There are few places in the world where you can stand on the rim of an extinct volcano and look down into a whole crater full of wildlife. The Ngorongoro Crater is one of them. The caldera formed when a volcano collapsed millions of years ago, and today it holds one of the densest concentrations of wildlife in Africa. The conservation area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What you see in the crater
- The black rhino: one of the few places in Tanzania where you have a good chance of seeing one.
- Lions and hyenas: the crater is relatively closed, so the predators stay there all year.
- Lake and flamingos: flocks of pink flamingos gather on the salt lake in the middle of the crater.
- Herds: zebras, wildebeest and buffalo against the green crater walls.
What a day in the crater looks like
You leave early from the lodge in the Karatu area or on the crater rim and drive down a steep road to the floor of the caldera. From there you move between the viewing areas: the lake, the open grasslands and the hippo pool. Lunch is a picnic at one of the official picnic sites in the crater. In the afternoon you drive back up and continue to Lake Eyasi, the Serengeti or the airport.
Why Ngorongoro is good all year
Unlike the Serengeti, where the herds move with the rains, the crater has water and grazing all year round, so most of the animals never leave. That makes Ngorongoro the anchor of almost every route, even in the green season. Even on our two-day SAFARI TASTE we include a day in the crater.
Tips from the field
- It is cold on the crater rim in the mornings and evenings. Bring a warm layer, even in summer.
- Time inside the crater is limited by park rules, so it is important to start early.
- A rhino sighting cannot be guaranteed: they are rare and tend to keep their distance. The guides share sightings, which improves the chances.
How it fits into the trip
Ngorongoro sits between Tarangire and the Serengeti, so it fits naturally into every route on the northern circuit. Contact us to see how it fits into each of our routes and get a price estimate for your dates.
