Oldupai Gorge

Looking out into the Gorge

Walking to the archaeological site in the gorge

Sign showing Mary Leakey's camp one way and Zinj hominid site the other way

Place where Zinj (Anthropithecus Boisei) was found

Shifting Sands

Today we woke up and it was freezing outside! Luckily for us, it warmed up once the sun came out, but it was kind of crazy being able to see my breath outside.  After breakfast we drove about an hour to Oldupai Gorge, the place where the first hominids were discovered.  We visited the museum there and then walked down the path to the site where Mary Leakey’s crew first discovered the Australopithecus Boisei skull, as well as the remains of Homo Habilis.  These remains date back to over 1.75 million years ago!  Additionally, the remains of Homo erectus and Homo Sapiens have been found in the upper layers of Oldupai Gorge.  It was really neat to see the place where humans first evolved!  Dr. Bushozi gave us a lecture on the site and told us about geology and the formation of the Gorge.  It was created by faulting which happened thousands of years ago.  Additionally, water flowed through the gorge at one point and deepened the channels in the gorge. 

While we were at the gorge, I just kept thinking how much Lara would love this!  Apparently, a group from Rutgers University in New Jersey comes every summer to do excavation on the site and uncover more artifacts.  Wouldn’t it be cool to work on that research team?

After lunch we headed to shifting sands, a sand dune in the middle of the Gorge.  I never knew that college kids could have so much fun playing in sand, but we did!  We were rolling around in it, racing up the dune, and digging holes in the black sand.  We were covered from head to toe in sand by the time we were done with it, but it was nice to play for a while. 

We returned back to camp in the afternoon and hung out until dinner.  Tomorrow we leave for Lake Eyasi.  On the way, we will be going through the crater on a game drive and hope to see lots of wildlife. 

Adios!

Erin

Maasai Word of the Day: Oldupai = Sisal [a succulent plant that grows in Africa]