Ngorongoro Conservation area: Introduction
A visit to the Ngorongoro Crater is an experience of a lifetime. There are few places that have wildlife densities and variety on this level. It is not unusual to see the Big Five in one day – and all this in the most amazing setting with a backdrop of the 600m/1,968ft-high crater wall. The Ngorongoro Crater offers some of the best wildlife viewing in Africa. All the major safari animals occur in great numbers. The resident population of black rhino is a real treat, as rhino are very difficult to spot elsewhere in Tanzania. The crater is also home to some very impressive elephant bulls with huge tusks. Lake Magadi often harbors large flocks of flamingo.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is stunningly beautiful. Aside from the well-known Ngorongoro Crater, Empakaai and Olmoti craters are scenic highlights as well. Both the Ngorongoro and Empakaai craters regularly have flocks of flamingo. The forested crater rim of the Ngorongoro Crater is in stark contrast with the crater floor, which consists mostly of grassland. Another feature on the crater floor is Lerai forest, a beautiful, atmospheric, yellow fever tree forest.
Locate the Ngorongoro Conservation area
How to get there & Best time to visit
How to get there
Most people visit the Ngorongoro Crater as part of a Northern circuit safari. Conveniently, Ngorongoro lies en route to Serengeti National Park and is only a 3-hour drive* (180km/112mi) on tarred road from the town of Arusha, which is the starting point of all safaris in northern Tanzania.
From Arusha, you can hop around the parks of the Northern circuit by small aircraft on chartered or scheduled flights. Alternatively, you can drive and do the whole circuit, or parts of it, by safari vehicle. A popular option is to fly into Serengeti and make your way back by safari vehicle via the Ngorongoro Crater, or the other way around. In most cases, your tour operator will pick you up from the airport and make all further arrangements for you.
Best time to visit
One of the best times to visit the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is during the rainy season of April and May. The roads are muddier, but the vehicles are well-equipped to cope. During this season, the crater and surrounding highlands are lush and green, often with wildflowers blooming in May. There are fewer visitors and vehicles, the wildlife and birding are excellent, and you will benefit from reduced safari prices. July to September heralds the high tourist season, and significantly more vehicles during the dry season.
The confined space of the crater floor makes the high number of vehicles more obvious than in more open and expansive areas. The short rains of November and December refresh the landscape after the dry season, creating excellent photography conditions in January. At whatever time you visit, the Ngorongoro Crater is a unique and iconic natural wonder known for its high concentration of incredible wildlife, while the wider conservation area offers stunning landscapes. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area can be enjoyed throughout the year.