Tanzania Ngorongoro Conservation Area 1 tour

Olduvai Gorge

'The Cradle of Humankind' — paleoanthropological site with 1.9-million-year-old hominid fossils.

Country

Tanzania

Region

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Best time

Year-round (dry season easier access)

About Olduvai Gorge

Olduvai Gorge, within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, is one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in the world. Louis and Mary Leakey's discoveries here — including Zinjanthropus (1959) and stone tools dated to 1.9 million years — transformed our understanding of human evolution. The site museum (renovated 2021) is a must-stop en route between Ngorongoro and Serengeti.

Highlights

  • 1.9-million-year-old hominid fossils
  • Leakey family research site
  • New 2021 museum
  • Stone-tool exhibits
  • Laetoli hominid footprints (3.6m years)

Best time to visit

Year-round (dry season easier access)

Itineraries

Tours that visit Olduvai Gorge

Choose a curated departure or use any of these as a starting point — we'll tailor the itinerary, dates and pace to you.