Ol Doinyo Lengai Hike

“Oldoinyo Lengai” means “The Mountain of God” in the Maasai language. The distance from its foot to summit is 9,481 feet (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.

Ol Doinyo Lengai, the Only Carbonatite Volcano in the World

Ol Doinyo Lengai 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 brittle, 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.

The Trek

The trek to the crater rim near the summit takes 4 to 6 hours, so you will arrive at dawn or just after. The descent takes 3 to 4 hours, making the total trekking time between 7 to 10 hours. While you don’t need special climbing skills, you do need to be fit and determined as the terrain is steep and exposed, and it’s a challenging 1,700m+ alpine adventure route. Once you reach the edge of the crater rim on the active north crater, you walk along that rim and up to the true summit, which sits on a ridge separating the active north crater from the south crater. The 30-minute climb to the summit offers panoramic views toward Ngorongoro, Empakai, and the Highlands to Lake Natron. On a clear day, you can even see Mount Kilimanjaro and Meru. Starting early allows you to enjoy the sunrise from the summit and helps avoid the region’s intense heat.