Olduvai Gorge is a world famous archaeological site, and one of the most important prehistoric sites for understanding the evolution of man. This is where Mary Leakey discovered Australopithecus bosei in 1959, today dated at 1.75 million years old, the first worldwide acknowledged ancestral hominid. The discovery opened the gates of funding around the world for the search for our prehistoric roots.

Located in the eastern Serengeti plains in northern Tanzania, it is an easy stop between Ngorongoro and the Serengeti. Curators give regular lectures throughout the day, and the small museum is quite impressive. Paleontological excavations continue at Olduvai, although discoveries of much earlier hominids have moved elsewhere, since Olduvai's treasures are bounded by the horrific eruptions of Ngorongoro volcano about two million years ago.