Olduvai Gorge

★★ Olduvai — The Cradle of Humankind

The Olduvai Gorge (correct name: Oldupai, after the sisal plant growing there) is one of the most significant paleoanthropological sites in the world. In this 48 km long and up to 90 m deep trench in the East African Rift Valley, Louis and Mary Leakey found fossils from 1959 that revolutionarily changed our understanding of human evolution.

Discovered here:

• Homo habilis (1.9 million years) — the oldest known toolmaker
• Paranthropus boisei (1.75 million years) — the famous "Nutcracker Man"
• Homo erectus (1.2 million years) — the first emigrant from Africa
• The Laetoli footprints (3.6 million years, 45 km south) — the oldest preserved upright footprints of humanity

The small but excellently curated Olduvai Museum at the edge of the gorge displays replicas of the most important finds (the originals are in the National Museum in Dar es Salaam). A guide leads through the exhibition and to the viewpoint over the gorge. The visit lasts about 1–1.5 hours and is perfectly located on the route between Ngorongoro and Serengeti.