Ngorongoro Crater, in the same conservation area as Olduvai Gorge

Culture · Sample itinerary

Olduvai Gorge Visit

Stop at one of the world’s most important sites for understanding human origins, between Ngorongoro and the Serengeti.

DurationHalf day · on the Serengeti road

RouteNgorongoro Conservation Area

PaceEasy, museum and viewpoint

Best timeYear-round

A starting point for your custom trip

Fossils and stone tools from Olduvai Gorge, also spelled Oldupai, including the skull Mary Leakey found in 1959, changed how we understand early human ancestors. A short visit fits naturally into the drive to the Serengeti.

Olduvai Gorge Museum

Viewpoint over the gorge

Casts of the Laetoli footprints

Easy to add to a Serengeti transfer

Day by day

A sample route, refined with you.

Arrival

The museum

Turn off the main Serengeti road to the museum on the gorge rim. A site guide introduces the layers of the gorge and the fossils and stone tools found there.

The gorge

Look across the gorge

Take in the view from the rim, then see displays including casts of the Laetoli footprints, left by early human ancestors walking upright about 3.6 million years ago.

Onward

Continue to the Serengeti

Rejoin the main road toward the Serengeti, or return to the highlands, depending on your route.

Your proposal can include

Museum entry and site guide
Vehicle and driver-guide within your safari
Conservation-area fees as quoted
Drinking water

Budget separately

Accommodation
Tips and personal purchases
Travel insurance
Other optional activities

Your final proposal will confirm the exact route, accommodation, inclusions, and terms before you book.

Olduvai Gorge lies inside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so it is usually visited on the way to or from the Serengeti rather than as a separate trip. Allow about one to two hours.