8-Day Footsteps of the Maasai Warrior Trek

Eight days in Maasai country, six of them on foot — from Mount Longido across the volcanic plains of the Great Rift Valley to the ancient ruins of Engaruka, guided by Maasai elders and warriors.

This is Northern Tanzania at walking pace rather than from a vehicle. Over roughly 95 to 110 km you cross lava plains and dry lake basins, pass beneath Mount Longido, Mount Kitumbeine and Mount Gelai, and spend the trek in sight of Ol Doinyo Lengai. Your guides are the people whose land this is, and the nights are spent in wilderness camps set up by the crew.

Expect to walk between 7 and 10 hours a day over uneven, dry ground. A 4x4 support vehicle with first aid and radio is within reach on most days, so anyone who needs a rest can ride a stage. That makes the trek a good fit for active families, solo travellers and groups alike. You sleep in dome tents with mattresses, with portable toilets and solar showers at every camp. Bring a 3-season sleeping bag, well broken-in boots and trekking poles; the evenings on the crater rim get cold and windy.

The trek pairs well with a safari afterwards. Popular extensions are two days in the Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara, five days in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro, or four days on the beaches of Zanzibar. Ask us to add one to your quote.