The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the most famous places in Africa and is said to have the highest density of wildlife in Africa. Sometimes referred to as the “eighth wonder of the world”, the crater has gained world fame and attracts an ever-growing number of visitors every year. You are unlikely to escape other vehicles here, but you are guaranteed great game viewing in a truly stunning environment. Nowhere else in Africa is the Ngorongoro Crater as beautiful as here!

The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world. It forms a spectacular bowl of about 265 square kilometres, with walls up to 600 metres deep, and is home to about 30,000 animals at any given time. The crater rim is over 2,200 metres high and has its own climate. From this high vantage point, it is possible to make out the tiny shapes of the animals that cavort far below on the crater floor. Clouds hang over the rocky crater rim most days of the year and it is one of the few places in Tanzania where it can get cool at night.

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The crater floor consists of a number of different habitats, including grasslands, swamps, forests and Lake Makat (Maasai for ‘salt’) – a central soda lake filled by the Munge River. All these different habitats attract wildlife to drink, wallow, graze, hide or climb. Although animals can move freely in this enclosed environment, the rich volcanic soil, lush forests and spring-fed lakes on the crater floor (combined with the fairly steep crater walls) tend to encourage both grazers and predators to stay all year round.

Ngorongoro Crater: Wildlife Highlights
The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the most likely areas in Tanzania to see the endangered black rhino, as a small population thrives in this idyllic and protected environment. It is currently one of the few areas where they still breed in the wild. The chances of encountering leopards and the fabulous black-maned lions are also good here. The carbonated waters of Lake Magadi also attract many flamingos.

Ngorongoro Crater: Excursions to Maasai villages
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area was established partly to preserve the environment for the Maasai who were driven out of the Serengeti plains. Essentially, they are a nomadic people who build temporary villages in circular homesteads called bomas. There is now the opportunity to visit some of these villages, which have been opened to tourists. Here you can see how the huts are built in a strict pattern according to the chronological order of the wives, and experience what it must be like to rely on the warmth and energy of a fire burning in the heart of a cattle dung dwelling with no chimney

Is the Ngorongoro Conservation Area a must-see in Tanzania? Here are 10 reasons why

WORLD HERITAGE SITE
Every avid traveller wants to tick off as many World Heritage Sites as possible – especially if the site promises an experience beyond your wildest dreams. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, is one such site. Its main feature is the stunning Ngorongoro Crater, known as the largest inactive and intact volcanic crater in the world. The crater is the result of a major explosion and collapse some 2 to 3 million years ago and was officially named one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa in 2015. Some also refer to it as “the cradle of humanity”.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is more than meets the eye. It is home to a variety of globally threatened species and incredibly dense wildlife. It has also been one of the centres for extensive archaeological research for more than 80 years, as it reveals crucial evidence of human evolution and human-environment dynamics.

AFRICA’S GARDEN OF EDEN
When you say “Ngorongoro Conservation Area”, most people automatically think of the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater. And we really can’t blame you.

The Garden of Eden of Africa, the Ngorongoro Crater offers a magnificent landscape teeming with some 25,000 animals, including ungulates, four of the Big Five and other large mammals. It is also one of the best places to see endangered animals such as black rhino, golden cats and wild hunting dogs. The Ngorongoro Crater is home to one of the densest known populations of Maasai lions and is a guarantee of action-packed, heart-pounding wildlife viewing. It is also the site of the largest animal migration in the world, the Great Migration. Indeed, the Ngorongoro Crater and the Ndutu area are the scene of the wildebeest calving season. During this time, you will witness the birth of thousands of baby wildebeest and an abundance of opportunistic predators that are on sneak and kill mode.

The magnificence of this wonder of the world makes people say this is like “mini Africa in a bowl”. As one traveller put it, “Imagine a bowl of incredible scenery with pretty much every African animal you can imagine.”

UNIQUE EXPOSURE
Think of another place in the world where you can find such a unique setting with diverse landscapes, abundant wildlife and birdlife and a unique ecosystem.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area includes mountain forests, woodlands, grasslands, lakes, swamps and two major rivers. Not to mention the Ngorongoro Crater, Oldupai Gorge and Laetoli.

MAASAI VILLAGE
The Maasai tribe are the original inhabitants of this area. They have given the place the name “Ngorongoro”, which means “gift of life”. They are probably