Highlight

This UNESCO World Heritage Site offers a unique biosphere which has remained virtually unchanged since the dawn of time. Established in 1959 as a multiple land use area, with wildlife coexisting with semi-nomadic Maasai pastoralists practicing traditional livestock grazing, it includes the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest caldera. The property has global importance for biodiversity conservation due to the presence of globally threatened species, the density of wildlife inhabiting the area, and the annual migration of wildebeest, zebra, gazelles and other animals into the northern plains. Extensive archaeological research has also yielded a long sequence of evidence of human evolution and human-environment dynamics, including early hominid footprints dating back 3.6 million years.

The Crater

The 260kms Ngorongoro Crater in Northern part of Tanzania is the largest intact caldera in the world. It’s also believed just in case this place didn’t erupt, it would have been higher than Mt Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa.

Today, long since having collapsed and eroded, it is an extensive highland area with the famous 600 m deep Ngorongoro Crater as its focal point. Nearly three million years old, the ancient caldera shelters an estimated 25,000 beautiful wildlife species which include the big Four.

Just in case you are a nature, landscape or wildlife lover and you visit Tanzania and you don’t reach the Ngorongoro craters consider your safari incomplete cause no place in this world is as beautiful as Ngorongoro.

The government body responsible for managing the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is the Tanzania National Parks Authority with support from several wildlife conservation Agencies. In case you are organizing a safari by yourself own, you need to know that the entrance fee per day is $71 and a concession fee of $59 for those whose accommodation is within the boundaries of the National Park. In case you would like to reach the floor of the craters an additional $295 will be paid person. If you are booking your Safari through us or any other Tour Operator, expect to have the park entrance fee included in the overall park fee.

Any time is Ngorongoro time, this is one of the Tourist destinations that don’t have specific visiting times although we would advise accordingly. Although the highest number of visitors are normally expected during the season July to September which is also termed as the peak season and again during the Calving season December to February. But to those who don’t want crowds we advise you visit during the rainy season which is April to May. The crater is wonderfully lush and greener than in the dry seasons

Ngorongoro Crater can be reached by air and road. The nearest airport and link to the park is Kilimanjaro international airport in Arusha. Qatar Airways, Turkish Airways, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and KLM all have flights to Kilimanjaro. From Kilimanjaro International Airport, one would need to book a smaller plane to one of the airstrips in the park or hire a car to go by road. The route by road starting from Arusha takes anywhere between 3,5 to 4 hours.

For further advice on planning your Ngorongoro Crater safari, simply enquire with one of our local Safari Experts.