7-Day Ngorongoro Highlands Walk to Lake Natron
A private 7-day walking safari from Arusha through the high, green Ngorongoro highlands with Maasai guides and donkeys, past Olmoti and Empakaai craters and down the Rift Valley escarpment to Lake Natron, camping on the way.
The Ngorongoro Highlands at Walking Pace
North of the Ngorongoro Crater lies a quiet upland of grassy hills, old volcanoes and Maasai villages, where few visitors go. On this trip you walk it: four days on foot from the Olmoti area to the rim of Empakaai Crater, into the crater to its lake, and then down the steep wall of the Rift Valley to the plains around Lake Natron. A support vehicle carries the camp; on some sections your luggage goes by donkey.
This is a real walk, not a game drive. Most walking days are 4 to 7 hours, at altitudes of roughly 2,300 to 3,000 metres, and the descent to Lake Natron is long, dusty and hot. You will see Maasai herders, zebras, gazelles and sometimes buffalo or giraffes, but not the big herds of the Serengeti. It suits fit walkers who want landscapes and Maasai life more than a long list of animals.
Prefer one short walk with game drives? See the 3-Day Ngorongoro & Empakaai Crater Hike →
Why Walkers Choose It
- Four walking days through the Ngorongoro highlands with Maasai guides
- Olmoti Crater and a walk down to Empakaai's crater lake
- Down the Rift Valley escarpment to Lake Natron
- Engare Sero waterfall walk and flamingos in season
- Camping with our own cook, a support vehicle and donkeys for some sections
What to bring
- Broken-in walking boots and light trail shoes for camp
- A warm jacket and hat: highland nights can be close to freezing
- Light clothes, a sun hat and sun cream for the hot Natron valley
- A daypack, 2-3 litres of water capacity and a rain jacket
- A sleeping bag (or rent one from us)
- Your passport
Read our park guides: Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Natron
Route Map
- By road
- Day of the trip
- Arusha
Lines show the order of travel, not the exact roads.
We collect you from your hotel in Arusha and drive west past Mto wa Mbu and Karatu into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, about three hours. You stop at a viewpoint over the crater, meet your Maasai walking guides and reach camp on the highlands in the afternoon.
Overnight: Campsite on the Ngorongoro highlands (tents)
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Walking: about 4–5 hours
The first walking day crosses grassland and Maasai grazing land around Nainokanoka. You climb to the rim of Olmoti, an old, shallow crater, and walk to a viewpoint above the waterfall where the Munge River leaves it.
Overnight: Campsite near Olmoti (tents)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Walking: about 6–7 hours
The longest day in the highlands: over rolling hills and past Maasai homesteads to the rim of Empakaai, a steep crater about 6 kilometres wide with a soda lake on its floor. On a clear day you can see Ol Doinyo Lengai to the north.
Overnight: Campsite on the Empakaai rim (tents)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Walking: about 3–5 hours, steep
With a ranger you walk down a steep forest path to the lake on the crater floor, where flamingos often feed, and climb back up in the afternoon. The rest of the day is free at camp.
Overnight: Campsite on the Empakaai rim (tents)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Walking: about 6–8 hours, long descent, hot
An early start for the hardest day: a long walk down the escarpment of the Rift Valley, from the cool highlands to the hot, dry plains near Lake Natron. Your guides set the pace, and the support vehicle meets you where the track allows, so you can ride part of the way if you are tired.
Overnight: Campsite or tented camp near Lake Natron (Engaresero area)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Walking: short walks only
A morning walk to the shore of Lake Natron, where lesser flamingos feed in the shallow soda water in many months, and an afternoon walk up a river gorge to the Engare Sero waterfall. Climbing Ol Doinyo Lengai at night is possible at extra cost, only for very fit walkers; ask us.
Overnight: Campsite or tented camp near Lake Natron (Engaresero area)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast the drive back to Arusha on a rough road through Maasai country, about five to six hours, arriving in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Price Per Person — Private Walking Safari
| Group Size | Price Per Person |
|---|---|
| 1 Person | $4,155 |
| 2 People | $2,720 |
| 3 People | $2,240 |
| 4 People | $2,000 |
| 5 People | $1,860 |
| 6 People | $1,765 |
Price per person in US dollars, by the number of people walking together, camping in shared tents. Groups of more than 6: price on request.
A Ngorongoro Crater floor game drive or a night climb of Ol Doinyo Lengai can be added at extra cost.
Trip Notes
- Start & end: your hotel in Arusha
- Private walking safari: your group only, on the dates you choose
- Good fitness needed: walking days of 4 to 8 hours at 2,300 to 3,000 m
- Luggage by donkeys or vehicle, depending on the section
- Not suitable for young children
- Prices may change if park fees change
Includes
- Support vehicle with a professional driver-guide
- Maasai walking guides and donkeys
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area fees and campsite fees
- Armed ranger where the conservation area requires one
- Lake Natron local fees
- Camping equipment (tents, mats, mess tent) and a camp cook
- All meals on the safari and drinking water
- Pick-up and drop-off at your hotel in Arusha
Excludes
- International flights and visa fees
- A sleeping bag (bring your own, or ask us to rent one)
- Travel insurance
- Tanzania's compulsory inbound travel insurance for foreign visitors (44 US dollars per person, from 1 October 2026)
- Ngorongoro Crater floor game drive (optional)
- Ol Doinyo Lengai climb (optional)
- Tips for your guides, cook and donkey handlers
- Drinks other than drinking water
- Any government increase in park fees or taxes after booking
Questions Walkers Ask
How fit do I need to be?
Fit enough to walk 4 to 8 hours a day for four days, on uneven paths at altitudes up to about 3,000 metres. If you hike regularly at home, you will manage. The day down to Lake Natron is long and hot.
Will we see many animals?
Fewer than on a game-drive safari. You walk among Maasai cattle, zebras, gazelles and sometimes buffalo, giraffes or eland. This trip is about landscapes and Maasai life; add a Serengeti or crater safari if you want the big herds.
Who carries our luggage?
Your main bag goes with the support vehicle or, on sections without a track, on donkeys. You carry only a daypack with water, snacks and a jacket.
Is it safe to walk here?
You walk with experienced Maasai guides, and with an armed ranger where the Ngorongoro Conservation Area requires one. Your guide decides the route each day based on conditions.
When is the best time?
June to October and December to February are drier. In the long rains (March to May) paths are muddy and some sections may not be possible.
