The crater floor
Open grassland, Lake Magadi with its flamingos, the Lerai fever-tree forest and the Ngoitokitok spring. Time on the floor is limited each day, so we descend early.
The Eighth Wonder
Ngorongoro
A collapsed volcano that has formed a self-contained ecosystem. The crater floor is a sanctuary for over 25,000 large animals, including the rare black rhino.
- Type
- Conservation Area
- Region
- Northern Tanzania
- Best months
- Jan–Feb, Jun–Oct
- Known for
- Ngorongoro Crater, Black rhino
Overview
About Ngorongoro
The Ngorongoro Crater guarantees year-round, high-density wildlife viewing in an unbelievable volcanic setting. It is one of the most reliable places in Tanzania to spot the elusive Black Rhino.
The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest unbroken, unflooded volcanic caldera in the world: a 600-metre-deep bowl roughly 18 km across, formed when a huge volcano collapsed two to three million years ago. Its floor holds grassland, a soda lake, swamps and a fever-tree forest, and an estimated 25,000 large animals.
Because the walls keep much of the wildlife in, the crater offers some of the most concentrated game viewing in Africa, and it is one of the best places in Tanzania to see the endangered black rhino.
The crater is only part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, where Maasai pastoralists live alongside wildlife. The wider area also includes the Olduvai Gorge, the Empakaai crater, the Ndutu plains where the migration calves, and cool forested highlands.
Known for
- Ngorongoro Crater
- Black rhino
- Olduvai Gorge
- Maasai highlands
At a glance
- Type
- Conservation Area
- Region
- Northern Tanzania
- Size
- 8,292 km² (the crater floor is about 260 km²)
- Established
- 1959
- UNESCO
- World Heritage Site since 1979 (mixed natural and cultural site since 2010)
- Best months
- Jan–Feb, Jun–Oct
- By road
- About 3–4 hours from Arusha (roughly 180 km) to the crater rim, on tarmac most of the way.
- By air
- Most visitors drive. The nearest airstrips are at Lake Manyara and Ndutu.
Inside the park
Areas of Ngorongoro
Where you stay and explore shapes what you see. These are the main areas we plan around.
The crater rim
At around 2,300 m, the rim is cool and often misty, with lodges looking straight down into the caldera.
Olduvai Gorge
One of the most important palaeoanthropological sites on earth, with a small museum on the road to the Serengeti.
Ndutu
The short-grass plains on the Serengeti border where the herds calve from about January to March.
Empakaai Crater
A smaller, quieter crater with a deep lake and flamingos, reached on a steep guided walk.
Wildlife
What you can see in Ngorongoro
Black rhino, big-maned lions and old bull elephants, all within a single caldera.
Big five
- Black rhino
- Lion
- Elephant (mostly old bulls)
- Buffalo
- Leopard (rarely seen)
Other mammals
- Spotted hyena
- Wildebeest
- Zebra
- Thomson’s gazelle
- Hippo
- Golden jackal
- Serval
- Eland
Birds
- Flamingos
- Kori bustard
- Grey-crowned crane
- Ostrich
- Augur buzzard
When to go
The best time to visit Ngorongoro
Year-round. While the dry season (June-October) offers the easiest wildlife spotting, the wet season (November-May) paints the crater floor lush green with fewer vehicles.
- JanPeak
- FebPeak
- MarGood
- AprGood
- MayGood
- JunPeak
- JulPeak
- AugPeak
- SepPeak
- OctPeak
- NovGood
- DecGood
Dry season
Short grass makes animals easy to spot. Mornings on the rim are cold.
Green season
A lush crater, newborn animals and fewer vehicles. Calving at nearby Ndutu peaks in February.
Long rains
Wettest months; roads can be muddy, but the crater is beautiful and quiet.
Getting there
Travel and access
About 3–4 hours from Arusha (roughly 180 km) to the crater rim, on tarmac most of the way.
Most visitors drive. The nearest airstrips are at Lake Manyara and Ndutu.
Things to do
Activities
- Half- or full-day crater floor game drives
- Picnic lunch at the Ngoitokitok spring
- Visit to Olduvai Gorge
- Guided walks on the crater rim or to Empakaai
- Maasai cultural visits
Where to stay
Camps and lodges
We match each stay to your budget and the season, from classic tented camps to luxury lodges.
Crater rim lodges
Lodges perched on the rim, so you can be first down the descent road at dawn.
Karatu farm lodges
Coffee-farm lodges in the green highlands 30–40 minutes from the gate, warmer and quieter than the rim.
Ndutu camps
Tented camps on the southern plains for the calving season.
A day here
Descending the steep 600-meter crater walls at dawn is unforgettable. Within minutes, you are surrounded by a microcosm of African wildlife. It's an intense, concentrated game-viewing arena where big cats and grazers live in close quarters.
Our travel tips
- Bring a fleece or jacket: at 2,300 m the rim can drop close to freezing at night.
- Pack your own snacks for the crater floor; kites are notorious for snatching food at picnic sites.
- An early descent beats the crowds and the midday heat haze.
- Giraffes are not found on the crater floor; look for them on the drive up.
Itineraries
Safaris that visit Ngorongoro
Each one is a starting point we tailor to your dates, pace and budget.
Big Five Focus2-Day Ngorongoro Crater Safari
A concentrated wildlife experience inside one of Africa’s most iconic natural wonders.
2 Days / 1 Night · View itinerary →
Classic Combo3-Day Serengeti & Ngorongoro Combo
A powerful combination of Serengeti’s open plains and Ngorongoro’s enclosed wildlife ecosystem.
3 Days / 2 Nights · View itinerary →
Balanced Circuit4-Day Classic Northern Safari
A compact but rich safari through Tanzania’s most iconic parks.
4 Days / 3 Nights · View itinerary →
Migration Focus5-Day Great Migration Safari
A strategic safari following the movement of over 2 million wildebeest and zebras.
5 Days / 4 Nights · View itinerary →
Classic Safari Circuit5-Day Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro
A well-balanced introduction to Tanzania’s northern safari circuit.
5 Days / 4 Nights · View itinerary →
Explorer Circuit6-Day Northern Circuit Safari
A deeper journey through Tanzania’s diverse northern ecosystems.
6 Days / 5 Nights · View itinerary →The Photographic Journal
The Spirit of Ngorongoro.
Questions
Ngorongoro: frequently asked questions
Ngorongoro questions
Combine with
Pairs well with Ngorongoro
Plan your Ngorongoro safari
Tell us your dates and interests. A safari designer replies within 24 hours with ideas and prices.