Explore the shifting sands in Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Explore the shifting sands in Ngorongoro Conservation Area
The shifting sands phenomenon appears to be a mysterious movement characteristic of a country known for its iconic wildlife and spectacular landscapes: the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The area in question is across the volcanic landscape of northern Tanzania, and there, in its voluminous form, is what can only be described as a gravity- and logic-defying crescent-shaped dune. Very gradually, the dune drifts slowly over the plains like a moving breath, an enigma carried by the breezes.
Even though most vacationers have gone to Tanzania safaris in the hope of seeing the Big Five or the Great Migration of Serengeti, not many people are aware of this silent spectacle. However, those who follow the Shifting Sands may experience more than just a picturesque scene; they are immersed in a geologic mosaic of ash, wind, and time.
This region is the place you should visit in case you want to explore deeper than any ordinary Tanzania tour and reach the raw and rare secrets of the land.
Top Attractions in Ngorongoro Conservation Area
The Shifting Sands dune
The dunes’ granules aren’t blown away by winds because they are made of extremely magnetic volcanic ash, which binds the sand particles together. Its occurrence as a single, isolated dune is what distinguishes it. Large dune formations are usually home to such dunes. They are made up of fine black ash that is much darker than the surrounding area, which is made up of large plains with plants and short grasses interspersed with acacia trees; the dark colour of the sand is due to the presence of iron-rich minerals.
Trails that travel down the Olduvai Gorge ravine towards the eastern grasslands of the Serengeti on the side of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area provide easy access to the dunes, which are well exposed above the plains.
Ngorongoro Crater
The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the best safari sites in Africa, just about an hour drive away from the shifting sands. Here is a giant volcanic caldera with a population of 25,000 large animals: lions, elephants, rhinos, zebras, and other species, all of which live in a perfectly circular pit with steep sides.
You can combine your visit to the dune with a game drive in the crater. Most Tanzania packages offer tours that visit both destinations on the same day. Remember to bring binoculars; the crater bed is also a wide area and the animals are numerous; the distances, however, are enormous.
Olduvai Gorge
Olduvai Gorge holds significant historical and anthropological value, making it an essential side trip in the Shifting Sands. The Leakey family found some of the oldest human fossils here. The local museum provides the background and narrates early human evolution.
When you take this position, it is difficult not to feel humbled. On one hand stands the moving dune and on the other hand, it is the birthplace of mankind. There are few places in the world that can connect geology, archaeology and beauty .
lake Ndutu and Migration views
The adjacent area of Ndutu is an excellent location for observing the calving season of the Great Migration, particularly from December to March. Thousands of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles provide birth on the open plains as predators encircle them. It is crude, touching and memorable.
The out ward Ngorongoro Conservation area belongs to the greater Serengeti ecosystem and makes many of the Tanzania safaris tricky to include Ndutu as an item of focus during the green season. There is also a brief halt at the Shifting Sands to make the adventure more realistic.
The Masai Local Culture
Ngorongoro conservation area is among the few conservation areas in Africa where both humans and animals live together. One group that inhabits this region include the Maasai, the red-robed pastoral people whose culture is daring, just as the landscapes they live in.
The locals view the Shifting Sands as a sacred place. Others among the Maasai consider moving dunes as a living spirit or a message conveyed by the ancestors. The Shifting Sands are associated with myths and stories that span generations, describing how the land walks and whispers, how the ash is memorable, and how the winds carry messages.
A trip to a Maasai boma (homestead) near the vicinity is fascinating to see a way of life that is closely related to nature. Discover their cow-based economy, traditional medicine, war ceremonies, and their deep reverence for the land.
Be decent-minded – the area is not a circus or a show. It is an opportunity to feel close to a people who have lived in the region for centuries, whose history and traditions can provide a quality framework of what you are witnessing.
Travel Hacks
When to Go to Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Although Shifting Sands may be visited throughout the year, an easier time to travel is in the dry seasons, the period between June and October and between January and February. During the long rains (March to May), roads can become muddy and some of them impassable.
It’s best to visit in February if you want to see the Great Migration calves. June to October is the best time to view general wildlife within the crater.
Getting There
A visit to the Shifting Sands can be taken as an option when booking most of the Tanzania tours that cover the northern circuit (Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire). The dune is situated between Olduvai Gorge and Lake Ndutu and the only means of transport to get there is through a 4×4 vehicle.
It is a 7-8 hour ’drive, normally with one or two overnight stops in Karatu or in the conservation area, starting in Arusha. If you are flying into Ndutu or Serengeti airstrips, you can access the sands in 1-2 hours by driving.
Budgeting moves a step closer to seeking the lowest ending price. Budgeting also explores the issue of costs.
Visiting the dune itself is free, whereas to enter the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a permit is needed (as of October 2014, approximately 70 USD per adult per day, not including the costs of a vehicle or guide).
These costs are usually put in a bundle, especially when you book one with the help of good tour and travel agencies for Tanzania safaris. Travelling with a local guide will save you the hassle of delays, and it will also be more educational.
The Packing List
Light, breathable clothes of neutral colors
Comfortable walking shoes or boots on stony surface
A bandana or scarf (ash is may be fine and airborne)
Wildlife and landscape Cameras with zoom lenses
Sunscreen, glasses and a hat – the sun can be harsh
Hidden gems in the Area
Nasera Rock: A huge inselberg, old rock paintings; and wonderful hiking.
Engare Sero Footprint Site: This site is characterised by the presence of footprints of humans estimated to date to over 5,000 years ago and this can be found north of Lake Natron.
Ol Doinyo Lengai: Kind of an adventure? Then why not hike up this active volcano during a night which is the source of sands? It is a tough and fruitful journey.
Conclusion
The Shifting Sands are something tangible and uncensored that you can reach and travel to, without excessive curating and Instagram fixation that is prevalent in the modern world of reach and travel. There are no lines, no gift stores and there is no Wi-Fi. Just you, the wind, and the dune which was dancing in sync with the planet.
