The Gol Mountains offer a walking holiday experience that takes you through forests, craters, and open hills. The mountains lie above the escarpment of the Great Rift Valley in Tanzania. While walking in the Gol Mountains, you get wide views of the Ngorongoro Crater and a closer look at the Empakai Crater, which is part of a UNESCO World Heritage landscape. A visit here needs at least two days, with the first days used to explore the savanna hills and nearby craters.
The Gol Mountains are the ancestral home of the Maasai. The soils in this area are fertile and support grass growth on the plains. This is why the Maasai settled here, as their life depends on cattle. The Gol Mountains sit along the borders of the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The open plains help animals move between Serengeti and the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya during migration seasons.
The Gol Mountains rise to about 915 meters above sea level. The area is covered by plains with short grass. The mountain range sits on the northern edge of the Ngorongoro area and is made up of several ridges. Scientists believe these ridges are among the oldest geological structures in the region, with origins that go back over one million years.
Because of the short grass and regular rainfall, the Gol Mountains support many herbivorous animals. The area receives rain mainly from March to June and again from October to November. The other months are mostly dry, which makes walking and hiking easier.
Visitors to the Gol Mountains can also choose to hike Ol Doinyo Lengai, which rises to about 2,878 meters above sea level. After reaching the summit, hikers can descend into the Great Rift Valley toward Lake Manyara National Park.
The Gol Mountains can be visited all year. The dry months from December to February and July to September are better for walking. The wet months from March to June and October to November can be slippery and some roads may be hard to use. Weather can change at any time, so it is best to consult your tour operator before planning your trip.
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