OL Doinyo Lengai Trekking

Mt. Ol Doinyo Lengai Overview

Ol Doinyo Lengai (Oldoinyo Lengai), known as “Mountain of God” by the Maasai, is an active volcano located south of Lake Natron within the Arusha region in Tanzania. It is part of the volcanic system of the East African Rift, and uniquely produces natrocarbonatite lava.

The summit of this strato-volcano mountain 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 that every seven years erupts and plumes of smoke billow powered out of the crater.

Locally regarded as a sacred mountain,Ol Doinyo Lengai is unique among active volcanoes. Looking north from it’s summit crater, the hot barren salt flats of Lake Natron stretch into the distance. To the south stretch the crater Highlands and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The eastern horizons dominated by Kilimanjaro and to the west the forested escarpments and hills comprising the western slopes of the Rift Valley.

Unlike the other two highest Mountains, the Mountain of GOD is famous to the Maasai community that inhabit the area. Since the past ancestors the Holly Lengai has been used by Maasai for their prayer to their GOD known as NGAI.  Just down the slopes are the Maasai BOMAS that have existed for years and give you a chance to interact with the cultures, taboos and traditions of the native.

It is possible to walk across the crater floor but the ascent of Oldoinyo Lengai is demanding on account of the daytime heat, lack of water, steep and unsuitable slopes of ash and crumbly rocks and considerable height gain. Normally you can start ascending to the summit mid-night or early in the morning and reach the summit at sunrise. A pair of Shorts and a warm jacket are suitable for ascent, also long trousers are good as the summit before dawn can be cold. Access route from the North West allows an early descent to be made from the summit in the morning shadow.

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

Lengai takes about six to seven hours to reach the summit crater. Also the Mountain is an ideal place for a walking safari escorted by the Maasai guides with weapons. Tourists can sight wild animals like olive baboon, velvet, monitor lizard, hyenas, lion, leopard, jackal, Grant’s gazelle, impala and zebra.