Ngorongoro Conservation Area

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A designated UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, the conservation area allows visitors to sample locally grown and brewed coffee, safari through a crater, and hike up another and walk in the footsteps of early man. The Ngorongoro Crater is famed for being the only intact caldera in the world. A wildlife sanctuary flourishes in its basin where the floor has been fertilised by the volcanic soil, attracting an array of wildlife ranging from lion and leopard to elephant and hippo. Visitors can safari through the crater and in the Ndutu lake area to the west of the crater, known for its particularly strong wildlife population and the Great Migration passing through annually. Two lesser craters, Empakai and Olmoti, can be explored on foot with local Maasai guides. The impressive Olduvai Gorge ‒ where a 1.75-million-year-old hominin skull and series of preserved footprints were discovered ‒ allows visitors to walk in the literal footsteps of early man. Take almost 30,000 large mammals and place them inside the crater of an extinct volcano. Add about 264 square kilometers (102 square miles) of wetlands, forests and grasslands, and the result is the Ngorongoro Crater. This world-famous safari destination offers its visitors superb game viewing in an unbelievably unique setting. Nothing can fully prepare you for the moment you first gaze down into the Ngorongoro Crater.
The Crater is located within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a protected region in Tanzania that comprises a large chunk of the southern Serengeti’s short-grass plains and the Ngorongoro Highlands, a range of ancient volcanoes on the west side of the Great Rift Valley. The Ngorongoro Crater has earned a fabled reputation as one of Africa's most unique natural wonders, boasting a remarkable concentration of animals living in diverse habitats.
Ngorongoro Crater:
As the wildlife remains within the steep-walled caldera all year round, the question of when to go to Ngorongoro Crater is less about optimising your game viewing experience and more about how many other people and vehicles you want to share the Crater with. The dry season months are between June and October when temperatures are cooler and animal sightings are superb ‒ it’s easy to spot them along the barren plains and they don’t wander far from watering holes. But this is also peak safari season when throngs of tourists flock here from all over the world. Tanzania’s two rainy seasons are from April to May and November to December. Temperatures are warm and the roads around the caldera can get rather muddy. But there are far fewer visitors during the wet seasons and the Ngorongoro Crater transforms into a wonderfully lush, emerald ‘Garden of Eden’.
Get To Explore:
  • Ngorongoro Crater world’s largest intact wildlife caldera
  • Africa’s densest large-mammal population including the Big Five
  • Key stronghold protecting the critically endangered black rhino
  • Part of annual wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle migration
  • Birdwatcher’s Paradise with over 500 bird species thrive including migrants
  • Olduvai Gorge, the Cradle of Mankind, contains early human fossils
Weather & Climate:
Ngorongoro is in a temperate location, so the temperature is usually consistent throughout the year. It goes only as high as 25°C / 73° F during the warmer months which are November to May. These are the wet months. The dry months are from June to October, and during this time temperature goes as high as about 20°C / 66°F. It must be noted that, since the crater rim and the crater itself are a bit at a higher altitude their temperatures may vary a bit compared to the rest of the conservation area. The weather on the crater rim does not get hot even during the day, but the crater rim will be colder and will even become freezing at night and early morning. During the dry season, you can expect the weather at the crater rim and floor to go as low as about 6°C / 43°F. During the wet season, it can go as low as about 10°C / 50°F.
Wildlife:
Variations in climate, landforms, and altitude produce a range of habitats that can support a variety of wildlife, and has led to a network of overlapping ecosystems. The crater basin is covered with fresh water and alkaline lakes, marshes and swamps. These alkaline lakes attract flamingos, which number in their thousands during the wet season. The crater is home to some 30,000 animals, some of which migrate here during the Great Migration, and others that stay here year-round. The rich, volcanic, fertile soil of the crater hosts plenty of wildlife in the dry season, including warthog, impala, and buffalo. These prey in turn attract predators, including lions, hyena, cheetah, leopard, wild hunting dog and golden cat. Honey badgers, jackals, foxes, and ostrich can be found here year-round. A high population of cheetahs and lions can be found in the Lake Ndutu region west of the crater
Bird:
The wide variety of vegetation and multiple water bodies, including Lake Magadi at the base of the crater also attract a variety of bird species. Birds migrate from Europe and Asia to Africa, and many of them find homes in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area including other national parks. Swallows, Harriers, Bee Eaters, Flamingos, and European Storks are some of the birds that visit Ngorongoro. At the base of the crater, one can find Ostriches, Kori Bustards, Grassland Pipits, and Larks. Rufous Tailed Weaver is one of the famous bird species endemic to East Africa. If you wish to find them in Tanzania, then Ngorongoro is again a good spot. Other endemic species Ngorongoro is home to are, black-winged lapwings, rufous-winged sunbirds, and Usambara weavers.
Getting There:
There are two options to get to the crater. The first is to drive from Arusha to the crater, which takes about 4 hours. A common setup is to get picked up from Kilimanjaro Airport. It is often a good idea to arrive early at the crater gates to avoid waiting in a queue to buy park tickets ‒ this can mean it is worth stopping off halfway between Arusha and the crater for the night. Alternatively, you can fly into the national park from Arusha. This is known as ‘fly in camp’, and we'll provide a guide and vehicle for when you arrive at the park. There is one airstrip in the park, the Lake Manyara airstrip.