5 Days Ngorongoro Highlands Trekking

In the early morning, a Masai guide will arrive with his donkeys. After breakfast and loading the donkeys, the journey begins and you will pass many traditional Masai bomas and cattle herds. Soon, you might also see wild animals such as Thompson and Grant’s gazelles, zebras and wildebeests with hungry jackals not far behind and majestic eagles observing the situation. After approximately 16 km of hiking, you will reach a campsite not far from the Masai village Bulati.

• Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

After breakfast, the journey goes up a hill from where you have a last panoramic view of the grass plains below. You would have to trek through the bushy landscapes till you reach the Oldonyo Lengai: an active volcano.  Before returning to the campsite at the evening you would explore the great views of the majestic volcano as well as into the impressive Empakai Crater.

Remember, after exploring the crater, there is a well-maintained path to descend to Lake Empakai inside the crater.  This alkaline soda lake is an important food source for flamingos, which can be seen throughout the year. Returning to camp supper will be waiting for you. During the night you might hear the flamingos call as they fly back to their breeding nests at Lake Manyara and Lake Natron.

• Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Today you will hike to the Masai village Naiyobi and following a good path, the village as well as Oldonyo Lengai, an active volcano, can be seen from a distance. After lunch in Naiyobi, the trek leaves the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the landscape becomes drier and warmer. Tonight’s camp will be set up at amongst an acacia forest.

• Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

The last stage of the Journey is not too long and it goes mainly downhill. The highlights of the trek are the great views of Oldonyo Lengai, Lake Natron and the Rift Valley. The rugged countryside looks almost surreal covered by grey ash of the last eruption in 2007. You can see the ash up close descending down into the dry and hot Rift Valley. By the lunchtime, you would wait to your waiting vehicle that would take you back to Arusha/ Moshi.