“Oldoinyo Lengai” means “The Mountain of God” in the Maasai language. The distance from its foot to summit is 9,481feet (2,890 meters). It is a permanently active volcano the Maasai believe is the home of their god “Ngai.” Climbing Ol Doinyo Lengai is demanding and can be a dangerously steep walk for even strong and well-fit climbers. Descending this mountain can take as long as the ascent for inexperienced climbers, so it is important to ensure that you have enough water and energy snacks for 12 hours.

It is a fascinating active volcano, as it is the only one known to produce carbonate lava. The lava of Oldoinyo Lengai is carbonatite-based, rich in nyerereite and gregoryite. These sodium and potassium carbonates mean that the lava erupts at relatively low temperatures, around 500-600 °C, giving the lava a black/muddy appearance in sunlight, as opposed to the reddish hue of the higher-temperatures (1100°C) of the silicate/basaltic lavas. Carbonatite lava is the most fluid lava in the world, much less viscous than silicate lavas, and is often more fluid than water. The minerals formed by this lava are very unstable in earth’s atmosphere, and rapidly turn from black to grey/white in colour when exposed to moisture. The resultant rock formations are extremely friable, creating a shifting landscape of hard pavements alternating with knee-deep ash. The resulting scenery is different from any other volcano, as Oldoinyo Lengai is the only known active carbonatite volcano in the world.