NGOSI Crater Lake: Another attractive thing in Tanzania

The 2621 meters high Ngosi mountain is a volcano which went silent probably a million years ago. The centre of the mountain collapsed and filled with rainwater up to about 200 meters below the rim of the caldera. Depending the source the crater lake is said to be 3 – 800 meters deep.

There are local legends surrounding this mystic place and the local people believe the rain god is living inside the crater together with a mighty serpent which has magical power…
The flanks of the mountain are covered by a magnificent highland forest, featuring huge trees and beautiful flowers. The area is often submerged in a mixture of swirling clouds and strong sunlight, making the visit of this place a truly unique experience.

The foot of the mountain can be reached from Utengule in
a bit more than one hours drive. Ngosi crater is located near the road to lake Nyasa and can therefore conveniently be combined with a visit to the Lake.
The walk to the crater rim takes about 45 minutes and it is recommended to hire a local guide.


General Information About Mbeya Town in Tanzania.
Mbeya is a large town in the southwest of Tanzania, the gateway to the Southern Highlands. It's a relatively young town built to service the gold mining in the area (which ceased on the 1950s). This unusually developed town has all grades of accommodation and makes a good stopover to rest on long safaris. Mbeya's population was 280,000 in 2005. Mbeya is the capital of the surrounding Mbeya region (whose population, including Mbeya, totals around 2 million). Mbeya town is at an altitude of 1,700m, located in a narrow highland valley surrounded by high mountains.

The temperature ranges between -6C in the highlands and 29C on the lowlands. Mbeya's cooler climate can be misleading regarding the sun - sun cream is recommended when hiking, even on overcast days. The area around Mbeya has abundant, reliable rainfall which stimulates prolific farming on the fertile volcanic soils. Average rainfall per year is 900mm. The main rainy season is from March to May. Sometimes visitors will need warm clothing, such as a fleece and hat, especially in the evenings and early mornings.