Ngorongoro Conservation Area
A vast volcanic crater with a floor full of wildlife, set in highlands where Maasai herders live alongside it. A morning in the Ngorongoro Crater is one of the best chances in Tanzania to see the endangered black rhino.
At a glance
- Size
- About 8,290 km², with the crater at about 260 km²
- Getting there
- About 3 to 4 hours by road from Arusha
- Best for
- Black rhino, lions, a day of dense wildlife
- Best time
- All year
- Status
- UNESCO World Heritage Site
Why go
The crater is the largest unbroken volcanic caldera in the world, its walls rising about 600 metres around a floor of grassland, swamp, forest and a soda lake. Because the walls keep many animals in, game viewing is remarkably rich for such a small area: buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, elephants, hyenas, lions and, with luck, black rhino.
Beyond the crater, the conservation area takes in the Ngorongoro highlands, Olduvai Gorge, where some of the most important early human fossils were found, and the plains that lead into the southern Serengeti.
Highlights
- A game drive on the crater floor
- One of the best places in Tanzania to see black rhino
- Olduvai Gorge and its museum
- Walks with a ranger on the crater rim and in the highlands (on request)
- Maasai culture, met respectfully and on the community’s terms
The conservation story
Ngorongoro was set up as a multiple land-use area, where Maasai pastoralists, their cattle and wildlife share the same protected land. Few places in the world try to do this, and balancing the needs of people, livestock and wildlife here is an ongoing and sometimes difficult conversation. The crater’s small black rhino population is closely monitored and protected, and every visitor’s crater fee helps to pay for that work.
How your visit helps. The conservation and crater fees in your trip price go to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, which manages the area and protects its rhinos. We hire local guides and staff and use locally owned suppliers wherever we can.
Trips that visit Ngorongoro
From US$2,300 per person
Private trip
From US$1,780 per person
Private trip
From US$4,753 per person
Private trip
From US$3,534 per person
Private trip
When to go
The crater is good all year. The dry months, June to October, are cooler and clearer, and the rains from November to May turn the highlands green. Go down early in the morning, before most vehicles arrive. Nights on the rim are cold at about 2,300 metres, so bring warm layers.
Where to stay
We choose your lodges and camps to suit your budget and travel style, from simple tented camps to luxury lodges, and name them in your personal itinerary and quote.
Combine with: Serengeti · Lake Manyara · Tarangire
Ready to plan your visit to Ngorongoro?
Tell us your dates and how you like to travel, and we will send you a personal itinerary and quote. No obligation to book.
Our partners
Adventure That Gives Back
Private safaris, treks and beach holidays across Tanzania, planned by a Tanzanian team.
Forest Hill, Kihimbwa St, Morogoro, Tanzania
Talk to us
WhatsApp +255 622 191 154
ecolegacy@ecolegacy-africa.com
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