Ol Doinyo Lengai: the night climb
Two days from Arusha to climb the Maasai Mountain of God and stand on an active crater at sunrise.
The hardest thing on this page and the most memorable. Ol Doinyo Lengai is an active volcano beside Lake Natron, the only one on earth that erupts carbonatite lava, and the Maasai call it the Mountain of God. The climb starts at one in the morning, is steep, loose and relentless for six hours, and ends on the crater rim at 2,960 metres as the sun comes up over the Rift. Day one is the drive out and a walk to the Engaresero waterfall; day two is the climb and the drive home.
What makes this one
- An active volcano climbed by night
- Sunrise on the crater rim, the Rift valley and Natron below
- The Engaresero waterfall walk the afternoon before
- A Maasai mountain guide who has done it hundreds of times
How it runs
- Step 1
Day 1: to Lake Natron
Pickup in Arusha and four hours north through Maasai country to the camp by the lake. A walk up the gorge to the waterfall in the afternoon, dinner and an early night.
- Step 2
Day 2: the climb
Up at one. Six to eight hours to the rim, resting every hundred metres of height, and three or four back down. Shower, lunch and the drive back to Arusha by evening.
Want an earlier start, a different pickup or two of these in one day? Just ask.
We reply within 4 working hours. No deposit to ask.On the map
- 1Arusha
- 2Lake Natron by road
- 3Ol Doinyo Lengai by road
What $1,141 does and doesn't cover
Price is per person, group of 5 or more, in US dollars. It falls as the group grows, because the vehicle and the guide are shared.
| Group | 1 person | 2 people | 3 people | 4 people | 5+ people |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per person | $2,207 | $1,437 | $1,238 | $1,216 | $1,141 |
Included
- Climbing permit and village fees
- A night at Lake Natron Camp, full board with drinks
- 4x4 Land Cruiser and an English-speaking guide
- A Maasai mountain guide
- Packed breakfast and water on the climb
- First aid kit and flying doctors cover
Not included
- Hotel nights in Arusha before and after
- A porter, on request
- Tips for the guides, about $20 to $50
What to bring
- Boots you trust on loose ground, and sandals for the camp
- Warm layers and a headtorch
- Gloves, the rock is sharp
Tell us your date and how many you are and we'll confirm $1,141 or better.
We reply within 4 working hours. No deposit to ask.