Olorgesailie Prehistoric Site

Olorgesailie was a lake basin between roughly 1.2 million and 490,000 years ago, and the sediments preserved an extraordinary density of stone tools: Acheulean handaxes and cleavers in their tens and hundreds of thousands, made by Homo erectus, along with the bones of extinct elephants, hippos and baboons. Mary and Louis Leakey began systematic work here in the 1940s and the Smithsonian has continued it. What makes the site unusual to visit is that excavated surfaces have been left exposed under shelters, so you look down on scatters of handaxes lying where they were dropped, rather than at a case of selected pieces. A small site museum and bandas sit alongside. The setting is hot Rift floor with Mount Olorgesailie behind, and the trail between the excavation shelters takes about an hour with a guide.

What you actually see

• Exposed handaxe scatters - tools lying in situ under protective shelters.
• Fossil bones - remains of extinct elephant and hippo in the deposits.
• The site museum - displays on the excavations and their interpretation.
• The Rift setting - hot open country with Mount Olorgesailie behind.

When to go

Dry season and early morning; the site is on the Rift floor and midday heat is severe with almost no shade. It is an easy detour on the road to Lake Magadi. Guides are compulsory and included in the fee.

Honest expectations

This is a place for those interested in prehistory: to others it is stones in the dirt, and the visit can feel thin without the guide's explanation. The heat is the main difficulty. Facilities are basic bandas and a small museum. The road is tarmac most of the way with a rough final stretch.

Nearby

Lake Magadi lies south; Nairobi is about two hours northeast.