We managed to nap for a few hours before leaving, which makes it much easier to survive. After discussions with our Maasai guide Wilson, we decided to leave our camp at 11:30 am and begin the trek at about 12:30. So with those main points regarding the logistics, I’ll get back to my experience on the Mountain of God. Your food, 3L of water, cameras, and gear is on your own back. This is not Mount Kilimanjaro where you have a porter. The summit is very cold and you will need warm clothes for the summit.I slipped many times and so did our guide. The terrain is rocky, slippery, and often quite hard to manage.The trek is incredibly steep with a short 5km to the summit but 1600m of incline is very challenging.You’ll be hiking through the night without sleep unless you can nap before beginning the trek.Hiking during the night helps you avoid the heat on the way up and also the strong afternoon heat on the way down.The hike normally begins at about midnight as it takes most hikers six hours to reach the summit for sunrise.There are a few logistics to know about when climbing Ol Doinyo Lengai (The Mountain of God). I hiked Ol Doinyo Lengai as part of a four-day expedition of several hikes in the region with Altezza Travel and we had a driver with a 4×4 vehicle for the entirety of our trip.Īfter waiting out the storm we were all set to go on our second night staying at Lake Natron. The last part to consider about reaching Ol Doinyo Lengai Volcano is that you will need a 4×4 vehicle, which is capable of handling the tough terrain of the region. This was organized by our lodge, Lake Natron Luxury Camp, and cost $100 per person (plus tip) or if you stayed at their lodge for three nights it was included for free. In addition to the park permit, you will also need to employ the services of one of the Maasai guides. It included the Empakaai Crater hike, Olmoti Crater hike, Ngare Sero Waterfall, and climbing Ol Doinyo Lengai. As I mentioned earlier, most people visit several attractions in the area to get value out of their permits including Lake Natron and the nearby Ngare Sero Waterfall, which were part of a four-day expedition I did with Altezza Travel. Firstly, you will need to pay the park fees and permit to enter the Lake Natron Area. To enter Ol Doinyo Lengai, you will need to have done prior organization and it isn’t a hike you can do independently. GUIDES AND PERMITS FOR OL DOINYO VOLCANO HIKE My Strava Map Upload: Ol Doinyo Lengai Hike Give yourself a chance and have a ‘no-quit mentality and you will make it I’m sure. It’s short, which means it is mostly a mental battle and most people are capable of achieving it at their own pace. At the summit it can be freezing so there are also weather factors to consider. The other difficulty factors are that you will probably begin at midnight or early so hiking without sleep is tough. The hike will reach 2960m by the time you are at the summit so expect to be short on breath. In just five kilometers you will ascend more than 1600 meters and this is at elevation. Hike Difficulty: This trail is quite difficult due to the extreme incline. Our guide told us he took an 80-year-old up the summit and it took 20 hours round-trip. Our actual moving time was just 5.5 hours as we had a decent hiking pace. Our elapsed time was 11 hours but we spent four hours waiting for good weather conditions and had lots of breaks. The hike can be completed in about 6-12 hours depending on how long you spend at the summit and your hiking pace. Hike Duration: This depends a lot on your speed and it can range a lot due to the extreme slope and terrain. Hike Distance: The total distance of the hike is 11.2km out and back (return trip) If you want to book with Altezza, they offer a 5% discount to my readers when you use the code JACKSON5 to book your trek. This early start is to enjoy the sunrise from the summit and to avoid the harsh heat of the region, which can often reach 50 degrees celsius.īOOK YOUR OL DOINYO LENGAI CLIMB: I did my Ol Doinyo Lengai climb with Altezza Travel and it was an incredible trip. The hike takes anywhere from 6-10 hours and the summit attempt often begins in the middle of the night to reach the peak of the volcano. The peak reaches 2,962m and is an interesting geological destination with the carbonatite rock derived from magma, a unique feature in this region. It’s one of the steepest hikes I’ve done in my life with 1600m of elevation in just five kilometers. The volcano is a popular hiking destination for those looking for a unique challenge. Located in the Gregory Rift, which is just south of the nearby Lake Natron in the Arusha region of Tanzania. Ol Doinyo Lengai, also known as ‘Mountain of God’ in the Maasai language, is the only active volcano in Tanzania and the third highest peak in the country.
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