If you were given the chance to discover elephants, buffalo, leopard, lion, and rhino inside the caldera of a 3 million year old volcano - would you take it? After a minute drive, you'll arrive at the Ngorongoro Crater rim.
It's an early start, you want to get to the crater early for the best wildlife and photography opportunities. En route, you'll spot zebra and other plains game. Soon, the grasslands turn to mountain forest as you being the descent from the crater rim.
Once you reach the bottom, you spend the day on a game drive around the km crater floor. You have the opportunity see the Big 5 and many roaming predators.
Garden of Eden, Ngorongoro Crater. Variations in climate, landforms, and altitude produce a range of habitats that can support a variety of wildlife, and has led to a network of overlapping ecosystems. The crater basin is covered with fresh water and alkaline lakes, marshes and swamps. These alkaline lakes attract flamingos, which number in their thousands during the wet season. The crater is home to some 30, animals , some of which migrate here during the Great Migration , and others that stay here year-round.
The rich, volcanic, fertile soil of the crater hosts plenty of wildlife in the dry season, including warthog, impala, and buffalo. These prey in turn attract predators, including lions, hyena, cheetah, leopard, wild hunting dog and golden cat.
Honey badgers, jackals, foxes, and ostrich can be found here year-round. A high population of cheetahs and lions can be found in the Lake Ndutu region west of the crater. The rarest animals found here are the black male lion and the black rhino. Interestingly, there are no giraffes in the crater; it is thought that they cannot get up the steep sides. Ngorongoro is home to over 30, animals. There are plenty of trekking opportunities up the rim of the crater, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the entire crater region, as far as the OI Doinyo Lengai volcano.
On a clear day, you can even see Kilimanjaro and Lake Natron. In the southern highlands of the crater you can hike Mount Lemagurut , which reaches 3, metres. The climb is difficult, so you will need a decent level of fitness. The climb will take all day and start just after breakfast. At the summit, you're rewarded with spectacular views of the Serengeti plains , the Ngorongoro Crater, and Lake Eyasi. Countryside views, Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
Following the ancient Maasai cattle trail up the Olmoti crater, passing through thick mountain forests, grasslands, and rocky outcrops. The views along the trail are fantastic, and you'll pass by a diversity of flora and ample butterfly species. Once you reach the summit, you're rewarded by sweeping views over the Olmoti Crater. The hike follows a route that is home to buffalo, leopard, hyena, zebra, bushbuck and even the occasional elephant!
If you arrive at camp before 3pm, you can do the hike on the day of arrival. It can also be done after a visit to the Ngorongoro Crater on a full day. Hiking along the crater rim, Ngorongoro. Too often overshadowed by her bigger sister, the Ngorongoro Crater, the stunning Empakaai Crater lies 40km north-east. If you're staying at The Highlands lodge, you can drive 1 hour and 15 minutes through the Bulbul Depression, passing by a multitude of wildlife, before arriving at Empakaai.
From here, you've got incredible views of the Empakaai Crater and Oldoinyo Lengai Tanzania's most active volcano. Accompanied by an NCA ranger, you'll begin the minute descent into the crater through thick, verdant forests towards the crater floor.
The lake at the base of the crater is full of bird life, including the famous flamingos. From here, it's a 1-hour minute hike back to the vehicle, with great wildlife viewing en route buffalo, hyena, and elephant.
The best time to visit the Ngoronogoro Conservation area is from June to February if you are coming for the Great Migration. Wildlife lives at the crater year-round, which means you can visit at any time of year and still get great game viewing. March and April sees the worst of the rains, so the crater is less busy during these months. One benefit of visiting during the wet season is that the landscapes are beautiful, but wildlife viewing is not as good.
The peak season is July to September , and this corresponds with the best wildlife viewing. If you are more keen on seeing the predators in action, go in January or February when there is a hiatus in the annual rains and the wildebeest calve. Due to the large number of vehicles during the high season, some prefer to travel to the crater in the low season. This is still a pleasant experience because the water levels in Lake Magadi in the centre of the crater results in higher concentrations of flamingos.
Plus, most of the predators stay in the basin year round — there are still plenty of animals for them to hunt. The only thing you will miss is the Great Migration, and of course you should be prepared for some rains if travelling in the quieter months!
The short rains of October to December have passed, which means you can enjoy the lush, verdant landscapes without the wet weather. Daytime temperatures are pleasant, and conditions for game drives and birding are excellent. Sometimes, the longer grasses can lead to decreased visibility of the wildlife in the plains, but this is usually not a problem - there's just so much here!
A busy month, conditions in February are fantastic for game viewing. If you want to avoid the crowds, you should consider an afternoon game drive rather than the more popular morning visit. March is the beginning of the long rainy season in Tanzania, and so you should expect intermittent rains most days. March is also the calving season for many animals, and this can attract predators making for some exciting game viewing!
March is less busy than January or February, so great if you want a more secluded safari experience. The rains continue and the temperature begins to drop, but the scenery is unbeatable in April.
The crater floor is carpeted with blooming wildflowers making for incredible photographs. April is the least busy month of the year, meaning cheaper prices and a more secluded experience. May is very similar to April: the long rains continue, flowers continue to bloom, and there are fewer safari vehicles jostling for the best positions.
The scenery is still beautiful following the rains, and grasses long. Game viewing is still great and conditions perfect for photography. From June, visitor numbers begin to increase again. Days are pleasant, sunny, and generally cloud-free.
The vegetation is less dense following the break in the rains, making July one of the best months to visit for game viewing. Visitor numbers are high in July. As water holes start to dry up, the wildlife congregates around the few permanent water holes. This makes game viewing exceptional in August, and the days are sunny and warm.
In September, temperatures are generally higher, but early mornings and evenings still get cold. September is one of the best months of the year for game viewing; grasses are short and water sources less abundant. Of course, with the great conditions comes more vehicles! October is a transition from the dry season to the start of the short rains that run until December. The first half of the month is usually quite dry, with short, intermittent showers beginning towards the end of the month. These showers usually take place in the afternoon, and rarely affect any safari activities.
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.
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.
The Maasai tribe is the original inhabitants of this area. During the visit, you will be able to meet Maasai men and women, enjoy dancing and listening to their native melodies, be entertained with a dramatic enactment, and maybe even try on their red cloaks! What makes this experience enriching is that you get to see an authentic social side of Africa and a glimpse of the rich Maasai culture.
If you love archaeology or you even if you just want to see important paleontological records related to human evolution, Olduvai Gorge is the place to go. It is one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in the world and gives us a good understanding of early human evolution. The main attraction, which is the Crater, is pretty small.
It stretches at 8, km2 3, sq mi and goes for about metres 2, feet deep. The great thing is, animals are just in plain sight with nowhere to hide. Hence, you can see it one day. You can even make a quick side trip to Olduvai Gorge if you wish! If you think about it, you get to see A LOT in even just half a day.
So if you are on a tight schedule, it would definitely be very easy and wise to squeeze a Ngorongoro Crater safari in your itinerary. 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. In fact, Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of the places where the must-see wildebeest calving season ensues.
Most tourists in Tanzania targets to visit the Serengeti. About three million years ago, a volcano roughly the size of Kilimanjaro exploded and collapsed on itself. Today, this meters deep bowl 2, feet is teeming with about 25, animals. Like a natural animal enclosure, this caldera provides a stage for wildlife action as prey and predators graze and stalk their way around the open crater floor.
On the northern border of the Ngorongoro conservation area, these isolated and ecologically fragile mountains remain one of the most traditional corners of Tanzania. But take heed; traveling here is a huge, multi-day undertaking that is challenging to navigate. Intrepid travelers up to the task will be enjoy a surreal wilderness environment of stark, pink cliffs, dramatic canyons, and wide meandering valleys.
This lake, which draws flamingos and other waterbirds, fills most of the crater floor and enclosed by forested cliffs. Your email address will not be published. All rights reserved. May 28, Jodi Lucas Jodi is an adventure enthusiast and Douglas Adams groupie who supports these addictions through travel writing. Submit a Comment Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. First-hand experience Advice and guidance We're passionate travelers Need Help? African Overland Tours.
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