In this trek, you explore a 5-day walking safari while walking through the land of the Ngorongoro Crater highlands.
5 Days
Medium
Walking
In this trek, you explore on a 5-day walking safari while walking through the land of the Ngorongoro Conservation Highlands. You will trek through flat plains, thick mountain forests, mountainous countryside, and the great valley rift. You will pass by Maasai villages throughout the trek and see their daily routine. This is a camping trek, as there are only campsites along the highland trek.
It requires a fit and healthy individual who can walk 4-9 hours daily through rugged terrain. We can accommodate this trek to be 3 days if you are interested in a shorter time to explore the highlands. We can also accommodate a game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater before starting the trek.
You will depart the city in the early morning and drive to the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area. You will drive along the rim of the crater until you reach the village of Nainokanoka. The afternoon is spent hiking to the rim of the Olmoti Crater and finding a small waterfall in the area. Spend the night at Nainokanoka Camp.
Hiking distance: 2km
Hiking time: 2hrs
Today you meet your Maasai guide, who will be trekking with you for the next few days. You will pass many traditional Maasai bomas and cattle herds during today's trek. Sometimes wild animals such as Thompson and Grant's gazelle, wildebeest, and zebras can be seen.
Hiking distance: 16km
Hiking time: 5hrs
After breakfast, the trek continues through the bush until you can see Oldonyo Lengai, the active volcano in the distance. The campsite for the night is on the rim of Empakai Crater. In the afternoon, you will descend into the crater to explore the area and see Empakai Lake, an alkaline soda lake. Here you will find lesser flamingos as this lake is a food source for them. Then you walk back up to the rim, to your campsite for the night.
Hiking distance: 9km
Hiking time: 3-4hrs
Today you will start your hike to the Maasai village Naiyobi, where you will stop for lunch. And then, after lunch, we head to Acacia Camp. The village and Oldonyo Lengai can be seen from a distance. You can enjoy the stunning views of Oldonyo Lengai. This active volcano is the only volcano on earth that erupts with carbonatite.
Hiking distance: 13km
Hiking time: 4-5hrs
Today is the last day of the trek, and most of the day is downhill and relatively short. During the trek, you will witness incredible views of Oldonyo Lengai, Lake Natron and the Rift Valley. We arrive just before lunchtime to find your vehicle waiting for you.
After lunch, if departing today, the driver will start the drive back to the city. The drive back is around 6-7 hours.
If you plan on extending the trip and spending time in Lake Natron, you will be brought to your accommodations. You can then explore Lake Natron and the flamingos, visit waterfalls, have a village or Maasai tour. If you plan on climbing Oldonyo Lengai the climb will start at midnight.
Hiking distance: 6km
Hiking time: 2-4hrs
Contact us for all your Tanzania adventures, and our team about any questions regarding planning your Tanzanian trip. We are happy to discuss and tailor any adventure to your needs.