Southern Highlands - Tanzania - page 364

crater. With a midnight start, a trek from the base village of Engaresero at Lake
Natron ( Click here ) is possible in one long day. Although the number of
climbers scaling Ol Doinyo Lengai has grown in recent years, the loose ash
along most of the path makes it a difficult climb and an even tougher, often
painful, descent. And don't overlook the significant danger the bubbling lava in
the north crater poses to trekkers who approach too closely. Some local guides
no longer climb out of fear of another eruption. For a detailed overview of the
mountain see www.oldoinyolengai.pbworks.com .
Trekking the Crater Highlands
The best way to explore the Crater Highlands is on foot, although because of the logistics
and multiple fees involved, trekking here is expensive; from US$350 and up (less if you
have a large group) for overnight trips. Treks range from short day jaunts to excursions of
up to two weeks or more. For all routes, you'll need to be accompanied by a guide, and for
anything except day hikes, most people use donkeys or vehicle support to carry water and
supplies (though vehicles can't go everywhere the donkeys can).
Nearly all visitors arrange treks through a tour company. Many Arusha-based companies
can take you up Ol Doinyo Lengai (just outside the NCA boundaries), but for most trekking
in this region you'll need to contact a specialist. For some recommendations, Click here .
Alternatively, you can contact the NCAA directly to arrange your trek. However, this
requires advanced notice, and usually winds up costing about the same as going through a
tour company. You'll need to provide all camping equipment and supplies, including water
for yourself and the ranger. For most hikes you'll also need to hire a vehicle to deliver you
to the starting point and collect you at the end, few routes are circuits. The NCAA will then
take care of arranging the campsites, guides and donkeys. The hikes are usually based at
designated Maasai 'cultural bomas', each of which has a US$20 or higher entry fee.
There are no set routes, and the possibilities are numerous. Good two-day trips include
the Ngorongoro Crater rim, Olmoti to Empakaai, and Empakaai to Lake Natron ( Click
here ) . These three can be strung together into an excellent four-day trip: start at Nainokan-
oka to make it three days or extend it one day to climb Ol Doinyo Lengai. If you base
yourself at Ngorongoro Crater or Karatu, there are some good day hikes that let you exper-
ience the area on a lower budget, such as climbing Makarot or Oldeani, or walking along
Empakaai or Olmoti Craters; the latter is lake filled and some would say the most beauti-
ful spot in the NCA. Apart from transport costs, these involve only the US$50 NCA entry
fee and US$20 per group guide fee. If you're trying to do things on your own through the
NCA, rather than through a tour operator, the least complicated option is Oldeani, since the
climb starts at headquarters. From Oldeani, it's possible to camp and continue on down to
Lake Eyasi where there's public transport.