Ngorongoro Crater
Known as ‘Africa’s Garden of Eden’, Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater is the largest unbroken caldera in the world.
Boasting incredible concentrations of wildlife, which includes elephants, lions, cheetahs, wildebeests, buffaloes, and the rare black rhinos.
Ngorongoro crater crown is a deep, volcanic crater, the largest un flooded and unbroken caldera in the world. About 20kms across, 600 meters deep and 300 sq kms in area, the Ngorongoro Crater is a breathtaking natural wonder.
Ngorongoro Crater, Size: 8,292 sq km (3201 sq miles)
Established: 1959
Why You Need to Visit Ngorongoro Crater on Safari
Your Best Chance to See Black Rhinos
There were just 13black rhinos in the crater in the early 2003s. Now, the population has risen to more than 50, Chief Conservator Freddy Manongi said in June of 2018. That’s a significant amount considering the size of the crater. The area provides travelers with the best chance of seeing perhaps the most elusive of the Big Five.
High Population of Lions in the World
The large mammal population in the crater includes the densest population of lions on the planet. That’s no coincidence. A large population of lions needs a reliable food source. Thousands of zebra, wildebeest and buffalo live in the crater year-round and keep the lions well-fed.
World Heritage Site
Any avid traveler would want to tick off as many World Heritage Sites as possible — especially if the site promises an experience beyond your wildest dreams. Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, is that kind of site. Its main feature is the astounding Ngorongoro Crater which is famous for being the largest inactive and intact volcanic caldera in the whole world. A result of a major explosion and collapse about 2 to 3 million years ago, the Crater was officially hailed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa in 2015. Some also refer to it as “the cradle of humanity.”
An expanse that is truly more than meets the eye, Ngorongoro Conservation Area harbors a wide range of globally threatened species and incredibly dense wildlife. It is also one of the centers for extensive archaeological research for more than 80 years as it shows crucial evidence of human evolution and human-environment dynamics.
Africa’s Garden of Eden
When people say “Ngorongoro Conservation Area,” what most human brain automatically pictures is the world-renowned Ngorongoro Crater. And we really can’t blame you for that.
Ngorongoro Crater, the Garden of Eden of Africa, has a glorious landscape that’s teeming with about 25,000 animals including ungulates, four of the Big Five and other large mammals. It is also one of the best places to spot critically endangered animals like black rhinos, golden cats and wild hunting dogs. Home to one of the densest known population of Masai lions, Ngorongoro Crater guarantees an action-packed, heart-pounding game. In fact, it also supports the largest animal migration on earth, the Great Migration. You see, the Ngorongoro Crater area and Ndutu area are settings of the wildebeest calving season. During this time, you will be able to witness thousands of baby wildebeests being born and a plethora of opportunistic predators on stealth and killing modes.
The splendor of this world wonder makes people say this is like “mini Africa in a bowl.” As one traveler would put it, “Imagine a bowl of an incredible landscape filled with just about every African animal you can think of.”
Unique setting
Think of another place in the world where you can see such a unique setting with diverse scenery, prolific wildlife and birdlife, and an ecosystem like no other.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers mountain forests, woodlands, grasslands, lakes, swamps and two major rivers. Not to mention Ngorongoro Crater, Oldupai Gorge and Laetoli.
Amazing sunrise and sunset
Transitions between day and night are often spectacular times go view wildlife and observe their behavior. Aside from this, have we mentioned beautiful sunsets and sunrises? Ngorongoro Crater boasts of a lush landscape with jungles along its crater rim. If you stand or stay at a lodge by the crater rim early in the morning, you will be able to witness the breathtaking movement of the sun as it rises and slowly touches the green grasses of the savannah. If you stay in the middle of the afternoon before the sun sets, you can watch the golden hour and witness one of the most glorious sunsets of your life.
Maasai village trips
Part of the reason behind the Ngorongoro Conservation Area has been to preserve the environment for the Maasai people who were diverted from the Serengeti Plains. Essentially nomadic people, they build temporary villages in circular homesteads called bomas. There are possibilities to visit a couple of these now, which have been opened up for tourists to explore. Here you can see how the huts are built in a strict pattern of order according to the chronological order of the wives, and experience what it must be like to rely on warmth and energy from a fire burning at the heart of a cattle dung dwelling with no chimney. These proud cattle herding people have a great history as warriors, and even though they are no longer allowed to build villages inside, they continue to herd their cattle into the crater to graze and drink, regardless of the predators nearby.
Ngorongoro Crater Safari
A safari in Tanzania usually includes a visit to Ngorongoro along with the top parks and reserves such as Serengeti Park, Lake Manyara, Tarangire, etc, We customize trips and can offer all levels of accommodation to suit your budget and preference.
