Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

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Overview

Covering an area of 8 292km², Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a part of Serengeti’s ecosystem.

With its enormous calderas and spectacular vistas, the crater is a huge volcanic hole where visitors can see every wildlife they wish to see.

Being the world’s largest inactive, intact and unfilled volcanic caldera, Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sometimes you get confused about which way to look; the lions may stroll beside you, the rhinos grazing on the grassland, the giant elephants patrolling in the distance, or the hippos taking a bath in the lake.

The contrasting habitat of the caldera is surprising. Over 30,000 mammals, the different wild animals include zebra, buffalo, wildebeest, reedbuck, hyena, and a lake-tinged pink by incalculable flamingos.

Encountering the black rhinos, are treat to eyes.

The crater gate opens at sunrise and the first two morning hours showcase the magical view of the crater; you can see lions hunting for breakfast, wildebeests grazing in herds, elephant roaming in the open.

The Wildlife

The top sighted animals include the Big Five, zebra, porcupine, hartebeest, bushbuck, hyena, leopard, golden jackal, spotted hyena, thomson’s and grant’s gazelle, serval (rare), wildebeest, bat-eared fox and many more.

The Birdlife

Over 500 different bird species, Ngorongoro Crater offers excellent bird watching opportunity. The top-sighted birds include African spoonbill, Augur buzzard, Capped wheatear, Eastern double-collared sunbird, Egyptian vulture, Fan-tailed widowbird, Greater flamingo, Hartlaub's turaco, Hildebrandt’s francolin, Hildebrandt’s starling, Jackson’s widowbird, Kenya rufous sparrow and many more.

November to April is good to see the migrating birds.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Best Time To Visit

Ngorongoro Crater offers superb wildlife viewing throughout the year. However, the dry season (June to September) is good to spot wildlife easily as the vegetation becomes thinner and wild animals concentrate around the water sources.

The wet season (November to May) offers a spectacular green view of nature. Migratory birds can be seen in plenty.

How To Go

Your entry point to the land is Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha or Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR), near Dar es Salaam, then flying to Arusha.

Ngorongoro Crater is easy to access from Arusha town. From Arusha the conservation area can be reached by small aircraft on chartered flights or scheduled flights.

Uniqueness

  • Ngorongoro Crater is renowned for its unique flora and fauna
  • Striking scenery with exceptional wildlife viewing opportunity
  • Good for a cultural visit to the Maasai clan
  • A good understanding of early human evolution in Olduvai Gorge
  • A variety of activities including Olmoti climb and hiking Empakaai Crater

Pros and Cons

Pros :

  • The conservation area is good to see diverse range of wild animals.
  • The Crater is home to the Big Five
  • The Crater is also home to the black rhinoceros.

Cons :

  • The peak seasons experience much crowds.

Activities

Ngorongoro Crater offers a wide range of activities to enjoy. The most popular are:

  • Hiking
  • Camping
  • Bird Watching
  • Game Viewing
  • Cultural Visits
  • Wildlife Photography
  • Cultural Tours

Accommodation

The accommodations near the crater rim give the prime view of the spectacular sunrise and wildlife view. The campsites and lodges are perfect for a true wilderness experience and a high-style, contemporary escape.

Contact us to choose from plenty of amazing lodges and camps nearby.

Location

Ngorongoro Crater is located 180 km (110 mi) west of Arusha in the Crater Highlands area of Northern Tanzania. So the area is easily accessible from Arusha town.

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