OlDoinyo Lengai

“OldoinyoLengai” means “The Mountain of God” in the Maasai language. The summit of this strato-volcano is 2962 metres above sea level, and affords direct views into the caldera of Tanzania’s only officially-certified active volcano, and the world’s only carbonatite volcano; records of eruptions have been maintained since 1883, the largest of which deposited ash 100 kilometres away in Loliondo on the Kenyan border to the north west.

“Mountain of God” in the Maasai language, Ol Doinyo Lengai is an active volcano located in the south of Lake Natron in the Arusha Region. Gregory Rift Valley is rich with lava soil that the mountain explodes. Last recorded eruption was 2007-08. However earthquakes are more frequent and make the mountain irresistible to-do item. It is one of the most enthralling Paleoanthropological sites.

It is possible to walk across the crater floor. The ascent of OldoinyoLengai is demanding on account of the day time heat, lack of water, steep and unsuitable slopes of ash and crumbly rocks and considerable height gain. The day temperatures by the lake are often high and those few animals that adopt along with the flamingo make it their home- breeding and nesting grounds. The mindboggling views of Mt Kilimanjaro on east to the forested escarpments to the hills of the Great African Rift Valley are too tempting to overlook.

Standing at 2,878 meters above the Soda Ash Lake Natron, Mountain of GOD as famous to the Maasai community that inhabit the area, it is a mountain of temptations and thrillers. This is the youngest volcano in this part but volcanoes are not unusual without analogues in the world.

This mountain is the first and only active carbonatite volcano on Earth when it was discovered. And this carbonite lava is cooler than other lava in compare to the temperatures of basaltic lavas (1,100 degrees C) with less silicon.

The Mountain frequently does minor eruptions and form cone like structures to its crater base.

While on the summit of Mountain Ol’doinyoLengai one can sight clearly the Soda Lake Natron which accommodates and consist of good nesting sites for different bird species especially the Flamingos, pelicans and geese more than 350 different types are recorded to date.

Unlike others two highest Mountains, Lengai takes about six to seven hours to the summit crater. Also the Mountain is an ideal place for a working safari escort by the Maasai guides with weapons tourist can sight wild animals like olive baboon, velvet, monitor lizard, hyenas, lion, leopard, jackal, Grant’s gazelle, impala and zebra.

The nearby are the Maasai BOMAS that gives you a chance to interact with the indigenous learn their cultures, taboos and traditional.