The name was derived from early
European miss-spelling of "Oldupai" the Maasai name for the plants
that grow in that area. It has amazing landscape that resulted from
the tectonic forces which created the Great Rift Valley million of
years ago. Long ago the area was covered by ancient salt lake which
vanished and leaving salt deposits exposed in its walls until
today.
The
steep sided gorges is nearly 90 meters high and its extension
is 50 kilometers long.
The
importance of this area lies on the uncovered archeological
remains; fossils remains, including the bones of early hominids,
stone tools, marks and a building site. Other sites within the area
are Laetoli site, Lake Ndutu Sites, and Nasera Rock Shelter.
Apart from
Olduvai Gorge, which reminds us of the origin of mankind, there are
also the ruins of the ancient city, which are marked by stone
terrace and the complex irrigation system at Engaruka within
Conservation Area
Shifting Sands: There is
the volcanic ash dune of Shifting Sands situated near Olduvai
Gorge. These crescent-shaped mounds are a remarkable phenomenon.
Technically they are known as barkan, and they result if there
is sufficient dust on the ground and a unidirectional wind to
blow it. The dust collects around a stone, and this collection
accumulates more. The process continues, with the mound growing
all the time, and then it begins to move. The crescents have
their two sharp arms pointing the way the wind is going, and the
whole shape is beautifully symmetrical
