ngo booklet global red

NGORONGORO-LENGAI ASPIRING GEOPARK 

NGORONGORO-LENGAI ASPIRING GEOPARK 

Field Booklet

2 

©endorolodge.com

Ngorongoro-Lengai Aspiring Geopark 

The Ngorongoro Lengai Geopark is located in North-West 

part of Tanzania. It is confined to the North by lake Natron 

and Kenyan border and to the North-West by Serenge 

Naonal Park. Its highest point is the Oldonyo Lengai (2,962 

m), sacred mountain for Maasai populaon which is also the 

unique acve volcano of calcarenite in the world. The 

Geopark covers an area of 11.895 sq km with a populaon of 

230.506 p., mainly Maasai populaon. The Geopark 

geological history begins 500 millions years ago with granites 

and gneiss which can be seen in the North (Gol mountains) 

and in the West around Eyasi lake. The Geopark territory lies 

in the eastern branch of the East Africa Ri. Riing started in 

the Early Miocene (20 millions years) and is sll connuing 

today. Geopark landscapes are connected with acve 

volcanism which was sll present 2,5 millions years ago and 

which has generated different craters: Ngorongoro caldera, 

Olmo and Empakaai crater,... 

The Oldoinyo Lengai is sll acve and It last erupon was in 

2013.These erupng volcanoes that formed the Ngorongoro 

lanscapes were watched by earliest prehistoric men. In the 

North, is the world-famous Olduvai Gorge which contains 

some of the oldest evidence of hominoids, preserved by the 

volcanic ash, 1,8 million years ago. The Ngorongoro-Lengai 

Geopark is linking its geological heritage with its stunning 

natural heritage and its material and intangible heritage, 

involving its local populaon represenng a huge human 

diversity with local ethnic groups as: Masai, Iraqw, Datoga, 

Hadzabe,..The Geopark is offering a new discovery of this 

world famous territory based on a new meeng between the 

me of the Earth and the me of the Mankind thus to 

provide an integrated sustainable development to the direct 

benefice of its populaon. The Geopark can be visited, with 

local guides, through 3 "discovery routes " (North, South and 

Caldera route). 

Geopark area located inside 

the Conservaon area (NCC) 

3


NGORONGORO-LENGAI GEOPARK 

The Ngorongoro Lengai Geopark is located in North-West 

part of Tanzania. It is confined to the North by lake Natron 

and Kenyan border and to the North-West by Serenge 

Naonal Park. 

Its highest point is the Oldonyo Lengai (2,962 m), sacred 

mountain for Maasai populaon which is also the unique 

acve volcano of calcarenite in the world. 

The Geopark covers an area of 11.895 sq km with a 

populaon of 230.506 p., mainly Maasai populaon. 

A CRADLE OF MANKIND 

These erupng volcanoes that formed the Ngorongoro 

lanscapes were watched by earliest prehistoric men. Along 

the Geopark North Route, is the world-famous Olduvai Gorge 

which contains some of the oldest evidence of hominoids, 

preserved by the volcanic ash, 1,8 million years ago. 

The Geopark West Route is also offering an unique site of 

Mankind history which present one of the greatest 

palaeoanthropological discoveries ever made. 

A 3.75 million year old fossilized footprints, proving that 

hominids walked, at this me, on their two feet. 

Their preservaon is once again due to the volcanic ash. 

These two sites are part of the most world famous UNESCO 

World Heritage Sites (1979). 

A UNIQUE GEOLOGICAL HERITAGE 

The Geopark geological history begins 500 millions years ago 

with granites and gneiss which can be seen in the North (Gol 

mountains) and in the West around Eyasi lake. 

The Geopark territory lies in the eastern branch of the East 

Africa Ri. Riing started in the Early Miocene (20 millions 

years) and is sll connuing today. 

Geopark landscapes are connected with acve volcanism 

which was sll present 2,5 millions years ago and which has 

generated different craters: Ngorongoro caldera, Olmo and 

Empakaai crater,... 

The Oldoinyo Lengai is sll acve and It last erupon was in 

2013. 

4 

A "GARDEN OF EDEN" 

Inside the Geopark territory, the Ngorongoro caldera with its 

stunning landscapes combined with its spectacular 

concentraon of wildlife is one of the greatest natural 

wonders of the planet. 

The Conservaon Area is home to a populaon of some 

25,000 large animals, mostly ungulates, with the highest 

density of mammalian predators in Africa including the 

densest populaon of lion. 

It also supports one of the largest animal migraons on 

earth, including zebras, Thomson and Grant gazelles and 

over 1 million wildebeest.


A HUMAN DIVERSITY 

Geopark populaon is mainly composed by the famous 

Maasai people who are pastoralists and originated from Nile 

area. 

They came here during the XVIII century. Datoga and Irawq 

are also present. An autochtonus indigenous ethnic group, 

Hadzabe tribe, is sll present in Eyasi area. 

With a populaon of less than 1000, they are huntersgatherers 

and are not closely related to any other people. 

Their language has clicks, and they may be related to the 

Pygmies. 

CULTURAL HERITAGE 

The Geopark present also various cultural heritage. The 

North route is offering, the oldest cultural Boma of the 

territory (1992) in Seneto as well as tradion wheels inside 

Olkarien Gorges. 

The Caldera and West route integrate Datoga graves which 

are important pilgrimage sites for Datoga Tribes. 

A Old construcon from german period (1899) can be seen 

along the caldera route. 

INTANGIBLE HERITAGE 

Due to a long and diversified human presence, the Geopark is 

rich in intangible heritage. Legends, tales, songs, tradional 

dances are strong pilars of the identy of the different tribes 

living in the Geopark. Sacred trees can be observed along the 

different Geopark routes. 

Tradional pracces and know-how are valorized by the 

Geopark as the tradional bee hives, Datoga blacksmith, 

Hadzabe hunng technics, etc. 

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 

The Geopark promote sustainable development by involving 

local populaon and training local guides. 

It promote also the local products which vary from farm 

products, handcras to local foods and clothing. These differ 

also from one ethnic groups to another. The most famous 

product in the area includes Maasai beads commonly known 

as Maasai shanga. 

These are colorful beads made into bracelets, earrings, 

necklaces and rings. 

The Datoga clothes is another famous product in the 

Geopark, they are normally made of animal skin decorated by 

beads. Bow and arrows made by Datoga blacksmith is 

another iconic local product sold within and outside the 

territory. 

Other Geopark products are local honey, coffee (plantaon 

can be visited in the West route) and leather products. 

5

THE GEOPARK DISCOVERY ROADS 

THE GEOPARK DISCOVERY ROUTES 

The Ngorongoro-Lengai Aspiring Geopark can be visited 

through 3 differents routes. 

The visit of each route takes a full day. 

All these route needs to be done with a Geopark agreed 

guide. 

Each one of these routes has its own personality and its own 

ambience, Visiter ces 3 routes de découverte constue une 

aventure unique et passionante permeant d'avoir une vision 

globale de la diversité du Géopark tant au niveau des 

paysages, de la géologie, de la biodiversité comme de la 

populaon locale. 

6

©endorolodge.com 

©wikimedia commons 

7

The North route 

The Geopark North Route 

This one day route begins from the south 

entrance of Ngorongoro-Lengai Geopark 

to reach the base of the Gol mountains, 

close to the border of Serengeti. 

A unique Geopark experience in which 

the Earth history is intimately linked with 

the human history inside wonderful and 

unique landscapes. 

20 

18 19 

21 

Geological heritage 

Natural heritage 

Cultural heritage 

Museum / exhibition 

Olkarien gorges sites 

15 

Nasera rock 

16 

Angatakiti panorama 

17 

Cristal biotite hill 

18 

Olkarien Gorges offers a nice walk 

with a suspended stone bridge, 

traditional wheels and Ruppell’s 

Griffon vulture colony. 

19 

In the dry season, Olkarien Gorges 

are a living place where population 

and herds can find water. 

Huge granite monolith rising up 100 

m from the plain which is also an 

archeological site from stone age. 

An astonishing hill in the plain 

landscape made by granite with 

giant biotite cristals. 

Shifting sand 

13 

14 

Bao Site 

10 

12 

11 

Soitoo quartizte hill 

Leakey camp 

Olduvai Gorges and 

Museum 

12 

The Soitoo hill is like a jewel of light 

pink and deep green quartzite. 

13 

This remarkable dune, composed of 

volcanic ash from Oldonyo Lengai, is 

being blown slowly at the rate of 

about 17 meters per year. 

14 

Bao is a Swahili name for board. This 

is a traditional mancala board game 

here carved in stone on top of a hill. 

9 

Serengueti plains 

panorama 

7 

8 

Seneto cultural boma 

Ngorongoro crater view 

In the Seneto cultural boma, Masai 

people invite to a discovery of their 

traditional dances and practices. 

8 

Malanja 

depression 

6 

Outstanding view on Magadi lake 

and on the dense vegetation of the 

West caldera Rim. 

7 

Rim Forest panorama 

5 

4 

Grimezk grave 

11 

Olduvai Gorges, is an outstanding 

site considered as "Mankind cradle". 

It is also one of the most famous 

UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

3 

Ngorongoro Crater panorama 

2 

Exhibition Center 

Formed when a giant volcano exploded some 3 million years 

ago, this huge caldera (260 Km 2 ) present an unique wildlife. 

3 

1 

Rift panorama 

8


This one day route begins from the south entrance of Ngorongoro-Lengai Geopark to reach the base of the Gol mountains, 

close to the border of Serenge. 

A unique Geopark experience in which the Earth history is inmately linked with the human history inside wonderful and 

unique landscapes. 

1 Ri Panorama 

The East African Ri System, acve connental ri, is a true 

geologic wonder of the world where we can see and 

understand the earth's tectonic forces. This ri is is some 

4,000 miles (6,400 km) long and averages 30–40 miles (48– 

64 km) wide and began developing around Miocene, 22–25 

million years ago. 

The ri is the result of a developing divergent tectonic plate 

boundary, in which the African Plate is in the process of 

spling into two tectonic plates, called the Somali Plate 

(South) and the Nubian Plate (North), at a rate of 6–7 mm 

annually. 

As in a ri Earth's crust stretches and thins, magma is arising 

easily the surface. This ri is volcanically and seismically 

acve, producing all the volcanoes present in the area 

( Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru, etc..). The formaon of 

the Ri Valley is currently ongoing. Considering the current 

growth rate, the crack will reach the Red Sea in about 4 Ma. 

At this moment the Red Sea will flood the area. 

© www.coolgeography.co.uk 

The separaon between the two plate will go on and the 

African connent will be splied in two and the result will 

eventually be a huge new connent, leaving Africa without 

its Horn.The same mouvement of the Nubia plate toward the 

north and its meeng with the Euroasian plate will also 

probably generate the disapearing of the Mediterranean sea. 

©hp://mgafrica.com 

What Africa will look like...in about 50 million years! 


9


Informaon Center 

2 

Located at Loduare Gate, the main entry gate to the 

Geopark, this informaon Center from Ngorongoro 

Conservaon Area Authority offers a display room depicng 

the dramac ecology, ethnography and topography of the 

Ngorongoro Conservaon Area. A shop is promong local 

products and books. Informaon on the Geopark is available 

through an informaon panel with Geopark map and route 

sites. The Geopark presence inside this informaon center 

will be implemented within the next monthes. 

3 

Ngorongoro crater Panorama 

The Ngorongoro crater is one of the ten natural wonders of 


the world and largest volcanic crater in the world hosng rich 

biodiversity where man and his livestock live symbiocally 

with wildlife. 

It is the world's largest inacve, intact and unfilled volcanic 

caldera. It was formed when a large volcano exploded and 

collapsed on itself 2-3 million years ago (Plio-Pleistocene 

age). It is 610 m deep from its rim and its floor covers nearly 

260 square kilometer. The height of the original volcano 

before its collapse is projected to be similar to Mt 

Kilimanjaro and range from 4,500m to 5,800 m high. The 

elevaon of the crater floor varies from 1740 m to 1785 m 

above sea level. 

4 Grimezk grave 

These are the graves of renowed Germany zoologist and 

conservaonist Bernhard Klemens Maria Grzimek( died in 

1987) and his son Michael Grizmek (1959). Their most 

popular work was the book and the film ‘Serenge shall not 

die’ which led to the establishment of Serenge naonal 

park. The film "Serenge shall not die" won Academy Award 

for documentary feature in 1959 the same year that Michael 

was killed in an air crash. 

10 



5 

Rim Forest Panorama 

The Rim forest is a true dream for a botanist!. Scrub heath, 

grasslands, high open moorland, and the remains of dense 

evergreen forests cover the steep slopes of the crater, while 

highland trees including Peacock Flower, Yellow-Wood, 

Kousso (Hagenia abyssinica), and Sweet Olive can also be 

found. This dense rim forest constute a great contrats with 

the crater basin which is covered by open short grass plains 

with fresh and brackish water lakes, marshes, etc. The Rim 

Forest is also rich in fauna with baboons, leopards and offers 

nice birding, for example for sunbirds, turacos and birds of 

prey. 

©wikimedia commons


6 

Malanja depression 

The Malanja depression is forming a shape like crater and 

it's possibly a result of connental riing during volcanic 

acvity which was triggered by tectonic forces which caused 

the movement of large masses of land towards the West 

leaving the most of the Eastern part a depression. It also 

forms part of a South limb of Serenge plains. 

In places, the mountainous parts are dominated by volcanic 

tuffs and pyroclasc materials while most part of the 

depression is covered by grey to darkgrey ash soil and both 

man and livestock live symbiocally with wildlife. 

7 Ngorongoro crater view 

A different view on the Ngorongoro crater toward the south 


rim. There, the vegetaon is sparse with a large presence of 

candelabre tree (Euphorbia candelabrum).Candelabre tree is 

endemic to the Horn of Africa and eastern Africa along the 

East African Ri system. 

Euphorbia candelabrum is a tree with branches that are 

persistent from around 3 metres upwards, almost erect, 

rebranching to form a large, broadly rounded crown. The 

tree usually grows up to 12 metres tall. All parts of the plant 

exude an abundant latex if injured. 

8 

Seneto cultural Boma 

Seneto cultural Boma is one of the oldest cultural boma in 

Ngorongoro conservaon area. The boma started in 1992; 

the aim of starng this boma was to enable the local 

communies to parcipate in tourism by establishing centers 

where visitors can learn about their way of life. Seneto boma 

is sponsored by Ngorongoro Conservaon area Authority and 

Ngorongoro pastoralist council. The boma is under the 

Ngorongoro ward which has three villages Oloirobi, Kayapsi 

and Misigyo. The three villages rotates in managing the 

boma, each village stay for a year then give chance for 

members from other villages to come. In each village groups 

are formed in order to parcipate in the boma. Each group is 

formed by sub groups of elders, Moran, women and their 

leaders. The elders are responsible for advising the members 

and solve conflicts, the women are responsible for making 

handcras like the popular Maasai beads cras, the Moran 

looks at the cale and guard the boma, the leaders manage 

the funds collected and metable of the families staying in 

the boma and other logiscs. 

In the bomas a tourist is able to learn how Maasai live, taste 

the food they eat, enter their houses, parcipate in their 

dances, listen to their folktales and buy their ornaments. 

Each car which brings the tourist pay the entrance fee which 


is collected in the boma’s basket fund. The money collected 

is used What to Africa pay allowance will look like...in to the about members 50 million staying years! in the 


boma, buy more cale and there is a percent which goes to 

the village. 

Apart from Seneto boma there are now five more bomas 

situated in different wards in Ngorongoro. 11


9 

Serenge plains panorama 

Great view of the Serenge plain located at the NW & N of 

this observaon point. To the NW view is the Olbalbal 

swamp which accumulates water drained from Olduvai 

Gorge hills, Ndutu and Serenge areas by gravity scheme. 

The Serenge Plain forms the graben part of the Eastern limb 

of East Africa Ri Valley. 

10 

Olduvai gorges and Museum 


Olduvai Gorge is the most famous archaeological locaon in 

East Africa and is from 1979 a World Heritage Site. 

Some 30,000 years ago, spling of the earth's surface by 

violent geological acvity and millennial of erosion by 

seasonally flowing streams incised the nearly 250 foot (90m) 

canyon known as Olduvai Gorge. These natural forces 

exposed a remarkably rich geological chronicle of human 

ancestry and the evoluon of the Serenge ecosystem. It 

was here that Mary and Louis Leakey unearthed the first 

well-dated arfacts and fossils of some of our earliest human 

ancestors aer over 30 years of painstaking work. 

These include the famous Zinjanthropus (Australopithecus 

boisei) skull, homo habills, the presumed maker of the 

numerous early stone tools in the 1.8 to 1.6 million year-old 

deposits, and homo erectus, the larger bodied, larger 

brained hominin that preceded the earliest modern humans 

(Homo sapiens). 

Memorial of the Zinjanthropus discovery 

The excavaon sites have been preserved for public viewing 

and work connues during the dry seasons, coordinated by 

the Department of Anquies. One may visit Oldupai at all 

mes of the year. It is necessary to have official guide to visit 

the excavaons. At the top of the Gorge there is a new 

museum developed by the Geopark, a sheltered area used 

for lectures and talks, toilets, shop of local product, 

restaurant and a community center. 



A pedagogic path (1 hour approximavely) invit to discover, 

inside the gorges, the main historical locaons related with 

gorges history. 

12 


The new museum under construcon


11 

Leakey Camp 


© Family Leakey 

Family Leakey and friends inside the outdoor dining room 

It's a unique historical building inside the whole Geopark 

territory. The Leakey family has established this camp since 

the 1930s to carry out research in the olduvai gorges. Most 

of these buildings date back to the 1960s and many archives 

help to reconstruct the use of each. Today, newly-created 

parts of this camp are receiving researchers from all over the 

world. 

In the future, the Geopark plans to recover from the Leakey 

family a collecon of anque furniture and pieces in order to 

install an aracve museography of this site and to allow the 

visitor to live it as in mes of research of the Leakey family. 

Original buildings from Leaket Camp 

12 

Soitoo Quarzte hills 

The Soitoo Quartzite hills are constuted by 2 hills. The word 

Soitoo is the Maasai word meaning “Rock”. The thickness of 

the hill is nearly 200m and it comprises of smoky, white, 

brown and green beauful variees of quartzite. The rock is 

strongly jointed and fractured possibly due to both shearing 

as indicated in places during the field work and volcanic 

acvies in the surrounding areas. The important of this 

quartzite is the age relaonship with the volcanic rocks. The 

quartzite shows the existence of the basement which is older 

(850-500Ma) than the volcanic acvity (3-2Ma) which 

resulted into formaon of different landscape observed in 


the Ngorongoro area. Close to these two quartzite hills, it 

possible to observe a place where volcanic lavas seems to 

cover the outcropping quartzite hill forming a rounding 

shape like volcanic cone. (02°58'01.0"S, 35°21'32.0"E) 

13


13 

Shiing sand 

The shiing sands is a unique site in all Ngorongoro-Lengai 

Geopark. The sand is grey to dark grey in color and magnec 

in nature. The magnec property of this sand is possibly 

coming from magnete originated from basalc lavas 

erupted from Mt Oldoinyo Lengai between 2-3 Ma ago. The 

sand moves by the acon of wind from East to West showing 

a magic movement of about 17m annually (4.66cm daily). 

The movement of sand formed the amazing half moon 

(crescent) shaped feature. The height of the sand dune is at 

least 2m high . The sand observed to kill vegetaon when 

covers them and it always takes me the vegetaon to 

grown 

© Family 

up 

Leakey 

again. . It also kills insects when stood on for 

somemes; example of observed insects was beetles. 

Apart from this famous shiing sand, there is another 

moving sand (02°46'52.7"S, 35°36'15.7"E) in a place known 

as Ootuni on the way to Olkarien gorge from Serenge Plain 

observaon point. So, the sand is now named Ootuni shiing 

sands and it is quiet similar to the famous shiing sand with 

the only difference that this sand contains mica flakes 

(parcles) and fossils mainly of spring hare and snail shells. 



14 

Bao site 

Bao is a Swahili name for board. This is a tradional mancala 

board game famous in many parts of East Africa especially 

Tanzania, the coast of Kenya Comoros, and Malawi, as well 

as some areas of DR Congo and Burundi. Bao is played with 

two people one player in each side; the board has 32 holes 

arranged in four rows. At the beginning all the holes contain 

two seeds(the seeds may be small round object made of 

stone, wood or even plant seeds) as the game connues a 

person who manage to take all of his opponent seeds will 

become a winner. 

The bao site is unique since the holes are made from the 

stones on top of the mountain. There is no clear informaon 

about who made this bao but it is believed to be made a long 

me ago. 

14


15 

Nasera rock 


It is an uplied inselberg, a monolith, that is fully exposed 

above the plain. It is 27 km north of Olduvai and, about 350 

m in elevaon. 

This rock is a typical granitoid. Large crystals of Mica, 


Feldspars and Quartz can be clearly observed on the rock 

especially on pegmate veins. The rock is seen as an igneous 

intrusion a “batholith like” feature containing massive 

pegmate veins some up to 4m thick with several small 

pegmate veins of nearly or less than 15cm thick . Due to 

erosion and other weathering processes, the rock forms 

shapes like manmade caves on surfaces especially to the 

Northern side of the rock itself. The rock is possibly an 

intrusive granitoid of Pan African Mozambican belt (850-500 

Millions years ago). It is much more older than the age of 

volcanism in the Ngorongoro area. 

This site has been internaonally known for decades through 

its archaeological resources that have been excavated since 

1930s. 

Most of Family the findings Leakey at and Nasera friends consist inside the of outdoor stone arfacts dining room high 

in quartz, but low frequencies of chert and obsidian occur 

throughout the sequence. Also bone fragments and sherds of 

poery had been uncovered. 

The cultural materials of Nasera have absolutely dated to 

about 30,000 before present. 

The shelter has some traces of painngs nevertheless the 

painngs are not visible because of their poor state of 

preservaon. 

They have faded that only rock art expert can observe traces 

of pigment. 

16 

Angataki panorama 

This is actually a fault view from Nasera rock all the way to 

Olkarien gorge. It is a depression forming a graben part of 

the series of Angataki fault which trending from E-W to NE- 

SW and control the shapes of various ranges of hills that 

forming the horst parts of the main fault.. 

17 

Crystal biote hill 

This hill located in Emugur village is constuted by granitoids 

offering large mineral crystals of mica,feldspars and quartz. 

The crystals are well developed and emerged as hills in a 

plain surface. The hill is connected with the highly deformed 

granitoid typical of granic gneisses with visible crystals of 

mica and several irregular veins of pegmate. In some 

places, mica is recrystallized within the deformed granitoid. 

Recrystallizaon of minerals in the rock is a common 

phenomenon. The enre rock unit is parally migmazed. 


15


18 

Olkarien gorges 

The gorge is situated under the huge mountains, slicing 

canyon and spectacular rock that beaufies the area. It is 

extremely deep and narrow gorge cung through high fault 

Mountains. 

The gorge could have been formed by tectonic faults that 

opened the mountains forming a river through the core of 

the Mountains. The river course is nearly flat with very 

gentle slopes. The peak of these raised mountains could 

approach a kilometer. The gorge extends up to 8 km long. 

The walls of these mountains are vercal 90-100º. It’s unique 

gorge of its kind in the enre Ri Valley Escarpment. 

The gorge correspond to a fault zone which trends NW-SE. 

The fault zone occurred in a quartzite rock which is strongly 

fractured. In places, recrystallizaon of mica can be observed 

especially in joints and contacts between rocks. 

Undifferenated basalc rocks and volcanic ash in pyroclast 

and clay forms are located at the main entrance of the gorge. 

19 

Masai cultural well 

The big part of the Ngorongoro district is characterised by 

semi arid climate. Most rivers in this area are seasonal and 

hence during dry season it is hard to get water for livestock 

and domesc use. Some of these seasonal rivers beds are 


covered by sand and therefore stores water underground. 

As a mean of survival for the Maasai and their cale during 

dry season, wells are dug along these rivers’ beds. 

The wells are usually few cenmeters deep depending on 

the water table and they are big enough to allow a person to 

fetch water easily or somemes they are big enough for a 

cale to drink in them. 

These wells are tradional managed; people are only 

allowed to dig the wells during the dry season when other 

sources of water have dried up. The wells are usually dug by 

family members and somemes more than one family can 

share one well. The community elders meet to discuss on 

when to start ulizing the river beds and how. They also set 

rules to be followed by all members who will be ulizing 

these areas in order to avoid conflicts. Tradional fines are 

charged to people who break these rules or use the wells 

which does not belong to them. 

20 

Natural stone bridge 

In the middle of the gorges, it's possible to observe a nice 

natural stone bridge. 

IMPORTANT: The site is unsafe for walking in the gorge as it 

contains several hanging rocks and/or walls which might fall 

down anyme. Follow strictly your guide recommandaons. 

16


21 

Rüppell's vulture colony 


©nickgarbu.com 

Olkarien gorges is an important nesng site for Rüppell's 

vulture or Rüppell's griffon vulture (Gyps rueppelli) . Rüppell's 

vulture © Family is named Leakey in honor of Eduard Rüppell, a 19th-century 

German explorer, collector, and zoologist.[3] Rüppell's vulture 

is considered to be the highest-flying bird, with confirmed 

evidence of a flight at an altude of 11,300 metres above sea 

level. 

These Ruppel's vulture are large vultures. Adults are 85 to 

103 cm long, with a wingspan of 2.26 to 2.6 metres, and a 

weight that ranges from 6.4 to 9 kg. 

Rüppell's vultures are very social, roosng, nesng, and 

gathering to feed in large flocks. Their range extends mainly 

through the Sahel region of Africa where they can be found in 

grasslands, mountains, and woodlands. Once considered 

common in these habitats, the Rüppell's vultures are 

experiencing steep declines, especially in the Western 

poron of their range. They are relavely slow birds, cruising 

at 35 kilometres per hour, but fly for 6–7 hours every day and 

will fly as far as 150 kilometres from a nest site to find food. 

Rüppell's vultures commonly fly at altudes as high as 6,000 

metres. The birds have a specialized variant of the 

hemoglobin alpha which allows the species to absorb oxygen 

efficiently. 

A notorious scavenger, Rüppell's griffon vultures dine 

exclusively on carrion. They rely on vision alone to detect 

prey. When the vulture spots a carcass from the air, the 

vulture will swoop down nearby and run with its wings 

spread and neck extended towards its meal. Rüppell's griffon 

vultures insert their heads under the skin of the carcass, 

somemes climbing inside the ribcage to consume it. The 

head and neck are devoid of most feathers, evolved to keep 

the mess of blood and meat to a minimum. 



©kidszoo.org 

17

The Caldera route 

A one day route inside the Ngorongoro caldera which is the jewel of Ngorongoro-Lengai Geopark crown.A lile more than 2,5 

million years ago, Ngorongoro was a volcanic mountain rivalling nearby Mount Kilimanjaro in size, as one of the highest peaks 

of Africa. Then its top collapsed, resulng in the giganc caldera, the largest un-flooded and unbroken caldera in the world. 

About 20kms across, 600 meters deep and 300 sq kms in area, the Ngorongoro Crater is a breathtaking natural wonder. 

Oldoinyo Lengai panorama 

34 

35 

Empakai Lake 

33 

Olmoti waterfall 

Round table hill 

Irkepus village panorama 

Hippo pool 

Seneto spring 29 

30 

31 

32 


22 

28 Magadi lake 

Mounge river 

Acacia rim 

36 

Datoga graves 

23 Datoga sacred tree 

24 

Lerai forest 

25 

26 

Old german house 

Ngoitoktok 27 

North rim 

panorama 

Pillarwood site 

38 

37 

23- Datoga Graves.This grave of a 

spiritual Datoga chief is a pilgrimage 

site for this tribe. 

26- Lerai Forest. Home to the Yellow 

Fever tree and Acacias, it's a special 

refuge for many different species of 

animals. 

30- Round table hill. Remain of the 

volcano's peak. 

34- Oldoinyo Lengai panorama. 

Unique acve volcano in the world 

producing natrocarbonate lava. 

24- Datoga Sacred tree. 

18 

28- Magadi lake.Thousands of 

flamingoes lives there. 

31- Munge River. Its spring is in the 

Olmo Crater. 

35- Empakai Lake. A "perfect" crater 

lake with a permanent flamingos 

colony.

The Caldera The North route route 

22 

Seneto spring 

The Seneto spring is located within the Ngorongoro crater 

and it provides fresh water which fills Lake Magadi. The 

source of the spring is possibly a basalc aquifer and the 

area is surrounded by several basalc outcrops like boulders. 

To the East of Seneto spring, there is Munge River which also 

drains its water to Lake Magadi. The river originates from 

Olmo crater rim located in the Eastern side of the 

Ngorongoro crater. Water moves from the SE parts of the 

Ngorongoro crater towards the NW part where Lake Magadi 

is found. 

23 

Datoga graves 

Datoga graves are the most important pilgrimage site for the 

Datoga tribe. These grave (bung’ed) belong to a spiritual 

leader Gitangda and his son who died over 100 years ago 

(between1836-1851) while defending their land from the 

Maasai in Ngorongoro. There is also a big fig tree which is 

believed to grow in a place where Gitangda’s eldest son took 

his last gourd of milk and said his goodbye but he was never 

seen again and his body never found. 

The Datoga organize pilgrimage trips to the graves in order to 

pray to their chief aer every few years depending on the 

situaon © Family they Leakey are in. the pilgrimage rituals is usually done by 

women and elders who wear small strips of ram’s skin 

(loghamajeg) in their second finger. Milk and local brew 

made out of honey, meat from the ram (killed in a tradional 

way), tobacco and loghamajeg are carried to the site. The 

group drink milk and honey brew and pour some on stones 

found on the grave while the leader speak their prayers. 

Aer that tobacco and loghamajeg are le on the grave. This 

procedure is repeated in all three site which includes also the 

fig tree. In the end the soil is collected from bung’ed and the 

fig tree to be taken home. This site is used by Datoga who 

come from as far as Tabora and Shinyanga to perform their 

rituals once in a while. 



24 Datoga Sacred Tree 

This fig tree is situated in Lerai area. The Datoga were living 

in Ngorongoro crater in early 19 century. In the mid of 19th 

century the datoga were aacked by the Maasai which led to 

war between the two tribes. The Datoga spiritual leader 

Gitangda was speared by Maasai. His eldest son 

Magusachand was wounded by a Maasai spear in the leg. 

According to the Datoga stories he craw back to his Boma 

calling his wife. When his wife heard him she came with a 

gourd of milk searching for Magusachad. When they met he 

drank ©wikimedia the milk commons from the gourd and say his goodbye. He was 

never seen again and his body never found. In the place 

where he drank his last milk a large fig has grown. That fig up 

to date is considered a sacred area for the datoga. 

19


25 

Old German house 

The old German house was built by two German brothers 

named Adolph and Friedrich Siedentop who seled and farm 

in the Ngorongoro crater unl the break of World War I. The 

first brother Adolph entered the crater in 1899 as a squaer 

he started farming sisal, aer leasing the land from the 

administraon of German East Africa. The brothers regularly 

organized shoong pares to entertain their German friends. 

In 1916 the Siedentopf deports from Ngorongoro leaving the 

house and the farm which fell into the Brish mandate in 

1920. The Brish established a veernary camp in Lerai and 

John Hamman took over the farm in lerai followed by 

Captain Hurst and later on Eric Howe. 

Recent the house is part of Lerai ranger post; the post is used 

by rangers who insure the security of the crater. 


26 Lerai Forest 

The magical Lerai Forest of about 5 km2 is the more 

important forest inside the crater. It is home to the Yellow 

Fever tree (Acacia xanthophloea) aand constute a special 

refuge for many different species of animals: rhinos and 

elephants mainly. Lerai is a Maasai word referring to the tall 

yellow barked acacias. These beauful trees are old, gnarled 

by years of growing back the bark stripped off by elephants. 


The forest is also a special bird habitat, providing food and 

nesng sites for hoopoes, cuckoos and weavers. 


27 

Ngoitoktok 

As Seneto, Ngoitoktok is a perennial spring which is so 

abundant that a small lake has formed before spreading into 

the nearby Gorigor Swamp. A small rock outcrop with a 

single fig tree adorns the lake edge. Ngoitoktok is one of only 

two places where visitors are permied to get out of their 

vehicles. It's a great site for a bush picnic though beware of 

the large brown hawks that swoop down to snatch 

unaended food. Ngoitotok is inhabited by an important 

colony of hippopotamus; elephants, lions are also familair 

with this place. 

28 

Magadi Lake 

This shallow soda lake is is alkaline mainly due to deposits of 

volcanic ash. The depth, never more than three metres, 

varies during the year. During the rainy season Lake Magadi 

look pinkish from a distance due to the large flock of 

Flamingoes. 

The birdlife is mainly seasonal, and is also affected by the 

rao of soda to fresh water in Lake Magadi. The lake's edges 

are favourite stalking grounds for golden jackals, lions and 

hyenas. 


20 

©Michael Lewin


29 

Hippo pool 

Aer Ngoitoktok, this is a smallest hippo pool. The common 

hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), or hippo, is a 

large, mostly herbivorous mammal. The name comes from 

the ancient Greek for "river horse". Adults average 1,500 kg 

(3,310 lb) and 1,300 kg (2,870 lb) for males and females 

respecvely, making them the third-largest species of land 

mammal aer the three species of elephant and rhinoceros. 

Despite their physical resemblance to pigs, the closest living 

relaves of the Hippopotamidae are cetaceans (whales, 

dolphins).The earliest known hippopotamus fossils, 

belonging to the genus Kenyapotamus in Africa, date to 

around 16 million years ago. 

The hippopotamus is semiaquac, inhabing rivers, lakes 

and swamps, where territorial bulls preside © www.coolgeography.co.uk over a stretch of 

river and groups of five to thirty females and young. During 

the day, they remain cool by staying in the water or mud; 

reproducon and childbirth both occur in water. They 

emerge at dusk to graze on grasses. While hippopotamuses 

rest near each other in the water, grazing is a solitary acvity 

and hippos are not territorial on land. 

30 

Round table hill 

Round © Family table Leakey hill is a small hill like round table located to the 

northern side of Lake Magadi. The round table feature is 

believed to be the remained cone or peak of the Ngorongoro 

volcanic mountain (~4500m-5800m a.s.l) aer the collapse 

of the mountain 2-3 million years past. Pyroclasts (Ash, lapilli 

& bombs) are common observaons in the area. The major 

volcanic pipe which caused the formaon of this round table 

always associated with minor or small volcanic vent which 

resulted into formaon of other cinder cones observed in 

the crater especially to the Eastern part of the crater. These 

cinder cones formed aer the collapse of the main pipe 

because by that me volcanism of the minor vents were sll 

acve. 



31 Mounge river 

The Munge River has its spring inside the Olmo Crater, more in the North-East. It's is the main water source draining into 

Magadi Lake. 

. 

21


32 

Irkepus village panorama 

Irkepus is an important village in the eastern part of the 

Geopark. It has schools, health centers and a Boma 

farmhouse, such as Seneto. The panorama that can be seen 

from this village is fascinang. Besides the dispersion of the 

habitat in the plain, it allows to have an overview of the 

volcanoes Olmo and Empakai. 

33 

Olmo waterfall 

The Olmo Crater, 3,700 meters high, lies north of 

Ngorongoro Crater. The Olmo Crater floor has different 

streams which through the Munge waterfalls fill Lake Magadi 

in the Ngorongoro Crater. The Crater's floor is inhabited by 

some mammals like the Bohor Reedbuck, Buffalo and Eland. 

Among the plants found at the Crater's slopes are Nuxia, 

Giant St John's Wort and Hagenia trees. Nectar feeding birds 

can be observed at this area, such as Golden-winged and the 

Eastern Double Collared Sunbird. 

Olmo Crater was acve from 2,5 to 1,79 millions years and 

it is considered the source for the bulk of interbedded 

volcanics and volcaniclasc deposits that comprise much of 

the upper Bed secon of nearby Olduvai Gorge, and part of 

the © Laetoli Family Leakey sequence, both known for their well preserved 

fossils and archaeological remains. 

Omo Crater is famous for its stunning waterfalls from 

Mounge river. 




© Tony Reumerman Amazing general view of Olmo Crater 

22


But the uniqueness of Oldoinyo Lengai lies not only on its 

permanent acvity. 


The lava produced at Oldoinyo Lengai is unlike any other lava 

on earth. 

Unlike most lavas, the lava at Oldoinyo Lengai has a very low 

silica content. The lava here is a carbonate, meaning it has 

more than a fiy percent carbonate content. Carbonates 

are quite uncommon in the geologic record, and even less 

common at the surface as a liquid. Its lava is rich in the rare 

sodium and potassium carbonates. 

Due to this unusual composion, the lava erupts at relavely 

low temperatures of approximately 510 °C (950 °F). This 

temperature is so low that the molten lava appears black in 

sunlight, rather than having the red glow common to most 

lavas. It is also much more fluid than silicate lavas, oen less 

viscous than water. 

34 

Oldoinyo Lengai Panorama 

Oldoinyo Lengai is clearly the jewel of the Geopark! 

It is unique in the world among all acve volcanoes. 

Oldoinyo Lengai means, "Mountain of God" in the Maasai 

language (and is for them them a "sacred mountain") is an 

acve stratovolcano 2962m high. © www.coolgeography.co.uk 

It is the only acve volcano in Tanzania and one of a select 

few that are acve in the East African Ri Valley. The 

volcano has erupted manymes since it first began to be 

observed by geologists. Major erupons have occurred in 

1880, 1914-15, 1926, 1940-41, 1958, 1960-66, 1983-93, 

1994-1998, and the mountain connues to erupt mildly to 

this day. 

. 

Aerial view of Oldoinyo Lengai crater 


© cessna 206/Flickr 

The sodium and potassium carbonate minerals of the lavas 

erupted at Oldoinyo Lengai are unstable at the Earth's 

surface and suscepble to rapid weathering,quickly turning 

from black to grey in colour. 

The resulng volcanic landscape is different from any other 

in the world. The carbonate ashspread over the 

surrounding grasslands leads to a uniquely succulent, 

enriched pasture. 

The last Oldonyo Lengai erupon occurs in 2013 when the 

volcano resumed natrocarbonate lava flow which started to 


fill the large crater from the precedent erupon(2007). At 

this me, residents near the volcano reported several 

earthquakes. 

Around the world,several "fossil" carbonate volcanoes are 

knowned by geologist. One of them, Fen volcano, is located 

in Norway in the UNESCO Global Geopark Gea-Norvegica 

and was acve 580 millions years ago. 

23 

© Tony Reumerman Amazing general view of Olmo Crater 

Lava Fountains and Ash Erupons. August 2003 

© www.swisseduc.ch




Gemündener Maar, UNESCO Geopark Vulkaneifel 

36 

Acacia rim site 

Acacia abyssinica is one of the highland acacia, commonly 

called umbrella thorns. It makes a fine shade and 

ornamental tree. It is a tree up to 16 m tall and its bark is 

reddish-brown on older trees. On younger trees it is pale 

yellowish-brown, peeling off in papery wads. Young twigs are 

soly hairy. 

The wood from this umbrella thorn is of medium weight and 

is not durable, however it is used in domesc construcon 

for © making Tony Reumerman utensils. 

35 

Empakai Lake panorama 

The Family Empakai Leakey and Crater friends was inside formed the outdoor as a result dining room of volcanic 

erupon which occurred 3 million years ago and leaves the 

volcanic pipe (mouth) opens forming the Empakai Crater. 

The open was caused by the sinking or falling of lavas in the 

main pipe aer erupon creang a now so called Empakai 

Crater which is about 300m deep from its rim. The Crater 

Lake is nearly 62m deep and contains salt water; salt (mainly 

soda ash or sodium bicarbonate) seen to precipitate (whish 

stuffs) at the edges of the lake itself. There are three natural 

springs located to the West rim of this observaon point 

which fills this lake with fresh water. The Crater is about six 

kilometer (6km) cross from one end to another. 

Small colony of pink flamingos can be observed there. 

© cessna 206/Flickr 

The scienfic name for crater lake is « maar » (which mean 

crater in german). Several of them, as Empakai Lake, exist 

inside the Global geopark Network. For exemple in UNESCO 

Global Geopark Vulkaneifel (Germany) and in UNESCO 

Global Geopark Leiqiong (China). 


24 

© www.swisseduc.ch


37 

Pilarwood site 

Cassipourea malosana (pillarwood) is an evergreen tree 

approximately 6-45 m in height. It bears a conspicuously 

straight, pale, cylindrical trunk and a small rounded crown. 

The branches radiate out at right angles to the trunk. Bark 

smooth, pale grey with well defined ring marks. Slash so, 

pale orange with a darker outer edge. 

The wood of Cassipourea malosana is traded as 

pillarwood. It is suitable for construcon, flooring (especially 

heavy duty or industrial flooring), vehicle bodies, furniture 

and cabinet work, tool handles, ladders, sporng goods, 

agricultural implements, joinery, sleepers, poles and piles, 

toys and noveles, beehives, turnery, and for veneer and 

plywood. Its low durability, however, limits its applicability 

outdoors. 




38 

North rim Panorama 

To end the Caldera route, you can have a last stop on an 

unusual view of the caldera. From this site, at dusk, and if 

you are lucky, with a splendid sunset, you will be able to 

admire the North rim of the caldera which was the starng 

point of the day and relive this unforgeable Route in this 

caldera unique in the world. 

At start of the night, this site is also a good place to meet 

leopards hunng. 


25

The South North Route route 

A one day route in the South of Ngorongoro-Lengai Geopark unl West up to Eyasi Lake. 

A stunning Geopark experience of human diversity where local indigenous knowledge, tradions, story of the Earth are 

inmately connected. A the begining of the route, a 60 minutes "magic path", through coffee plantaon, waterfalls, rich south 

rim vegetaon conduct to the Elephant cave. A unique place where animal and mineral are closely linked. 

Elephant cave 

Gibb's farm 

Endoro waterfall 

40 

39 

41 


Makonde carving 

42 


Iraqw 

subterrenean 

house 

44 

43 

Karatu city 

Iraqw brewery 


Mangola spring 

38 

45 

Datoga culture 

50 46 

47 

Datoga blacksmith 

48 Hadzabe culture 

Onion plantation 

49 


26


39 

Endoro watefall 

The Endoro waterfalls is an amazing site located on the path 

going to Elephant cave. The water is flowing on basalc rocks 

and its source is probably the underground water spring 

originated from the Ngorongoro crater rims a distance of 

approximately 16 km NWN of the Endoro waterfall. Water 

increases during the rainy season though it flows throughout 

the year. The waterfalls about 150m height; 50m the first 

height followed by horizontal runoff of about 70m then 

another fall of nearly 30m height. 

40 

Elephant cave 

Elephant cave is the end of this path inside a great forest 

with high biodiversity and nice view on all coffee plantaon 

around. 

Elephant cave is probably one of the more symbolic site, in 

the world, demonstrang the inmate link between animals 

and geology! 

The « Elephant cave » is not exactly a cave but an outcrop 

with several small holes. 

The © parent Family Leakey rock is seen to be of basalc composion mainly 

vesicular basalt. The rock is weathered forming a yellowish 

brown color and black oxidizing layers especially in joints and 

fractures. The weathered rock forming a fine grained 

material with porous texture. The minerals present in basalt 

are possibly converted to salts of Calcium, Sodium and 

Potassium in the weathered rock. 

Elephants are coming there exclusively for these mineral 

which are very aracve (and necessary) for them. 

From centuries, elephants are used to come to come there 

to find the rocks which are very rich for calcium. As miners, 

They hit the rocks with their tusks and eat the piece sand it 

helps the elephants to receive enough minerals and to make 

their bones very strong. 




41 Gibbs Farm 

This private farm-hotel is a good exemple of Geopark 

partnership. The original farmhouse was built in 1929 and 

conserve its tradional architecture. Its a charming place 

involved in quality tourism, nature, cultural educaon and 

biological agriculture. 

Gibbs Farm owns also an important coffe plantaon and 

produce its own high quality coffee. 

When she was travelling from Kenya, Marie Leakey was used 

to stop there before reaching her invesgaon camp in 


Olduvai. 

27


42 

Makonde carving 

Makonde is one of ethnic group found in south east Tanzania 

and Northern Mozambique. They are part of bantu speaking 

group famous for their wood carvings, their observance of 

puberty rites and dances. 

The Makonde are among the few matrilineal sociees in 

Tanzania whereby children and inheritance belong to the 

women. The Makonde use ebony wood to carve different 

objects, Before their interacons with people from outside 

of Africa Makonde used to carve masks used for their dances 

and other small household items. The interacons with the 

outside world led to the expansion in Makonde carvings 

whereby they started to carve different objects and stories in 

exchange for money. 

The art of carving is passed from one© generaon www.coolgeography.co.uk to another 

since childhood whereby a father teaches a son. Recently 

Makonde carvings are not only used in Tanzanian households 

but they are also one of the major aracons in most of the 

curio shops for tourists and visitors in Tanzania. 

43 Iraqw subterrrenean house 

Iraqw change their style of housing, from round houses with 

high conical thatched roofs to low parally subterranean and 

earthen-roofed © Family Leakeytempe houses, as a defensive measure 

against Maasai raids during the early nineteenth century. 

These tempe houses were thought to have been in use 

during a limited period only, aer which the round-house 

style was adopted again. 

The iraqw or Irakw (also known as wambulu) are a Cushic 

speaking ethnic group inhabing the great lakes region of 

East Africa. 

They live in Arusha and Manyara Region of North Central 

Tanzania near the ri valley wall and south of Ngorongoro 

crater. Tradionally the iraqw wore clothing made of skins 

with elaborate beadwork that old their histories. The iraqw 

are agro pastoralism. 

Addionally, the Iraqw's ancestors are oen credited with 

having constructed the sprawling Engaruka complex in 

northern Tanzania. The modern Iraqw pracce an intensive 

form of self-contained agriculture. 

Iraqw historical tradions likewise relate that their last 

significant migraon to their present area of inhabitaon 

occurred about two or three centuries ago aer conflicts 

with the Barbaig sub-group of the Datoga Nilotes, herders 

who are known to have occupied the Crater Highlands prior 

to the arrival of the Maasai. 



This populaon movement is reportedly consistent with the 

date of the Engaruka site's deseron, which is esmated at 

somewhere between 1700 and 1750. 


28


44 

Iraqw brewery 

Iraqw tribe have two types of local beer which are Busa 

made with maize flour and finger millet flour and Mangure 

made with made with millet flour. The name busa was 

originated from kamba tribe in Kenya since 1978 through 

interacon of human acvies. There are many local 

breweries at Karatu Town located about 0.5 km from the 

main road to Ngorongoro. 




45 

Mangola spring 

Drought is persistent in the Eyasi Basin due to uncertainty of 

rainfall and the nature of the climate of the region being 

semiarid. Unreliable rains and high temperatures had 

exacerbated the existence of drought condions throughout 

the years in the basin. Most of known springs scaered 

along Lake Eyasi shore, Barazani and Qangdend/ Ghorofani 

village have dried up due to drought. 

Nonetheless there is one fresh water spring (Chemchem) 

around Qangdend/ Ghorofani village which has the flow of 

water and the only remaining depending water source in 

Mang’ola area. People ulize the waters for domesc use, 

agriculture and pastoralism. Madulu and Yanda (2005) noted 

that this spring gets water from the evergreen forests on 

Oldeani and the Ngorongoro crater rim. The fresh water 

spring source at Qangdend/Ghorofani village is in crical 

condion and if no immediate acons taken, the risk of 

perishing is growing. Environmental degradaon caused by 

excessive clearing of trees, bushes, grazing and trampling of 

water sources by large herds of cale, goat, donkey and 

sheep is higher Underneath the tree covers is completely 

dry. In addion to that large amount of large trees have old 

dried Animals are drinking water up to the outlet of the 

spring and there is no restricon and control that preserve 

the five hectares catchment area. 

The increasing demands of water for large-scale irrigaon 

using water pumps, parcularly for onions as a cash crop, 

maize and rice in Barazaniand Ghorofani where the 

catchment originates, have reduced waters from the 

Ngorongoro highlands aquifers. Compeng demands of 

water resources between sectors, especially wildlife, 


livestock, people and irrigaon farming have contributed to 

water shortages in Eyasi Basin. Therefore there is a need to 

establish management plans to protect and conserve this 

fresh water spring that not long will disappear if no further 

intervenon from stakeholders and government. And 

because people are not seled around the catchment area, 

this might make easier to control the rest of challenges. This 

may be done through awareness seminars, public meengs 

and by-law enforcement.The natural fresh water spring is 

unique because all the Eyasi Basin area is salty nonetheless 

the waters produced from the spring at Qangdend/ 

Ghorofani village is 100% fresh. Another value of this fresh 


water spring is that it is the only remaining source of water 

in Mang’ola for human habitaon. Both foragers, famers, 

herders need water alike. Hence the need to protect and 

conserve it is mandate. 

29




46 

Datoga culture 

The Datoga are highland Niloc pastoralists. They moved into 

the southern areas of the Eyasi Basin in the last few 

centuries as they were displaced, first, by the plain Niloc 

Maasai pastoralists from the Ngorongoro highlands, and 

later by the agriculturalist Iraqwi. The Datoga livelihood in 

the Eyasi Basin depends on livestock. They herd the East 

African short horn zebu (Bos indicus), some goats, sheep, 

and donkeys. 


Nowadays, Datoga pastoralists interact more with the Hadza 

than any other ethnic group in the region (Field 

Observaon). They exchange food, meat and other 

commodies with the Hadza hunter-foragers. Like to the 

Hadza hunter-foragers, tourists and researchers also visit the 

Datoga pastoralists to observe their ways of life. People visit 

Datoga pastoral to see their sacred areas, bomas, and 

tradional dances and buy tradional souvenirs. Tourists also 

enjoy watching Datoga blacksmith manufacturing various 

metal objects. These dances are organized whenever there is 

a ceremony or tradional acvies, and to visitors . 

Datoga believe strongly in the power of spirits for good or 

bad and they have maintained adherence to animist believes 

and pracced parculary surroundings. They are resistant to 

cultural change, including believes in Crisanity. Worship is 

done under the holy fig trees or at Oldonyo, of the largest 

sub tribes of the broader ethnic group (datoga),at ancestors 

graves, some me they go down the crater where their 

ancestor grave is found.when disasters occur at the 

community like drought, diseases, famine. 

30 


©endorolodge.com




47 Family 

Datoga 

Leakey 

blacksmith 

and friends inside the outdoor dining room 

Datoga blacksmith is one of the clan in Datoga tribe, these 

are skilled in making iron cras using tradional methods to 

produce arrows, knives, spears and iron jewelry. Even though 

this clan is very important to the Datoga tribe, it is usually 

considered low class since they do not have many cale 

compared to other clans. The blacksmith are not allowed to 

get married to other clans but rather marry within the clan. 

There are about 1000 Datoga blacksmith compared to the 

total populaon of 87,978 of Datoga. 

The blacksmith sell their products to other Datoga clans and 

also to the Hadzabe who are sll praccing ©endorolodge.com hunng and 

gathering as a mean of subsistence. Somemes they 

exchange their products for honey, goats or sheep instead of 

money. 


31



48 

© Family Hadzabe Leakey culture 

The Hadza, or Hadzabe, are an indigenous ethnic group in 

north-central Tanzania, living around Lake Eyasi The Hadza 

number just under 1,000. Some 300–400 Hadza live as part- 

me hunter-gatherers .They are living here have for tens of 

thousands of years and they are the last funconing huntergatherers 

in Africa. Hadzabe have probably occupied their 

current territory for thousands of years, with relavely lile 

modificaon to their basic way of life unl the past hundred 

years. 

The Hadza are not closely related to any other people. While 

tradionally considered an East African branch of the 

Khoisan peoples, primarily because their language has clicks, 

modern genec research suggests that they may be more 

closely related to the Pygmies. The Hadza language appears 

to be an isolate, unrelated to any other. 

Since the 18th century, the Hadza came into increasing 

contact with farming and herding people entering Hadzaland 

and its vicinity; the interacons were oen hosle and 

caused populaon decline in the late 19th century. The first 

European contact and wrien accounts of the Hadza are 

from the late 19th century. Since then, there have been 

many aempts by successive colonial administraons, the 

independent Tanzanian government, and foreign 

missionaries to sele the Hadza, by introducing farming and 

Chrisanity. These have largely failed, and many Hadza sll 

pursue virtually the same way of life as their ancestors are 

described as having in early 20th-century accounts. 

32 


There are four tradional areas of Hadza dry-season 

habitaon. During the wet season the Hadza camp outside 

and between these areas, and readily travel between them 

during the dry season as well. The Hadza have tradionally 

foraged outside 

these areas. Such foraging is done for hunng, berry 

collecng, and for honey. Although hunng is illegal, the 

Tanzanian authories recognise that the Hadza are a special 

case and do not enforce the regulaons with them. 

Hadza men usually forage individually, and during the course 

of day usually feed themselves while foraging, and also bring 

home some honey, fruit, or wild game ©endorolodge.com 

when available. 

Women forage in larger pares, and usually bring home 

berries, baobab fruit, and tubers, depending on availability. 

During the wet season, the diet is composed mostly of 

honey, some fruit, and occasional meat. The contribuon of 

meat to the diet increases in the dry season, when game 

becomeconcentrated around sources of water. During this 

me, men oen hunt inpairs, and spend enre nights lying in 

wait by waterholes, hoping to shootanimals that approach 

for a night-me drink, with bows and arrows treated 

withpoison. The poison is made of the branches of the shrub 

Adenium coetaneum. 


The increasing impact of tourism and encroaching 

pastoralists pose seriousthreats to the connuaon of their 

tradional way of life. In front of thissituaon, The Geoparc 

is trying to develop with them a respectuous partnership 

strengthening their identy and culture.


49 

Onion plantaon 

Onion culvaon are pracced at Eyasi division in Karatu 

district. Majority of the people living in Eyasi Basin are highly 

engaged in onion farming as the main source of personal 

and family income. Onion plantaon act as tourist aracon 

(agro tourism) due to the whole procedure which followed 

during culvaon. Onion culvaon is pracced throughout 

the year due to Ngorongoro-Eyasi ecosyem which result to 

springs that provide irrigang water used for irrigaon. 

Seedling planng 

©hp://www.imgrum.org 




Onion seeds plantaon 

packed onion ready to the market 



33



34



35

Ngorongoro-Lengai Geopark is managed by the NCAA 

(Ngorongoro Conservaon Area Authority) 

Ngorongoro Conservaon Area Authority 

P.O. Box 1 

Ngorongoro Crater, Arusha Tanzania 

255 763 585 154 Fax:255 27 253 7007 

ncaa_faru@cybernet.co.tz 

Web: www.ngorongorocrater.org 


©wikimedia commons

ngo booklet global red

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?