The Oldoinyo Lengai volcano is in the Arusha region, about 15 km south of Lake Natron - a home of attractive flamingos!
Oldoinyo Lengai is a very attractive place to visit, both as a tourist and as a scientist. I have been there three times!
The last time of my visit, my leg was injured, and my Maasai friends gave me their traditional medicine (3-day treatment at the camp site). I took it with another causality, my friend from the Vienna Museum of Natural History, Austria.
The climb to the summit:
Due to the hydration problem, the climb begins at around midnight, walking along a single steep path (gradient above 75 degrees). It takes approximately 6 hours to reach the summit!
At the summit, one witnesses an active, very quiet carbonatitic volcanism.
In a simple language, Oldoinyo Lengai is a "white (carbonatite) volcano" that is different from the "black (basalt) volcano" of the Kilimanjaro Mountain. This "white volcano" makes it unique in the world!
Germans working and living in Deutsch-Ostafrika (1885-1918) visited Oldoinyo Lengai
The Maasai friends taught me a lot about the significance of their "God," the Oldoinyo Lengai
I first recommended Oldoinyo Lengai to be on the list of UNESCO's Worlds' Geoparks. I am glad today Oldoinyo Lengai is on that spectacular UNESCO Global Geoparks Network!
It was during my tenure of Chairmanship of UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Scientific Board that we introduced the concept of geoparks and geosites. The Scientific Board began, in the late 90s, enlisting and providing UNESCO's certificates of recognition to such sites or parks. China leads the world!
Enjoy reading the article, sent to us, on Oldoinyo Lengai by clicking this link..(https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/volcanos/mountain-of-god-volcano-in-tanzania-is-bulging-study-finds)
Sospeter Muhongo
Sunday, 22.9.2024