Longindo Mountain and surrounding 4 days
The Longido Mountain lies on the main road between Arusha and the border with Kenya at Namanga. The mountain rises up steeply from the plains and forms an important point of orientation for people in the wide surroundings. On the mountain and the surrounding plains Maasai warriors wander about with their cattle looking for pasture and water. Maasai families live in small traditional bomas scattered over the area.
Our usual guides are young Maasai who grew up in the area (we refer to them as “local guides”). They speak some English and with the use of hand signals and gestures they can show you the beauty of the area. On walking safaris in the Longido area our Maasai warriors know how to avoid confrontations with wild animals, but should you meet the unexpected they are armed with knives and spears and are able to protect you. Our local guides are able to make your stay very enjoyable.
4 days Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive day pick up from Kilimanjaro International Airport or transferred from Nairobi to Arusha by Shuttle bus. Overnight at the Hotel booked in Arusha.
Day 2
After breakfast drive to Longido to discover the Massai Culture. Meet some of the local elders and the warriors on a brief tour of the village and they will express out how life is like for the family in their traditional home – a boma, which is made from mud and cow dung. In the early morning, women leave the boma to fetch water and collect firewood. Young children play outside their homes and at a very early age takes care of goats, cows and lambs. Settle into your room. Accommodation in a basic guesthouse in the village. 2-3 hours of driving from Arusha.
Days 3
After breakfast at the Camp or Guesthouse you will get ready for a full day walking trip at the Maasai Land and see the women leave the boma to fetch water and collect firewood. Young children play around the mud houses and start at a very early age to take care of kids and lambs. In the area there is an abundance of colourful birds. The starling major, the red and yellow barbet, the masked weaver, the silverbill and the secretary bird are some of the special species to be seen. Longido is further well known for the presence of rare mammals that cannot be seen in any of the national parks. The plains and the slopes of the mountain form a refuge for the gerenuk, the lesser kudu and the klipspringer. Among other animals that live around Longido are giraffes, zebras, gazelles, buffaloes, mongoose and some silver jackals. Make Camp and Overnight Longido.
Day 4
Another early departure for the short drive to road head near Kimokouwa, where several Maasaibomas are peacefully situated in the green “valley of wells”. From here we start the ascent of Longido (2 629 metres) Guided by Maasai warriors armed with knives and spears we leave Kimokouwa in the early morning and follow narrow footpaths through a dense natural forest. After two and a half hours you arrive at the marvelous “dawayasupu” (soup-medicine) viewpoint. From here you will follow trails created by buffaloes to reach the top in another two hours’ climb. With loud cries the Maasai warn the buffaloes that people are coming to avoid dangerous encounters. The views from the top are simply unbelievable. On clear days you can see more than 200 kilometers and all the mountains of Northern Tanzania. The descent of the steep mountain is another challenge. Late in the evening drive back to Arusha for a welcome shower, Dinner and Overnight at the Hotel booked.
End of this tour.
