Longido District stretches from the western slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro in the East to Lake Natron in the West. It is a large expanse of African bush under an endless African sky. The area is rich in birdlife with many different kinds of antelope including gerenuk, lesser kudu and Thomson’s gazelle as well as zebra, giraffe, ostrich and black-backed jackal. The small town of Longido lies on the main Nairobi/Arusha road at the foot of Mount Longido some 70km north of Arusha and approximately 20km south of the town of Namanga on the Tanzania Kenya border. It can easily be reached by public transport and our cultural tourism program is one of the best opportunities to experience rural Africa in the area. The area is predominantly a traditional, pastoralist Maasai community. The Maasai came to Longido around 5 centuries ago from the north, crossing through Kenya and settling in the area where there were natural water springs, flowing rivers and grass for pasture. The lives of the pastoralist Maasai depend on the quality and quantity of their livestock and its products, which in turn are dependent on the availability of pasture, water and livestock health. Both water and natural pasture can frequently be insufficient, especially during drought periods. Longido includes some basic accommodation, restaurants, bars and general stores. It is the site of a thriving Maasai cattle market on Wednesdays and has a police station, several churches and a primary and secondary school. The only electricity is by solar power or private generator. |
