Walking with your local Maasai guide, hiking through the hills and plains of Maasai country you will get to know this ancient culture well, perhaps bumping into local herdsmen along the way or the many animals that cohabitate with them within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
This is a great introduction to walking in Tanzania as there is some varied terrain, long stretches to really test your legs while offering amazing views and truly unique cultural experiences. The Ngorongoro highlands can be cold and wet which can be better than being overly hot when walking.
Location
Day 1
We hike straight out of African Environments Mysigio Camp within Ngorongoro Conservation Area and head up towards the ridge that leads into the highlands. The ridge is wide and grassy and not too steep but offers for the first time stunning views to the west over the vast, seemingly endless plains of the Serengeti. You will be accompanied by your guide, an armed parks Ranger and a local Maasai guide. Along the way meet other Maasai herders grazing their cows and goats. By late morning you will reach the high point of this ridge exposing more great views towards Oldonyo Lengai, the active volcano that lies in the Rift Valley to the North. The route now drops steeply down towards the plains far below, following footpaths and animal tracks on grassy slopes before entering the woodland where it evens out into the cooler shade. The Lightweight Camp will have been put up in a sheltered glade in the woods for the night.
Day 2
This day takes us through more of the woodland with a chance of some occasional glimpses of wildlife thought the trees. The woods gradually thin out as we approach the edge of the open grass plain where, once again there is a chance of seeing some grazing wildlife. Our route from here will depend very much on the weather, the game and how everyone is feeling but there are options to walk on the plains, to follow the tree lines on the dry river courses, or to stay inside the edge of the shaded woodland before reaching camp for the night.
Day 3
Strike out across the plains, perhaps following one of the dry water courses or head for a small rock kopje to explore. Late morning you will meet your safari vehicle for lunch and then head on by vehicle.
Other walking safari itineraries:
Incredible Serengeti, 4 days walking itinerary
Four incredible days to explore the vast ‘Wilderness Zones’ of the Serengeti National Park. These reserves within a reserve have seen virtually no humans for the past 50 years. Whilst on the walk you will not see another soul apart from your guide and camp crew. African Environments is one of only a few companies given permission to walk in this designated area of the Serengeti National Park.
Hadzabe Cultural Walking Safari, 4 days
Vivid cultural experiences with the Hadzabe, this is not just a walking safari, this is hunting, foraging and interacting with one of Africa’s last remaining hunter-gatherer tribes. African Environments has a long standing relationship with a group of fascinating Hadzabe people who live close to the banks of Lake Eyasi.