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 Olduvai
Gorge - also called the "Cradle of Mankind", where, in 1959, Dr. Mary Leakey
found the fossil fragments of Zinjanthropus, a distant human relative, dating
back 1.8 million years when the area was a seasonal lake. In 1976 Dr. Mary
Leakey invited Peter Jones (founder of Tanganyika Film and Safari) to work
with her at Olduvai as an archaeologist and stone toolmaker. His work helped
assess the possible uses of the various stone tools. Thanks to Peter's insistence
to further excavate Laetoli, he and the Leakey's eventually uncovered the
famous Laetoli footprints, which proved that about 3.8 million years ago
our ancestors walked up right. Peter remained at Olduvai for eight years
managing Leakey's camp, coordinating Laetoli field seasons, and conducting
his own archaeological research.
Olduvai Gorge is situated in the short grass plains, a little over an hours
drive west of Ngorongoro Crater, and is in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Campsites are available by special permission only and we usually visit
Olduvai on a day that we travel between Ngorongoro and Serengeti.
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