Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site in the crater highlands area of Tanzania. Ngorongoro is located 180km west of Arusha. Ngorongoro derives its name from the Ngorongoro crater found in the area. Established in 1959, Ngorongoro covers a total area of 8,292 square kilometres. Ngorongoro is part of the Serengeti ecosystem and adjoins Serengeti National Park to the northwest, with the Serengeti plains in the south. The eastern boundaries of the Ngorongoro are defined by the rim of the East African Rift Valley wall.

Ngorongoro is one of the biggest protected areas in Tanzania that attracts a big number of tourists annually. The wildlife, great landscape, birdlife and the various calderas all attract tourists to explore this place that is gifted by nature. The Ngorongoro crater is what attracts tourists the most to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Why visit Ngorongoro conservation area?

Ngorongoro Crater is the largest inactive, intact and unfilled volcanic caldera in the world 610 metres deep with about 265 square kilometres of a bowl, and one of the most famous areas to have a high density of wildlife. Ngorongoro Crater rewards travelers with some really amazing views. Ngorongoro crater has soda lakes like Lake Magadi which attract more bird species like flamingos and other water birds. Picnics can be made here giving you a sight to marvel at.

Things to do in Ngorongoro Conservation Area

There are a number of activities that tourists on a Tanzania safari can do in Ngorongoro. They include game drives, walking safaris, bird watching, visiting Oldupai Museum, cultural visits and picnicking.

Game Drives and wildlife viewing

Game drives are without doubt the best way to view wildlife in the Ngorongoro Crater. Game drives are done with a standard tour van and are organized in two shifts – morning and afternoon. By 4:30 pm, all tour vans must be out of the crater. You need at least three days to explore each and every part of the crater. On every safari, expect to see all the big 5 mammals, birds, lakes, lush forests and savanna vegetation to marvel at.

Visiting the Maasai

The Maasai are one of Africa’s most intriguing tribes. Although they live outside the crater itself, they are allowed to graze their animals around the crater rim or bring them down the crater for water during the dry months of the year. While visiting the Ngorongoro Conservation area, an arrangement can be made for tourists to visit one of their homes or cultural centers to learn about their traditions and culture.

It is more rewarding to visit villages/families that are less visited so that you have a more enriching experience instead of stage-managed tours. Visiting the Maasai people involves attending traditional dance performances, taking photos, buying souvenirs and meeting the elders.

Visiting the Tanzania’s last bushmen

When the Maasai arrived in the Serengeti area about 300 years ago, they drive out the Hadzabe Tribe and other bushmen to remote areas of the park. Less than 2000 of these Bushmen still live in the area. Unlike the Maasai who have embraced modern ways of living, these Bushmen remain primitive and still live off hunting and gathering. A tour of their remote habitats will allow you discover their culture and secret ways of living.

Nature and crater view walks

After completing activities down the crater and getting back to your lodge for a shower, you might want to take a stroll along the edges or rim of the crater. The western edge of the crater offers great views of the woodlands, open grasslands and acacia forests. You can also watch as the Maasai take their cattle for grazing or back to the kraals.

Birdwatching

The Ngorongoro crater is one of the best places for birding in Tanzania. The species to look out for are the flamingos, Kori bustards and crowned cranes. From the crater rims, one can observe species like the African cytrill sights, forest buzzard, golden winged sunbirds and white eyes slaty.

Hot Air Balloon safari

This is an expensive but very adventurous way to explore the vast crater and surrounding areas. Hot air ballooning is highly recommended especially during the migration – when the wildebeest are roaming or calving outside the crater and the nearby Serengeti. The great thing about hot air ballooning is that it allows tourists to appreciate and enjoy the beautiful scenery within the crater.

Hiking to the summit of the Gol Mountains

The Gol Mountains are found within Serengeti National Park. The slopes are excellent for wildlife viewing and cultural encounters with the resident Maasai Herdsmen. At the base of the Gol Mountains is the famous Nasera Rock where tourists can spot a variety of birds and hundreds of baboons. The Leakey family excavated remains of humans who lived there during the stone age period.

The Gol Mountains will capture your imagination if your dream is to explore the remote African wilderness. After exploring the Gol Mountains, you can also choose to conquer an active volcano known as Oldoinyo Lengai.

Photographic safari

If you have already taken a game drive at the Ngorongoro crater before and liked what you saw, you can organize another safari with the sole purpose of taking amazing wildlife photos. A photographic safari should not only be about the animals but also birds, lakes and savanna vegetation. There are Maasai tribesmen living close to the crater who may be open to being part of your photography expedition.

Where to stay in Ngorongoro Conservation Area?

The accommodation by the Ngorongoro Crater varies hugely, but all have their own quirks and luxurious assets. There are those lodges which are based on the Crater rim and all boast spectacular views of the crater itself, however the choices here are limited and are normally located in the higher price bracket. Some of the facilities include, Ngorongoro Forest Tented Lodge, Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, Entamanu Camp, Kirurumu Ngorongoro, Lemala Ngorongoro Camp, Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, Ngorongoro Sopa and others.

The best time to visit Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Ngorongoro Conservation Area can be visited all year long, during both the rainy and dry season. During the dry season that runs through May to October, it is the best time to do game viewing for the animals collect in the water areas.

During the wet season that runs through November to April, tourists can still visit Ngorongoro Conservation Area to enjoy among others game viewing when the grass is green and much for animals to freely graze with the predators hiding behind them to catch their prey.

How to access Ngorongoro Conservation Area?

Ngorongoro can be accessed by both road and air. By road, tourists travel about 160km taking roughly 2 hours to get to Ngorongoro from Arusha. A 4 Wheel drive vehicle should be used. By air, tourists can access Ngorongoro by flying from Kilimanjaro International Airport to any of the airstrips in Ngorongoro area.