai Volcano - Arusha
At 1:00 a.m. driver takes you to the foot of Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano for the start of your climb. The footing on the slopes of the volcano can be treacherous, especially in the dark, so follow your guide without overtaking him. The trek is strenuous and takes between 7 and 12 hours depending on your fitness and resultant pace. The gradient is steep, so it is best to make a short stop with every 100 m or so of altitude gained in order to get acclimatized.
It is best to take a break for breakfast on the way to the top in order to regain some strength for the remainder of the climb. At the edge of the crater, you will have reached an altitude of 2,960 m. Here, you can actually hear the lava flow inside the Mountain of God crater.
The descent is easier and you may be tempted to move faster. This is, however, the time when most injuries happen, so mind your step! It is also advisable to change your fleece for a sun hat after dawn in order to avoid heatstroke.
Our driver will be awaiting you as you return to the foot of the mountain with cold drinks, ready to drive you back to the town of Arusha.
- Duration: 2 days
- Distance: 1600 M
- What to bring: Mountain Shoes and sun cream
We've got you covered
Our tours are top-notch but give you great value. The price we tell you upfront covers most of the costs for one person, like flights and all transfers.
Includes
- Park fees
- All activities (unless labeled as optional)
- All accommodation as stated in the itinerary
- A professional driver/guide
- All transportation (unless labeled as optional)
- All Taxes/VAT
- Roundtrip airport transfer
- All Meals (as specified in the day-by-day section)
Excludes
- International flights (from/to home)
- Additional accommodation before and at the end of the tour
- Tips (tipping guideline US$20.00 pp per day)
- Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
- Alcohol drinks
- Visas and visa fees where relevant
- Additional activities not offered as scheduled by the accommodation
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