Ngorongoro Crater

Two million years ago a volcano thought to have been slightly taller than Mt Kilimanjaro erupted with such force that the mouth of the volcano imploded. Once the dust settled, what remained is still the largest intact caldera on earth – the Ngorongoro Crater.

About Ngorongoro Crater

East Africa, Tanzania

An earthly masterpiece, something of a miracle, the Ngorongoro Crater is thronged by enrapturing African beasts, protected and blessed by nature

East Africa, Tanzania Ngorongoro Conservation Area A great moment in a traveller’s life: Winding up the forested flanks of the long-retired volcano, up to its very rim, and suddenly, 2,000 feet below, a stunning, world-unique view of the great caldera, undiscovered until 1892.

The Ngorongoro Crater is one of our solar system’s greatest geographic ornaments, a gorgeous natural Eden the size of 75 Central Parks, home to 30,000 free-roaming animals. All-in-all, a superlative safari destination. And, as geologic masterpieces go, Ngorongoro has had quite a career. It’s been a gigantic peak, perhaps a rival of Kilimanjaro, and, after it blew its snowy top in what must have been a rather impressive explosion (our forefathers over at the nearby Olduvai Gorge, busy getting their humanoid act together, probably saw it), Ngorongoro spent many millennia as an alternately quiet and occasionally bubbling lava lake. Now in an extended pacific mood, the crater is about as close as we’ll ever get to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Lost World —which, it must be said, lacked the creature comforts of our luxury lodges, not to mention the ease and comfort of descending to the crater’s lush floor for some of Africa’s finest safari gameviewing.

Things we love about, and love to do in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Reveling in the world-uniqueness of the 100-square mile crater, standing on its grassy floor realizing that a couple of million years ago we’d be stuck in a fierce volcano with thousands of feet of rock over our heads.Watching hippos galumph in waterholes, wondering, like Peter Matthiessen, how the huge beasts could have found their way into the crater.Horsebacking and mountain biking on the crater’s lush slopes, based on the idyllic Manor at Ngorongoro, followed by a vitalizing swim in its pool. Standing on the deck at Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge on the crater’s rim, looking 2,000 feet down at elephants ambling and beautifully designed zebras flowing across the acacia-dotted landscape.Breathing in the pure air of the African highlands. “It went to my head like wine,” Isak Dinesen wrote, “I was all the time slightly drunk with it.”And, as William Hazlett said, “In travelling we visit names as well as places,” so we stop to enjoy just being in a place with such a magically evocative name: The Ngorongoro Crater!

How did the hippopotamus find its way up into the Crater Highlands, to blunder into the water of Ngorongoro? Today one sees them there with wonder, encircled by steep walls….

Peter Matthiessen, The Tree Where Man Was Born.

Ngorongoro Crater, named after the resonant sound of cattle bells once filling its expanse, has evolved from human habitation to a premier wildlife sanctuary. The removal of settlements enabled its transformation into a globally celebrated wildlife haven. It now stands as the core of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a World Heritage Site since 1959, lauded for its rich biodiversity and archaeological significance, including the pivotal Olduvai Gorge.

Flanked by the Serengeti and game-controlled zones, it forms a vast conservation mosaic where the Maasai people continue their traditional nomadic life, albeit without cattle grazing within the crater to protect its ecosystem. The crater, a biodiversity hotspot, shelters an estimated 25,000 large mammals.

Highlights

Picnic

There is a picnic area at the Ngoitokitok Springs where visitors can stretch and enjoy a meal.

Game Viewing

With an incredible diversity and abundance of game, visitors are all but assured of great sightings

Bird-watching

Over 500 species are represented in the overall conservation area, ranging from waterbirds to raptors.

Within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Lake Makat (Magadi)

This shallow soda lake that is fed by both rainfall and various rivers, adds a flash of colour, particularly when the surrounding grasslands are dry. Adding to the lush green on the banks, an incredible array of birds are found both in and around the water. Perhaps most colourful of these are the many thousands of lesser flamingos that feed on the algae in the shallows. The algae, in combination with bacteria, turns the plumage of the birds a lovely pink. Rafts of hippos pass the day in the water before leaving to graze overnight. Adjacent to the lake there is numerous mud wallows frequented by Cape buffalo, elephants, black rhinos, and warthogs.

Lerai Forest

Compared to the sparse vegetation on the south-facing slopes of the caldera, the vegetation on the north-facing slopes is relatively dense, particularly in the area known as the Lerai Forest in the southwest. The thicker layer of soil accumulated at the base of the slope means that large trees can establish their root structures and thrive in the temperate climate. Of these, the distinctive yellow-barked fever tree (Vachellia xanthophloea) stands out, along with the twisted trunks of fig trees. The trees are home to numerous bird species, along with vervet monkeys, Olive baboons and tree hyraxes. The trees also offer sanctuary to the few leopards present within the crater. Massive bull elephants collect seed pods and bark alongside bushbuck, eland and waterbuck. Some say this is the best place to spot black rhinos.

Ngoitokitok Springs Picnic Area and Swamp

With much of the day confined in a vehicle, a visit to the springs offers a welcome opportunity to stretch and enjoy a packed picnic lunch overlooking a small lake created by the springs that bubble up from the earth. Within the water, hippos and waterfowl are almost constantly active. Stately elephant bulls and other wildlife often come down to drink. Birdlife is also prolific.

The Ngorongoro Crater is a prime wildlife viewing destination year-round, unaffected by the Great Migration, thanks to its ample food and water. Home to an estimated 25,000 large mammals, its flat terrain and sparse vegetation make spotting animals, especially after rains, easier. The crater boasts one of the highest densities of lions in Africa, though it faces challenges like inbreeding.

Spotted hyenas are common, while cheetahs, leopards, and African wild dogs are rarer, with leopards mostly in the Lerai Forest. Mega-herbivores such as hippos, buffalos, elephants, and black rhinos are prevalent, except giraffes. It also hosts wildebeest, zebra, warthogs, antelopes, and a rich variety of birds, making it a hub of East African wildlife diversity accessible throughout the year.