What to do at Ngorongoro Crater

What to do at Ngorongoro Crater

Ngorongoro Crater is the main highlight of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania, is the largest intact caldera in the world. Nest about 20kms across, 600 meters deep and 300 sq km in area, the Ngorongoro Crater is a breathtaking natural wonder. Some maintain that before it erupted, it would have been higher than Mt Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa. Tourists have plenty of what to do at Ngorongoro Crater. There are only a handful of calderas around the globe, but the Ngorongoro is special because it’s the world’s largest fully intact caldera that hasn’t yet turned into a lake There are a number of tourist activities and plenty of what to do at Ngorongoro Crater which includes; Game drive. Safari to Ngorongoro is very crazy as it is one of the most likely areas in Tanzania to see the endangered Black Rhino, as a small population is thriving in this idyllic and protected environment. It is currently one of the few areas where they continue to breed in the wild. Your chances of encountering leopard here are also good, and fabulous black-maned lions. Many flamingos are also attracted to the soda waters of Lake Magadi. Ngorongoro Crater is one of the most likely areas in Tanzania to see the endangered Black Rhino, as a small population is thriving in this idyllic and protected environment. It is currently one of the few areas where they continue to breed in the wild. Your chances of encountering leopard here are also good, and fabulous black-maned lions. Many flamingos are also attracted to the soda waters of Lake Magadi. Other game in the Ngorongoro includes serval cat, cheetah, jackal, Grant’s and Thompson’s gazelle, flamingo and bat-eared foxes along with approximately 400 species of bird. A Ngorongoro safari is action-packed, to say the least, and for a relatively small park, it really does have the highest concentration of wildlife of any one place in the whole of Africa. The Great Wildebeest Migration (the largest migration of land mammals on the planet) passes right through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, more specifically Lake Ndutu, from December to March. With over 2 million wildebeest, zebra, and gazelles, this monster migration is a sight to behold. Don’t miss it. Bird Watching. For friends of the winged ones, look no further. Within this caldera, you will find 500 bird species. Ostriches, kori bustards, secretary bird…you name it. Visit from November to April and witness the myriad migratory birds that take up residence here. Visiting Masai Village. Part of the reason behind the Ngorongoro Conservation Area has been to preserve the environment for the Maasai people who were diverted from the Serengeti Plains. Essentially nomadic people, they build temporary villages in circular homesteads called bomas. There are possibilities to visit a couple of these now, which have been opened up for tourists to explore. Here you can see how the huts are built in a strict pattern of order according to the chronological order of the wives, and experience what it must be like to rely on warmth and energy from a fire burning at the heart of a cattle dung dwelling with no chimney. These proud cattle-herding people have a great history as warriors, and even though they are no longer allowed to build villages inside, they continue to herd their cattle into the crater to graze and drink, regardless of the predators nearby. Visit Oldupai Gorge Within the greater Ngorongoro Conservation Area exists the Oldupai Gorge, a steep ravine in the Great Rift Valley where paleoanthropologists Louis and Mark Leakey famously discovered traces of homo habilis, our first known human species, reaching back 2 million years. “The Mountain of God” in the Maasai language. Walking Safaris Walking in and around Ngorongoro is adventurous and rewarding. Short hikes can be organized by the lodges in the area, or at the headquarters of Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, or through a tour operator. Short walks include trekking down Empakai or Olmoti Craters. Long walks need more planning and are easily booked through tour operators. Long walks include trekking from Olmoti to Empakai, and down to the floor of the Great Rift Valley; trekking in the Northern Highlands Forest Reserve; and trekking in the Eastern Plains around Nasera Rock, Gol Mountains, and Olkarien Gorge. All walking safaris in Ngorongoro must be accompanied by an armed ranger. Photography and Filming Tourism Photographers are advised to come with all equipment desired for filming and photography. Cameras with telescopic lenses for telephotos are recommended because off-road driving is not allowed at all in the Area. At times the environment can be very dusty and therefore we recommend you bring with you protective gear such as dust cover, etc. Best time for photography is early in the morning and late in the evening. Taking pictures of the Maasai along the road is strictly prohibited. This can be done with permission at designated places such as cultural Bomas. Remember to bring several fully charged batteries and devices with enough storage capacity. Tanzania is most famous for the Serengeti, for good reason. But the second you start descending into the Ngorongoro Crater, something shifts in the air. Your hair stands up on end. Prepare for your head to be on a swivel all day, from the first minute to the last, as wildlife interactions here will shuffle all around you