After breakfast, we will drive from Arusha to Empakai
Crater, crossing the Ngorongoro Crater Rim. On arrival
we will descend to the Empakai Crater while our Maasai
guides will start putting up our tents for the night.
The cars will leave us here, and come to pick us up in a
few days at Lake Natron. Elevation on western rim is
3,200m above sea level. It is the most fascinating place
in the whole of Ngorongoro Conservation Area for scenic
views. From the crater rim you have a fantastic view in
the craters' green paradise. The caldera is about 6 km
wide and nearly half of its floor is covered by a lake.
The water in the lake is alkaline and the depth of the
lake is about 85m, unusually deep for soda lakes in East
Africa. The steep walls of the caldera, clothed in
forest, rise in some places to almost 300m above the
floor.
The views along the trail downwards are spectacular at
every point. All along you can enjoy the changing views
of Empakai itself. In addition, from the northern and
eastern side you can look out to the dramatic cone of
the still active volcano, Oldoinyo Lengai. If the day is
clear, you can look beyond Lengai to the Great Rift
Valley and Lake Natron. Sometimes you can even see the
distant snows of Kilimanjaro far on the eastern side of
the Valley. On your way downwards to the lake you might
see buffaloes or bushbucks, blue monkeys, many birds
(like sunbirds and turacos). At the shore of the lake
are often waterbucks and elands. It is a joy to walk
around the lake shore, experiencing the serenity and
quiet beauty of this wild spot. There are diversity of
plant species and if lucky buffalo can be seen. The
Crater Lake fills 90% of the Crater. Oldonyo Lengai the
active volcano can be seen from here.
Dinner & overnight at
Empakai Crater Rim Campsite.
|
Day 2: Empakai Crater - Oldonyo Lengai “Mountain
of God” to the Maasai. |
After breakfast we walk to the active carbonatite
volcano Oldonyo Lengai which rises 1,830m above the
floor.
This is an active volcano lying just south of Lake
Natron. It is located in the Rift Valley, in the heart
of Maasai country, and locally regarded as a sacred
mountain. Looking north from its summit crater the hot
barren salt flats of Lake Natron stretch into the
distance. To the south stretch the Crater Highlands and
the Ngorongoro Game Reserve. The eastern horizon is
dominated by Kilimanjaro and to the west the forested
escarpments and hills comprising the western slopes of
the Rift Valley. About every seven years Lengai erupts
and plumes of smoke billow out of the crater. Almost
always it is possible to walk across the crater floor,
often to the edge of the molten lavas.
At night
ascend volcano in time to leave peak for lunch at base.Dinner
and overnight atAcacia
Campsite.
|
Day 3: Acacia Campsite - Lake Natron. |
Today we walk along the Rift Valley to Lake Natron, to
enjoy this amazing landscape. The landscape looks like
being on the moon. It’s remote and hot and off the
beaten track. The lake is the only regular breeding area
in East Africa for the 2.5 million endangered Lesser
Flamingos. As salinity increases, so do the number of
cyanobacteria, and the lake can support more nests.
These flamingos, the largest flock in East Africa,
gather along saline lakes in the region, where they feed
on Spirulina (a blue-green algae with red pigments).
Lake Natron is a safe breeding location for Lesser
Flamingos, because its caustic environment is a barrier
against predators trying to reach their nests. Greater
Flamingos also breed on the mud flats. Even more amazing
than the ability of the flamingos to live in these
conditions is the fact that an endemic species of fish,
the alkaline tilapia, thrives in the waters at the edges
of the hot spring inlets.
In the evening we will start climbing Oldonyo Lengai.
The ascent of Lengai is demanding on account of the day
time heat, lack of water, steep and unstable slopes of
ash and crumbly rocks and considerable height gain,
1600m. Or just over 5000ft. starting at midnight from
Lake Natron it is just possible to reach the summit by
dawn at a gentle pace. Although shorts and a warm jacket
are suitable for the ascent, long trousers might be more
pleasant as the summit just before dawn can be cold. Our
access route from the north-west allows an early descent
to be made from the summit in the morning shadow.
Dinner and overnight at thecampsite
Explore Natron area. The lake is fed by the Ewaso Ng'iro
River but also by mineral-rich hot springs and is quite
shallow, less than three meters (10 feet) deep, and
varies in width depending on its water level, which
changes due to high levels of evaporation, leaving high
levels of salt and other minerals. The surrounding
country is dry and receives irregular rainfall.
Depending on rainfall, the alkalinity can reach a pH of
9 to 10.5 (almost as alkaline as ammonia). If time
allows us, we can visit at the waterfalls in the
afternoon
Dinner & overnight at
Lake Natron Campsite.
|
Day 5: Lake Natron to Arusha town. |
Today is the departure day. We drive back to Arusha by
4x4 safari vehicle with lunch box. After 5 days of real
adventure, it's time to say goodbye.
Price
per person sharing is US$ 1300
Request for rates for groups of 10 – 20 pax
