|
|
|
|
| Human Origins at Olduvai Gorge |
| Unearth the origins of humans at this world-renowned site. |
|
|
|
On The Expedition Following in the Leakeys' footsteps to work in this legendary, arid gorge, you will help survey for evidence of hominid activity and dig 4 x 2 meter trenches and sieve dirt for smaller artifacts and fossils. You may work where earlier Earthwatch teams found two hominid teeth and a skull fragment, or excavate and conserve a complete, million-year-old elephant fossil. You will wash, sort, record, and carefully wrap your finds for the bone-jarring drive back to the National Natural History Museum in Arusha. You will work alongside local Maasai field assistants, and have opportunities to visit their bomas (villages). At the southern end of the Serengeti Plain, Olduvai is less than an hour away from the Ngorongoro Crater and harbors abundant wildlife as well, including giraffes, elephants, antelopes, hyenas, and more. Meals and Accommodations You will stay in the same camp that Louis and Mary Leakey used when making their discoveries, sleeping in your own sleeping bag and tent. You will quite likely see giraffes and elephants near the camp, which provides an outhouse and cold bucket baths or solar showers for your basic comforts. You will enjoy tasty meals prepared by an experienced cook whose father cooked for the Leakeys, including homemade bread, chapatis, rice, ugali (maize porridge), and pasta with various meats and vegetables and plentiful tropical fruits. The soups alone are worth the trip to Olduvai! |
Details
|
Booking Terms & Conditions |
|
Research Summary Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania — Our modern understanding of human evolution began with finds by Dr. Louis and Mary Leakey in this rugged gorge, where faulting and erosion have laid bare 100 meters of sediment spanning two million years. Now, however, the erosion that led to the Leakeys' brilliant discoveries threatens to obliterate the remaining record of hominid prehistory. Exacerbated by El Niño conditions, seasonal rains are washing emerging fossils into the river so fast that archaeologists cannot keep pace. To meet the challenge, you can help Dr. Fidelis Masao, Dr. Jackson Njau (National Natural History Museum), and Chediel Msuya (Tanzania Department of Antiquities) recover as much as possible from the 1.75-million-year-old "DK" site, which yields choppers and scrapers from humankind's oldest stone technology. Meet the Scientists  Dr. Fidelis Masao Open University of Tanzania |
Details
|
|
More...
|
|
About the Research Area Olduvai Gorge is one of the most famous palaeoanthropological sites in the world. It lies at the southern end of the world-famous Serengeti Plains, which abound in wildlife - everything from hippos and rhinos to atelope and wildebeast, eagles and ostriches. On the south and southeast, Olduvai is flanked by the picturesque Volcanic Crater Highlands; some of these peaks contributed the volcanic sediments which have so efficiently concealed and preserved the palaeoanthropological traces at the famous footprint site of Laetoli as well as at Olduvai Gorge. The highest peak, Oldeani, rises to 3,188 meters above sea level. Game is abundant near the Olduvai camp, and it is not unusual to see giraffes, elephants, antelopes and hyenas. Lions rarely come close to the camp, but they can be heard loudly and clearly at night. Elephant herds normally come through Olduvai during the dry season (June- September) on their way to water sources at Lakes Ndutu and Masek. They sometimes linger in the area, especially in the river valley, for one to two weeks before trekking away. The gorge and the surrounding area are home to numerous Maasai families who use the dry riverbed as goat and cattle track ways. In addition to being at the southwestern end of the Serengeti Plains, Olduvai is also within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority. The approach to Olduvai is through the Ngorongoro highlands renowned for its spectacular crater and unique ecosystem, which is home to different kinds of wildlife including the Big Five: elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion and giraffe. It takes only 50 minutes to drive from the Olduvai camp to Ngorongoro and a little more to get to the heart of the Serengeti. Find out more |
Fact Sheet
|
|
Locations shown are approximate.
|
