Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s only intact and unfilled volcanic caldera. The Ngorongoro Crater is without doubt the iconic attraction in the extensive Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA). The Crater is the biggest and the most spectacular part of the NCA. Within the Ngorongoro Crater, there reside more than 25,000 animals which include the Big 5 game; African elephants, lions, rhinos, leopards, and buffaloes.
What makes the Ngorongoro Crater unique?
Beyond being the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera, the Ngorongoro Crater is a scenic natural sanctuary a home to some of the highest concentrations of huge mammals on the African continent. The crater features a distinct ecosystem of its own. Ngorongoro Crater dates back to over 2-3 million years back.
More insights about the Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro Crater rim and its floor are the perfect viewing and photography points for visitors on wildlife tours. Geologically, the cone of the volcanic caldera collapsed inwards creating a crater and the site takes name after the Maasai phrase “orginrra le kkorongoro” meaning “Big Bowl.”
The Ngorongoro Crater is such a spectacular feature and comprises different habitats including woodlands, rivers, swamps, and grasslands. These offer refuge to diverse wildlife and vegetation. The Ngorongoro Crater geological formation dates back to over 2.5 million years. It formed after a massive volcano burst and collapse resulting into continuous tectonic activities and movements. The crater extends up to 260 sq. km in size, with a diameter record of 20 km and depth of 610 meters.
Wildlife in Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro Crater is where the highest concentration of wildlife in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area are confined. Diverse wildlife in the Ngorongoro Crater area include hyenas, hippos, elands, zebras, gazelles, African elephants, buffaloes, leopards, lions, rhinos, and wildebeest. Other wildlife that live in the Ngorongoro Crater include Jackals, cheetahs, Kudus, bushbucks, hartebeests, impalas, and waterbucks.
Birds of Ngorongoro
A total of about 500 bird species reside in the Ngorongoro Crater making it a special birding spot worth exploring on Tanzania safari. The birds of Ngorongoro Crater include knob-billed ducks, white-backed ducks, fulvous whistling-duck, common ostriches, blue-billed teal, African black duck, spur-winged goose, Egyptian goose, harlequin quail, Shelley’s francolin, crested francolin, Eastern crested guineafowl, Maccoa duck, Hildebrandt’s spurfowl, yellow-necked spurfowl, rock pigeon, speckled pigeon, scaly spurfowl, Namaqua dove, yellow-throated sand grouse, black-faced sand grouse, laughing dove, mourning collared –dove, Schawlow’s turacos, Hartlaub’s bustards, buff-crested bustard, red-chested cuckoo, purple-crested turacos, pied cuckoos, slender-tailed nightjars, African emerald cuckoos, mottled spine tail, Klaas’s cuckoos, levaillant’s cuckoos, Eurasian nightjar, and pied avocet.
Additional birds in Ngorongoro include black-winged stilt, black crake, spotted thick-knee, red-knobbed coot, long-tailed cormorant, dwarf bittern, African woolly-necked stork, Great-billed stork, black-winged kite, African sacred ibis, black-headed heron, yellow-billed egret, African harrier-hawk, secretary bird, white-headed vultures, hooded vultures, European honey-buzzard, lappet-faced vultures, long-crested eagle, booted eagle, banded snake eagle, and bateleur.
Ngorongoro Crater also protects birds such as Speke’s weaver bird, white-eyed slaty flycatchers, Jackson’s widowbird, Augur buzzard, Eastern double-collared sunbird, fan-tailed widowbird, pearl-spotted owlet, African wood-owl, barn owl, cinnamon-chested bee-eater, pied kingfishers, brown-hooded kingfisher, African pygmy kingfisher, trumpeter hornbill, pallid honey guide, red-fronted barbet, larks, tinker birds, tits, apalis, warblers, cisticola, starling, chats, canary, seed-eaters, and many others.
Activities to do in Ngorongoro Crater.
A visit to Ngorongoro Crater allows you to engage in a number of exciting safari activities including nature walks, game drives, hot air balloons, cultural tours, and birding.
Game drives.
Guided game drives offer tourists a great chance to explore about the Big 5 game plus other wildlife in the Ngorongoro Crater. On a game drive, expect to encounter different wildlife species such as African elephants, leopards, lions, rhinos, wildebeest, hyenas, foxes, jackals, and many antelope families.
Birding.
Bird watching in Ngorongoro Crater takes you on a search for diverse birds. Some of the birds to expect to come across on a birding tour in the Ngorongoro include the pink flamingoes, Kori bustards, ostriches, secretary birds, white-eyed slaty flycatchers, Jackson’s widowbird, Egyptian vulture, African spoonbill, Eastern double-collared sunbird, rufous-tailed weaver, Rosy-throated long claw, Hartlaub’s Turaco, fan-tailed widow bird, black-winged lapwing, scarlet chested sunbird, Livingstone turacos, Namaqua dove, Speke’s weaver, White-napped raven, Capped wheatear, and others.
Hot air balloon safaris.
The hot air balloon excursions are best done over the vast savanna plains and visitors enjoy aerial views of the wildlife and breathtaking surrounding areas. During hot air balloon safari, expect to enjoy sights of different wildlife like lions, buffaloes, cheetahs, wildebeests, elephants, antelopes, etc.
Nature and crater view walks.
Visitors can also embark on a guided nature walks. The guided walks take you via the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater and the western rim in particular provides incredible view of the stunning woodlands, acacia forests, and open grasslands.
When to visit the Ngorongoro?
The best time to visit the Ngorongoro Crater for a holiday is around the dry months of the year. The dry months occur from June, July, August, and September, to October. These are ideal for wildlife viewing tours. The rainy months start from April and May –these are the off-months of the year. The calving season starts from December, January, and February to March.
Visitors who may need to explore the Crater’s diverse bird species can consider traveling around November and April. It is around these months when you can come across most of the migratory birds plus resident birds as they breed.
Accommodation facilities around Ngorongoro.
Spending more time in the Ngorongoro Crater is the perfect way to unearth its wonders and interestingly, visitors have multiple accommodation options for overnight stay. The available lodge options cater to all categories of travelers on Tanzania tours that is budget, midrange, and luxury.
Top lodges to book for overnight in the Ngorongoro Crater area include Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge, Ngorongoro Lodge, AndBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp, and Lemala Osonjoi Lodge, etc.
How to get to Ngorongoro?
Ngorongoro Crater can be accessed from Arusha town about 3 hours’ drive. Visitors head towards the Northern circuit in a 4×4 safari car and access gates include Loduare and Naabi Hill gate.
Visitors can also take a flight to Ngorongoro Airstrip or to the nearby airstrips like Lake Manyara and Lake Ndutu Airstrips. Ngorongoro Airstrip is 20 minutes away from the Crater while Lake Manyara Airstrip is 1 hour drive to the crater.
There are many domestic and charter flights provided by various companies including Regional Air, Air Tanzania, Coastal Aviation, Precision Air, and Zanair, etc.