This is one of the remaining active volcanoes in Africa. It stands at 2878m high in the Rift Valley. It last erupted on 3Oth March in 2006. 3000 people were evacuated when this took place. The area was shut down for a while but it has since been opened up to visitors. It is in northern Tanzania south of Lake Natron. It lies in the Serengeti, the heart of the Masai people. It is locally regarded as a holy mountain. The god of the Masai people, Engai is believed to live on this mountain.
The ascent of the mountain is hard and tough. It is almost impossible to do it during the day because of the heat, steep and unstable slopes, lack of water and crumbly rocks. If you start at midnight from Lake Natron, it is possible to reach the summit by dawn at a blissful pace. The summit just before dawn can be very cold. Long trousers though not so comfortable are more advised. An access route from the north- west allows an early descent to be made in the morning.
The basic plan for the summit is three days though it can be done in just under two. From Moshi to Ngare Sero where the summit starts, it takes about 7 hours when driving. The summit is fit for a very fit mountain walker because of the rough terrain. A person should have some scrambling experience. Many tour guide companies and rock climbing companies are shying away from this mountain because of the difficulties involved.