“Oldoinyo Lengai” means “The Mountain of God” in the Maasai language. The summit of this strata-volcano is 2962 meters above sea level and affords direct views into the caldera of Tanzania’s only officially-certified active volcano,
It is located in northern Tanzania lying just south of the hot barren salt flats of Lake Natron. Moreover, this stretches into the distant Rift Valley, in the heart of Maasai country. Records of eruptions have been maintained since 1883, the largest of which deposited ash 100 kilometers away.
Mountain of GOD believed to be scared as also famous to the Maasai community that inhabit the area, situated in the Ngorongoro highlands and the African Rift valley about 120 kilometers Northwest of Arusha, Tanzania
It is possible to walk across the crater floor. The ascent of Oldoinyo Lengai is demanding on account of the daytime heat, lack of water, steep and unsuitable slopes of ash and crumbly rocks, and considerable height gain. Normally you can start ascending to the summit early in the morning and reach the summit at sunrise. A Short and a warm jacket are suitable for the ascent, also long trousers are good as the summit before dawn can be cold. The access route from the North West allows an early descent to be made from the summit in the morning shadow.
Since the past ancestors, the Holly Lengai has been used by Maasai for their prayer to their GOD known as NGAI. Ol’doinyo Lengai is the only active volcano in the world that erupts nitro carbonatite lava which is cooler than other lavas about (510 degrees C) compared to the temperatures of basaltic lavas (1,100 degrees C) with less silicon.
While on the summit of Mountain Ol’doinyo Lengai one can clearly see the Soda Lake Natron which accommodates and consists of good nesting sites for different bird species especially the Flamingos, pelicans, and geese more than 350 different types are recorded to date.
Unlike the other two highest Mountains, Lengai takes about six to seven hours to reach the summit crater. Also, the Mountain is an ideal place for a working safari escort by the Maasai guides with weapons tourist can sight wild animals like an olive baboon, velvet, monitor lizard, hyenas, lion, leopard, jackal, Grant’s gazelle, impala, and zebra