Ngorongoro Conservation Area Park

The Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera forming a spectacular bowl of about 265 square kilometres, with sides up to 600 metres deep and is home to approximately 30,000 mammals. The crater floor consists of a number of different habitats that include grassland, swamps, forests and Lakes filled by the Munge River. All these various environments attract wildlife to drink, wallow, graze, hide or climb. Although animals are free to move in and out of this contained environment, the rich volcanic soil, lush forests and spring source lakes on the crater floor tend to incline both grazers and predators to remain throughout the year. The crater offers a breathtakingly beautiful scenery and is the best place in East Africa to see the ‘Big Five’ (elephant, rhinoceros, buffalo, lion and rarely leopard). Any safari in northern Tanzania should ideally include a visit to the Ngorongoro Crater. It is one of the most beautiful nature safari locations in the world and an extraordinary place to meet people from the Massai tribe. The Ngorongoro Crater offers excellent birding, with over 500 species recorded. Birdlife in the highland forest is rich and interesting. Among the birds to be seen are white-eyed slaty flycatcher and Livingstone turaco. A number of specialized grassland birds are resident in the crater. Most noticeable are ostrich, kori bustard, crowned crane and the secretary bird. Migratory birds are present from November to April. Activities that can be done inside Ngorongoro Conservation Area include Walking safaris on the rim of the crater, hiking to the Olmoti and Empaakai crater.