Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Most people who go on a safari in Tanzania include a game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater in their itinerary. The crater is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the largest volcanic caldera on the planet.
The crater is part of the larger Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which also includes the Olduvai Gorge, forests, mountains, remote northern highlands, and the exceptional Ndutu area, bordering the Serengeti National Park to the south, where the great migration is expected to be seen between December and March.
The entire Ngorongoro Conservation Area was once part of the Serengeti National Park until it became a separate reserve in 1959. Today, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which includes the Ngorongoro Crater, is one of the best places to spot all of the Big5, namely the famous African mammals: lions, rhinos, leopards, elephants, and buffaloes.
Many other animals found inside the crater include hippos, jackals, antelopes, hornbills, wildebeest, warthogs, hartebeests, servals, zebras, cheetahs, and crocodiles. In total, over 26,000 large mammals and 500 bird species inhabit the crater, making it a high concentration of wildlife in a “compact” space. However, the attractions in the conservation area are not limited to the game drive in the crater.
Ngorongoro Crater
While the Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers a little over 8,000 km², the Ngorongoro Crater itself spans only 260 km². Its smaller size contributes to making the crater one of the most fascinating places in Tanzania.
The caldera has steep walls that rise 610 meters, creating a bowl where a huge number of animals live.
Inside the Ngorongoro Crater, there is a huge concentration of wildlife, including the Big Five. Hippos, crocodiles, zebras, a wide range of antelopes, and plain animals also inhabit this area. Regular sightings of the endangered black rhinoceros have been reported.
It is estimated that about 25,000 animals live within this natural enclosure.
Within this small area, a variety of different habitats can be found: montane forest on the rain-facing wall and grassland on the drier western wall.
Olduvai Gorge
Located approximately halfway between the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, Olduvai Gorge is one of the most significant paleontological sites in the world, showing that this area was inhabited as early as 1.9 million years ago.
Surrounded by a beautiful gorge and impressive monoliths, the Olduvai Gorge Museum displays the earliest stone tools and fossil remains and is considered a crucial archaeological site for understanding human evolution.
The visit takes about 30 minutes.
Ndutu Lake
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Ndutu is located in the southeast part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, on the edge of the Serengeti, and offers excellent views of the craters and plains.
The area is famous for excellent wildlife viewing opportunities and particularly during the great migration season, from December to March.
Ndutu is a meeting place for wildlife enthusiasts and offers sightings of zebras, gazelles, baboons, giraffes, buffalo, hippos, elephants, and concentrations of big cats, especially during the migration.
Empakaai Crater
A trek in these areas will guarantee an extraordinary experience, especially for adventurous trekking enthusiasts. The trek will take about 6 hours, and it is recommended to consider a full day in Ngorongoro.
The Empakaai Crater is a collapsed volcanic caldera, 300 meters high and 6 km wide.
The crater is filled with a deep alkaline lake that occupies about 75% of the crater floor and is about 85 meters deep.
From the crater’s rim, one can see Mount Ol Doinyo Lengai, Mount Kilimanjaro, and the Great Rift Valley.
Descending into the crater gives a magnificent view of Mount Lengai.
The Empakaai Crater is marvelous for wildlife. Among the animals living in this area are vultures, eagles, blue monkeys, bushbucks, waterbucks, and buffaloes.
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7-day Safari in Tanzania (lodges and tented camps)
Durata: 7 giorni