Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano expedition - additional information

Arrival:

The tour starts and ends in Arusha, a friendly, mid-sized town that is the main starting point for excursions in the area. You can easily combine the trek to Lengai with other activities (see extension programs). To get to Tanzania, convenient airports to fly in are:
- Kilimanjaro International (30 miles or 1-1,5 hr minibus ride to Arusha)
- Nairobi (5 hours minibus ride to Arusha, involves an easy border crossing and an extra night in Nairobi on the return travel)
- Dar-es-Salaam (9 hour bus ride to Arusha, or domestic Air Tanzania flight to Kilimanjaro International).
On request, we will be happy to help you with your individual travel arrangements, including transfers and possibly necessary accommodation e.g. in Nairobi; depending on your departure airport, we can offer to find airfare for you at very competetive rates. Please contact us!

Essential equipment:

- Clothing: This tour requires different kinds of clothing. During the days of transportation light clothing and shoes are recommended. Since it can be dusty a scarf or head-shawl can be very pleasant.
During the ascent and descent be sure to have good hiking boots and different layers of clothing to adjust to the changing circumstances. The ascent is at night so it can be pretty chilly. Around 3000 it can be very windy and chilly during the day as well. To be on the safe side prepare your self for those circumstances.
For safety reasons you are not allowed to approach the active summit area without your hiking boots. In the camp itself you can wear light walkers or sandels.

- What else to bring: Here below you will find a few items that are specifically recommended to bring along:

Your own sleeping bag (but you can also rent one), mountain hiking boots, telescopic walking poles for ascents and descents, rain jacket, fleece jacket and wind jacket (or combination), sun protection (sun block) and hat/scarf, binoculars (very recommendable!), headlight (or torch) plus spare batteries.

Accommodation:

Accommodation is based on double room or tent occupancy shared by the same sex (unless this is no problem or requested).

• Lake Natron: At Lake Natron we use comfortable walk-in tents, unless you choose the Upgrade option and stay in one of the enchanting private tented lodges: half open huts with mosquito-curtain walls, toilet, hot shower and a cute verandaImprovised camp with dining-, shower- and toilet-tent, at an undisturbed place in a wild, natural environment, completely exclusive to the group.

• Camping on Lengai volcano: On Ol Doinyo Lengai, basic camping is the only option, but you have good and spacious, modern mountain tents, as well as a sheltered dining tent with chairs and a table. Only limited washing facilities are available here.

• Accommodation in Arusha (last day): it's really your choice, but we recommend l'Oasis Lodge, a comfortable small hotel with clean, spacious rooms, a swimming pool, an excellent restaurant and modern facilities near the city center.

Transportation

We have our own 4WD safari jeeps (Land Rover or Land Cruiser) and a supply vehicle for 3 or more pax. THe maximum number of guests is 4 per vehicle which assures everyone has plenty of space and a window seat in the car. You can leave unnecessary luggage at the hotel in Arusha. During the ascent and descent porters will help us carry the load, so you only have to carry a light daypack with what you want to have with you all the time during the climb.

Eating & Drinking:

All meals are included during this trip, i.e. breakfast, lunch(-box) and dinner. During the expedition our cooking staff knows how to surprise you with local and international dishes. All eating and cooking equipment is provided for. Hot water for tea or coffee is available almost any time. Bottled drinking water is complimentary.

Please inform us in advance in case you or one of your fellow travellers is vegetarian or has specific needs in terms of nourishment.

Geometric forms in the volcanic sand of Lengai created by rain and vegetation		Eruption at night		Maassai market