A week which offers the perfect combination of traditional game viewing and off the beaten track hiking in the spectacular volcanic scenery of Northern Tanzania's Great Rift Valley.
Starting with vehicle based game viewing in Lake Manyara National Park and Ngorongoro Crater, you continue for 3 days hiking through the crater highlands to Lake Natron, a remote and wild site at the foot of the active volcano Oldonyo Lengai. Hikes include Olmoti Crater, Empakai Crater and across the rift to Oldonyo Lengai. This area is all home to the Maasai people and you will hike with them and visit their villages along the way, learning about their pastoral, nomadic way of life. The trail from Empakai to Acacia Camp follows cattle tracks and passes through Nayobi, a small village which is a trading centre for teh local community. Towards Natron the last piece of the trail follows the ancient Maasai trading route to the foot of Lengai - for years Maasai on the lower plans have traded goods with those in the highlands.
On the last part of the main hike down to Natron, you stop for lunch in the shade of a dramatic canyon, temperatures around Natron can be very high. Whilst camping at Lake Natron you can take walks to the lake shore to see flamingos and other bird life, meet the local Maasai people and walk to waterfalls - great for cooling off on a hot day - take a shower in the waterfall!
This safari consists of mainly camping, in private camp sites in remote areas. You will have your own vehicle and guide with extra porters and staff for the days without vehicles on the hikes.
Accommodation: One night tented lodge, four nights dome tents (Adventure Camping) and one night in basic lightweight flycamping. On the night at Acacia Camp before the donkey trek, there will not be enough water for a shower - staff will provide you with warmed water in a jug with a wash stand at your tent.
At Lake Natron it is possible to upgrade the accommodation to Ngare Sero permanent Tented Camp, ask us for price details.