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Trekking in the Crater Highlands of the Rift Valley in Tanzania, Summer 2011

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Trekking in the Crater Highlands of the Rift Valley in Tanzania, Summer 2011 Crater Highlands, Rift Valley, Tanzania Summer 2011 p.1 Trekking in the Crater Highlands of the Rift Valley in Tanzania, Summer 2011 The Rift Valley is a peculiar region in Eastern Africa, which has been formed through extensive tectonic and volcanic activities and today is characterized by a chain of extinct and on active volcanoes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rift_Valley_lakes). The wonders of Ngorongoro Crater National Park are as much part of this region as are Empakaii Crater or the active volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai. To a large extent, this region is protected by assigning it either the status of National Park or of Conservation Area. Large parts of the area are traditionally inhabited by the Massai, which are a mainly nomadic tribe and live of their life stock as well as of some small agriculture. The conflict between the protection of nature, and the preservation of the wonders of the Rift Valley for future generations (and the European, American and Asian Tourists), and the requirements of the native population for survival, are exemplary in this area and will be mentioned later in this report. The Crater Highlands have been the area of a five-day trekking tour, which has been organized through the “Cultural Tourism Program” (http://www.tanzaniaculturaltourism.com/) in the town of Mto wa Mbu (http://mtoculturalprogramme.tripod.com/). I was introduced to the Cultural Tourism Program in 2010 by Emmanuel Msamba, who at that time took care of me while I did some teaching at KatSec in Karatu (for further infos, see reports on http://www.bonebiology.dkf.unibe.ch/), Tanzania. We made some bicycle tours in the Lake Manyara Conservation Area with the guide Abraham Thomas (whom you will meet again called Ibra), with whom we had some marvelous encounters with African wild life as has been described previously. End of 2010, I did contact Ibra and he and his colleagues organized a wonderful trekking tour through the Crater Highlands, the description of which will be the topic of this report. THE TOUR The trekking tour has been taking place in the Crater Highlands of the Rift Valley. It started on Saturday, August 13, 2011 and lasted until Wednesday, August 17. The major points that were visited during the hikes are shown on the map: - Visit of Olmoti Crater, passing through the Embulmbul depression and camping at Bulati; - Walking to Empakaii Crater, hiking down to the crater lake and camping on the rim, making for a max of altitude meters (how Matthias, my son, mentioned this year during a hike on the Schrattenfluh: “what is hard to gain and then to get rid of? Altitude during a hike.” - Hiking through Naiyobi Village to a forest of Yellow Acacia. - Descending down to the Rift Valley, through a desert area of unique beauty to the base of Ol Doinyo Lengai. Transfer to a camp site close to Lake Natron. - Climbing of Ol Doinyo Lengai (The Mountain of God for the Massai) during night and returning back to Mto Wa Mbu and Karatu. Crater Highlands, Rift Valley, Tanzania Summer 2011 p.2 Day 1 On the first day, we’ve been moving from Karatu to Nainokanoka in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. There we’ve been picking up Joshua, who will be our guide for the next 48 hours. Our first goal was Olmoti Crater, a crater just going down (left). Lots of water, rain forest. While it was quite easy walking, there were some most interesting discussions with Joshua on the situation of the Massai in modern Tanzania and in the Conservation Area. Good talks, but worlds apart. After Olmoti Crater, we’ve moved on and we wandered through the Embulmbul Depression (right). A characteristic for Embulmbul Depression is the side by side living of wild life and men with life stock. You mainly have low intensity agriculture with sheep and cattle, and some small villages. No vegetables though, to protect nature, the Massai are not supposed to grow vegetables on their land, this making life not easier for them. What does a Westerner think? Since 2 years, the Massai are not allowed to grow vegetables for their own consumption. Western Conservation Agencies’ demands, Tanzanian Government’s compliance. For the Government, there are two aims to be considered; (i) get the money, (ii) change the nomadic life style of the Massai and make them to settle outside their homelands. In late afternoon, we did arrive at Bulati, the site of our first camping night. The luggage was already there, and we met Abdul, the cook and the driver with the donkeys. Bulati Village, a conglomerate of villages in the Conservation Area. A conglomerate of villages – but just one tree (right). And in Bulati, we completed our team for the following days: Abdul the cook and the men who was responsible for the donkeys. Thus, the team for the coming few days was complete and I’ve been looking forward to the things coming. Day 2 After a hearty dinner, a good night’s sleep and breakfast, we have been Abdul the cook & magician Ibra (right) and Stanley on our way to Empakaii Crater. In the with the fire. (center), the guides, and the afternoon, we descended into the Man with the Donkeys (left). Crater in search of Leopards. The question of course – you want to see them or you don’t want to see them? Anyway, none seen – but it’s been raining. RAINING. … and it never rains in Africa – say Toto. Our camp for the night has been set up on the rim of the Crater to protect the fragile ecosystem down there. During the night, we got some visits Crater Highlands, Rift Valley, Tanzania Summer 2011 p.3 from Buffalos, I just heard them, didn’t know what the noise was from, but it probably hadn’t changed my reaction anyway – play death … The lake in Empakaii Crater. Very rich in minerals, but, no flamingos, this not being the season. The shores of Lake Empakaii are very soft, the white stuff being salt. Day 3 We are leaving Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Joshua is leaving our group. With him, a friend of 2 days is leaving. Insightful discussions, glimpses into another world. We went on and reached the Massai Village of Naiyobi (= cold place). From there, we went on to the Yellow Acacia forest (left). The area is exceedingly beautiful, the weather was very nice and again, we had a great campsite and – great dinner. Dinner, drink, campfire, cold night, discussions, what a great time I had the privilege to spend. After arrival in the afternoon I did go for some short walk onto a ridge – and there, the first real view of The Mountain, Ol Doinyo Lengai. This is where we seem to want to go. If it is not the way, that is the aim, this will really be the aim. Day 4 We spent the day walking through a spectacular desert area, called Impala’s Horn. Really awesome, we did have a great time. Impala’s Horn The guides, Ibra & Stanley The Food and the Kitchen For almost the whole day, the mountain was visible. Of course, my thoughts were circulating around my wish to go up there, and how to get down again. By the way, the grey sand is of course from the eruptions of Ol Doinyo Lengai, the only active volcano world wide that spouts Carbonatite lava. Crater Highlands, Rift Valley, Tanzania Summer 2011 p.4 And this is Ol Doinyo Lengai. Tonight we’ll go and climb it. Here, the donkeys left us, from here we did go to a Lake Natron Camp Site to catch a few hours sleep (sleep?), to relax and to prepare. Of course, sleep was not possible for me. It seemed to be one thing for me to climb up at night, not seeing anything, but when I will be up there, the sun will be out and – how to get down? I’ll be on a heap of crumbling rock, with nothing but 1800 m of air between me and the camp (and my trip home). I have to admit, I was somewhat scared, I hoped for a car accident, injury to my feet, an eruption of the volcano – of course nothing like this happened. Day 5 The day did start early, it’s been pitch dark, at 11pm. To climb the mountain, we’ve got another guide, Felix, very young and in very good shape. Fast walking, break, and the funny thing, as soon as we stopped, Felix slept. As mentioned before, climbing was relatively easy, even though I realized numerous times that I let pass an opportunity to stop the climb and let reason rule. Thinking of it, falling stones, slippery rocks, and as soon as there will be light, you know where you are – this sure makes for a great vacation. And of course, sweat and freeze. And then, the sun rose, and everything beyond imagination. Crater Highlands, Rift Valley, Tanzania Summer 2011 p.5 Rough beauty up there, only air around my head (and not much in between my ears). Small ridge between the crater on one side and 1800 m downhill on the other side. I almost didn’t feel like making photos, my mind being preoccupied with the thought of getting out of here. Probably not very Swiss feelings … But, out we got, sitting down and searching one foothold after the other, step by step, stepping onto the “Concrete Plate”, on the top, testing every step carefully, will it hold? Ibra and Stanley did a wonderful job, making fun and jokes, I certainly appreciated – and of course, we made it (who, otherwise would have written this report?).
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