Compare Oldonyo Lengai Mountain Climbing and Lake Natron by Wakawaka Adventures vs 3 Days Tanzania Safari - Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater by Wildreality Safari

Day 1: Arusha/Karatu - Lake Natron

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Moivaro lodge

From Arusha or Karatu you will drive to Oldonyo Lake Natron

A soda lake at the base of the active Ol Donyo Lengai volcano, the area around Lake Natron is often described as having a desolate and almost lunar beauty. Lake Natron is found in the northern part of Tanzania. Nearest towns to Lake Natron are Arusha in Tanzania and Magadi in Kenya. It is the most important breeding site for Lesser Flamingos in the world.

East Africa has 1.5-2.5 million Lesser Flamingos, representing three-quarters of the world population and most of them are hatched at Lake Natron.  Food is plentiful, nesting sites abound – and above all, the lake is isolated and undisturbed.  The lake and its ecosystem provides a source of livelihoods to the local communities.

High levels of evaporation have left behind natron (sodium carbonate decahydrate) and trona (sodium sesquicarbonate dihydrate). The alkalinity of the lake can reach a pH of greater than 12. The surrounding bedrock is composed of alkaline, sodium-dominated trachyte lavas that were laid down during the Pleistocene period. The lavas have significant amounts of carbonate but very low calcium and magnesium levels. This has allowed the lake to concentrate into a caustic alkaline brine

Walks around the lake and to the streams and waterfalls along the nearby escarpment make for a fantastic adventure off the beaten track.

There are a number of campgrounds near the lake, which is also the base for climbing Ol Doinyo Lengai.

Day 2. Mountain Oldonyo Lengai - Kili Climb

You will climb Mount Oldonyo Lengai in the midnight. It will take you 5-7hrs up and down.

Oldoinyo Lengai" 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.

It is located in northern Tanzania lying just south of Lake Natron in the Rift Valley, in the heart of Maasai country, and locally regarded as a sacred mountain. 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 Game Reserve. The eastern horizons dominated by Kilimanjaro and to the west the forested escarpments and hills comprising the western slopes of the Rift Valley. Every seven years Lengai erupts and plumes of smoke billow out of the crater.

It is possible to walk across the crater floor. The ascent of Oldoinyo Lengai 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. Normally you can start ascending to summit early in the morning and reach to summit at sunrise. Short 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.

Day 1 – DRIVE FROM ARUSHA TOWN TO SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK

Serengeti is well known for the Great Wildebeest Migration in the northern part toward the Mara River. It is an unforgettable adventure to have a chance see all animals migrate in a clockwise circle every year. If you also want to spot all the Big Five animals (lion, elephant, leopard, rhino, and buffalo) all in one park, the Serengeti is the place to be.

• Distance: 296 km
• Game viewing time: 6-7 hrs

Early morning after breakfast, you will depart from your hotel/lodge in Arusha, and we will proceed to Serengeti National Park, Passing the beautiful farmland of Karatu and transiting the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. You may have a chance to stop at the Ndutu area depending on the time. You will stop for lunch on the way and then proceed to your campsite with a game drive en-route arriving in the evening.
Accommodation

• Camps: Serengeti Public Campsites
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 2 – DRIVE FROM SERENGETI TO NGORONGORO AREA

Ngorongoro is one of the 8 Wonders of the World, the crater is an essential shelter for different wildlife. The most commonly seen are big bulls of elephants and the vulnerable species of black rhinos. In the Crater you will see large herds of wildebeest, African cape buffalos, zebras, Thomson and grant gazelles, hippopotamus, black-backed jackals, prides of lions, hyenas, serval cats, and close to 400 bird species.

After breakfast, you will take packed lunch for an early morning game drive between 08:00 – 14:30 hrs. Then, will drive to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area while having a game drive en route to where you will have dinner and overnight.

Accommodation

• Camps: Ngorongoro Public Campsites
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 3 – NGORONGORO CRATER TOUR – ARUSHA TOWN

After an early breakfast, you will drop over 600 meters into the crater for a full day game drive. You will break game drive for lunch, you will have your lunch at the base of the crater.
After the tour, you will drive back to Arusha town or Directly to the airport to catch your flight to Zanzibar or back home.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch