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Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area

The Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania is one of the most unique locations in the world. One can hardly believe it is a work of nature and not man seeing as the crater was formed when a volcano the size of Mount Kilimanjaro rose in the East African country and erupted, forming the largest non-flooded caldera on Earth. It is that caldera which forms the Ngorongoro Crater – a stunningly breathtaking expanse of plentiful wildlife, which is deservedly a UNESCO World Heritage site.

  • Best Time To Go

    June-September

  • Average Safari Cost

    From $200 to $600 pp/day

  • Highlights

    Highest concentration of predators in Africa, Big Five, dramatic views of the crater wall, engaging in the culture of Maasai tribes

Why Visit Ngorongoro Crater?

As a part of the Northern Circuit, the Ngorongoro Crater is a very popular tourist destination in Africa – and rightly so seeing as it has so much to offer. The Crater makes up a segment of the 8,300 square kilometres Ngorongoro Conservation Area and is a world away from other parks in Africa due to its remarkable geographical features, most notably the dramatic 1968ft-high crater wall surrounding you.

At Ngorongoro, there is an extremely high density of the Big Five (elephants, buffalos, leopards, lions and rhinos) and it’s likely that you’ll spot all of them in just one day, making for an unusual safari experience. But that’s the beauty of the Crater – it is such a highly concentrated and very dense area for these spectacular animals while at the same time being large enough for them to roam with enough space. It’s truly enthralling.

For more information on the Northern Circuit vs Southern Circuit safaris see our Tanzania Safari - Complete Travel Guide.

Pros And Cons

Pros
  • Ngorongoro is at the top of its game for predator spotting
  • You can experience the Maasai culture by visiting local villages on organised trips
  • It’s a superb natural location
  • Ngorongoro has a great black rhino population and they are easy to spot, unlike at other large parks, such as Serengeti, where they are either incredibly rare or nonexistent
  • You can also spot flamingos at Ngorongoro Crater, adding to the diversity of the site
Cons
  • The Ngorongoro Crater gets very crowded throughout the year
  • Temperatures get very cold in the night, especially if you’re staying on the rim of the crater
  • It can become quite an expensive trip, so be sure to budget efficiently

Best Time To Go

We recommend heading to the Ngorongoro Crater in June through to September, which is the dry season in Tanzania, because animal spotting is much easier. Vegetation is thinner during this time of the year, meaning smaller animals in particular cannot disguise themselves effectively from you as much and animals are also conveniently heading to watering holes, meaning you can watch them all together in one place.

As well as this, rain is minimal in the dry season, meaning your trip is less likely to be interrupted by unpredictable weather and there are less mosquitoes flying around, so there’s a slimmer risk of malaria.

However, if your preference is to head to Tanzania in the wet season, November through to May, then the benefits are as follows: the Crater is less crowded and the scenery is luscious and replenished, creating a gorgeous green expanse.

Wildlife viewing at this time of the year is still second-to-none and bird spotting is actually better. Migratory birds are present during the wet season, adding to the possibilities of species to see, but there are more storms and rain, which can potentially interfere with your plans.

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Wildlife And Birds

Wildlife at Ngorongoro is sublime – and incredibly special. The Crater is host to the marvellous black rhino, which are seldom found elsewhere. It is also home to gracious elephants, daring cheetahs and prowling lions, all of which collectively make your expense well worth it. And the starring appearance of cheeky flamingos at the Crater really adds to the awe-inspiring nature of this location.
List Of Animals
  • Lion
  • Elephant
  • Cheetah
  • Leopard
  • Hippo
  • Buffalo
  • Hyena
  • Giraffe
  • Black Rhino

Rare Animals:

  • Wild dogs
  • Giraffes
  • Leopards

Frequently Seen Animals:

  • Elephants
  • Hippos
  • Buffalos
  • Zebras
  • Lions
  • Wildebeest
  • Black rhinos
  • Hyenas
  • Cheetahs
  • Flamingos

Birdwatching

Wildlife at Ngorongoro is sublime – and incredibly special. The Crater is host to the marvellous black rhino, which are seldom found elsewhere. It is also home to gracious elephants, daring cheetahs and prowling lions, all of which collectively make your expense well worth it. And the starring appearance of cheeky flamingos at the Crater really adds to the awe-inspiring nature of this location.

Endangered Birds:

  • Bush-shrike
  • Spotted ground-thrush
  • Papyrus yellow warbler
  • Eastern imperial eagle
  • Banded sunbird
  • Dappled mountain robin

Endemic Birds:

  • Ashy starling
  • Pemba white-eye
  • Tanzanian red-billed hornbill
  • Rufous-tailed weaver
  • Mrs Moreau’s warbler
  • Fischer’s lovebird

Getting There And Safety

We would advise flying to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) to get to the Ngorongoro Crater as it is part of the Northern Circuit safari route. In most cases, your tour operator will pick you up from here and transfer you to your accommodation. Remember also to check for your country’s visa requirements in Tanzania, though you can usually obtain one upon arrival in the country.
Flights

If you are based in the UK and Europe, check out these flights to Tanzania

If you are based in the USA and Canada, check out these flights to Tanzania

For more details see our Tanzania Safari - Complete Travel Guide.

Visas
For details about visas see our Tanzania Safari - Complete Travel Guide.
Vaccinations

Please note that malaria risk is high around the year in all areas below 1,800m. To protect yourself you should avoid mosquito bites by wearing long sleeve tops and long trousers especially in the evenings, using insect repellents and, when required, sleeping under a mosquito net.

For more details about vaccinations, see our Tanzania Safari - Complete Travel Guide.

Drinking Water
Tap water is not considered safe in Tanzania, so it would be advisable to always use bottled water or bring water sanitation tablets with you. These will come in handy for using water to brush your teeth.
Travel Insurance

Going on a safari in Africa comes with obvious risks. We recommend you get travel insurance for all safaris in Tanzania. Make sure your insurance has full medical coverage, emergency air evacuation, repatriation and the standard travel insurance for cancellations, delays and luggage cover.

Check the World Nomads’ travel insurance calculator to see the cost of the safari trip cover.

What To Pack

You should pack clothes suitable for both hot and cold weather as days can be very hot followed by very cold nights. Your clothes should be in neutral tones, not bright colours. Other items to pack include: insect repellent, camera, torch, binoculars, sunglasses and sun block.

For more details on what to pack see Safari Packing List.