Several miles southeast of the Serengeti National Park lies Oldapai Gorge, a 31 mile narrow river canyon cut 300 feet deep through the volcanic soils. This is the gorge where, on July 17, 1959, Dr. Louis S.B. Leakey and his wife, Mary, discovered fossil bones of a creature called Australopithecus Boisei, at that time the oldest known ancestor of man, dating back some 1,750,000 years. A multitude of fossil remains have been found in the Gorge since then, not only of other ancestors of man but of other animals as well. From the top, you can look down into the Gorge, as well as see the surrounding countryside. The vegetation is sparse, and mountains are visible in the background. This is a rugged landscape and does not seem conducive to supporting life, at least in this era. The road to the Gorge leads to the lip, on top of which sits a museum and viewing area. Inside the museum are samples of the many fossils found in the Gorge. The museum also contains numerous pictures of the Leakeys and their excavations conducted in and around the Gorge. Behind the museum and on the lip of the Gorge is the viewing area, from which the Gorge itself can be viewed. The various layers of rock lie exposed, clearly visible to the naked eye. These layers date back millions of years and have been worn away over time by water and the elements.

Prior to traveling to Tanzania for the first time, I had mentioned my upcoming trip to a colleague. He informed me that he had just returned from a similar trip the prior summer and that if I visited Oldapai and the occasion arose, I should drive down into the Gorge and visit the actual area where the remains of Australopithecus were found. We questioned Gary about this possibility on our way to the Gorge and he agreed to inquire. After arriving at the Gorge, Gary talked to the chief conservator about the possibility of a tour. The conservator agreed, although I am unclear as to the financial arrangement, if any, made by Gary. The conservator also agreed to give us a presentation on the history of the Gorge and its significance to archaeologists. The curator was a short man and spoke in a halting English. But he obviously cared about his charge, eager to share with us what he knew about the Gorge. He delivered a very spirited presentation, at the end of which we drove into the Gorge and to the place where the Leakeys had made their first significant discovery. Since all three of our land rovers were full, the curator rode sitting on Gary’s lap.

The road leading down into the Gorge is narrow and bumpy, but not that steep and we arrived at the bottom in just a few minutes. In the Gorge there is a plaque marking the spot where the famous remains were discovered. The area used to be a shallow lake, and much of it had been excavated by the Leakeys and others. The curator delivered another presentation at the plaque, explaining the different types of rock surrounding us and relating how the Leakeys and others excavated the lake bed. To be quite honest, the majority of this went over my head. As the others listened intently, I glanced around, trying to imagine what the area must have been like. It was quite hard to perceive the lake that once was there, surrounded by vegetation. The atmosphere was somber, and there was very little noise other than that generated by our group. I did not even hear the chirping of the birds which was so prevalent on the rim of the Gorge. At one time, this was the place where man’s then known earliest ancestors had been found. The place had a reverence of its own and our group was very careful not to disturb this tranquility.

After some time, we returned for lunch to the viewing area, which was nothing more than a large thatch roof and three sides constructed over a gravel floor, inside of which were situated several benches and a table. This viewing area looked out upon the Gorge, providing the guests an unobstructed view. As we were dining, we could not help but notice the many birds fluttering in and out of the various shrubs around us, apparently looking for a hand out. These birds were very colorful, as evidenced by the red and yellow barbet. We came to refer to them as the birds of Oldapai.

The birds did not exhibit any fear of us, and it was obvious that visitors to the Gorge had fed them on a regular basis. They would fly right up to us to pick up crumbs that had fallen onto the ground. Shrubs grew on the rim of the Gorge right next to the viewing area, not more than a few feet from us. The birds grabbed their morsel of food and returned to the relative safety of the shrubs to eat. All in all, they put on a very interesting show.

On our second trip to the northern circuit of Tanzania, we again visited Oldapai, although this time we approached by way of the Shifting Sands, a tall mound of fine sands which moves several inches a year by the winds blowing the sand up one side of the hill and down the other. The road to the Sands is dusty, dry and rough, vegetation is sparse and wildlife viewing is limited. In my opinion, bypassing the Sands would not greatly diminish your safari experience.

On our trip in 2003, we discovered that an additional viewing area had been built and the museum enlarged. However, the place was packed with tourists, and dozens of safari vehicles entered and left while we were there. Clearly, the Gorge had become a popular stopping off spot between the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Further, it did not appear that visitors were being allowed into the Gorge itself, although I may be wrong about this. Notwithstanding the crowds, I still recommend a short visit.

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