Immerse yourself in ancient history at the fascinating palaeoanthropological site of Olduvai Gorge, one of the most important in the world. Set between the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti National Park, the gorge makes a good stop if you’re travelling between the two, rewarding visitors with a presentation on its history, an excellent new museum, and beautiful views – as well as the possibility of visiting an active dig.
History of findings in the Gorge
Olduvai Gorge was made famous by paleoanthropologists Louis and Mary Leakey, who conducted numerous digs here in the mid-20th century. It is globally renowned for the early hominin fossils discovered here, most notably ‘Nutcracker Man’, a new species of hominin that was later classified as Paranthropus boisei. Sites at Olduvai Gorge have also yielded a vast quantity of stone tools, plant and mammal fossils, and the area remains important for research.
Experience the Olduvai Gorge
A visit to the Olduvai Gorge focuses on the smart new museum, opened in October 2017 and overlooking the gorge. Whilst here you will also have a chance to listen to a short presentation by a resident guide. Explore the different sections of the museum to discover the history of the site and learn about the various fossils to be found here. See a replica of the nearby Laetoli Footprints, which provide some of the earliest evidence of bipedalism; learn about the hominines and prehistoric mammals that lived in the area; and chat with a resident expert about the significance of the area as well as the current research. We found that it takes around an hour to explore the museum, but there is no time limit and you can spend as much time looking around as you wish.
