Cultural Tour

Overview

  • Summary: Visit several different tribes in Tanzania and learn about their fascinating history and culture
  • Price: $20 per group
  • Duration: 1 - 2 hours
  • Location: Southern Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Olduvai Gorge, Lake Victoria, Arusha and Karatu

Background

Few places in the world can match the Serengeti's long human history and this fact has earned this part of Africa the title of 'Cradle of Mankind'. The earliest record is of a day 3.6 million years ago when three early human-like creatures (or hominids) walked across the Serengeti Plains, at a place now called Laetoli. A volcano had just erupted, blanketing the plains with ash, which a light rain then dampened. The prehistoric people left a clear trail of footprints. In a few days, another ash fall buried all the tracks and over time the ash hardened and became rock, preserving the tracks. Thousands of years passed before the soil on top of the trails eroded and luckily, archaeologists discovered them. The footprints reveal that early hominids walked erect and represent the earliest direct traces of hominids ever found.

The human story goes on, recorded in the ancient walls of Olduvai Gorge where several skulls and related fossils of early hominids were found. Some date as far back as 1.75 million years ago, while others are more recent. Waves of people have moved through the Serengeti ever since. Recently, about 150 years ago, the Maasai people came to the Serengeti. They ousted the Datoga people who undoubtedly pushed earlier people off the plains. And so it goes, back in time. No one tribe can claim to be the original inhabitants of the Serengeti.

The optional excursions listed below provide a chance to meet these latest inhabitants of the Serengeti Plains, called the Maasai. Other cultural tours listed below focus on different tribes in neighboring areas as well as modern Tanzanian villages. Our most popular excursion is the Olduvai Gorge Museum tour, which provides the best way to learn about the archaeology, history, and culture of this area.

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