Ngorongoro Crater
Expert Reviews (17)
Tanzania Parks
Stuart is a travel writer and author of numerous Lonely Planet guidebooks, including 'Kenya', 'Rwanda' and 'Tanzania'.
19 people found this review helpful.
More than a Crater
This world renowned extinct volcanic crater covers a simply enormous 260km sq and is the largest intact volcanic caldera on the planet, but visitors don’t come here merely for the geology (although first views of this crater, from one of the viewpoints as you drive into the park, will leave you speechless) but for what has to be, alongside the nearby Serengeti, the greatest wildlife show in Africa. The floor of the crater is a flat carpet of lush grasses and eternal pools of fresh water and this has attracted animals in their thousands including all of the Big Five. It’s been said before but driving down the tightly forested crater walls onto the floor of the crater itself really is like entering a lost world and while you’re driving around down here the animal action comes on pretty much non-stop.
But there’s so much more to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area than the crater and, sadly, most visitors, dazzled with wonder at the wildlife show of the crater floor never really notice or take advantage of the rest of the conservation area. In total the conservation area covers over 8000km sq and takes in a number of other volcanic calderas as well as soaring volcanic peaks some of which are still hissing, steaming and bubbling away, there are large areas of tangled forest through which monkeys swing and colourful forest birds flit, there are high altitude grasslands grazed by zebra and the cattle owned by the local Maasai communities and, at its western end the conservation area slopes gently down to the golden grass seas of the Serengeti. It’s here, on the borders of the conservation area and the Serengeti National Park, that life begins in earnest. In the Olduvai Gorge half the history of ancient human-kind has been uncovered. Fossilised remains and stone tools from some of our earliest hominoid ancestors have been discovered littering the ground here and the gorge and surrounding areas can rightly claim to be one of the birthplaces of humanity. Other births also take place close to here because this is the wildebeest calving grounds and every year between about January and March tens of thousands of wildebeest move into this region to give birth while a stream of predators take advantage of the seasonal glut of food. To see these calving grounds crowded with wildebeest is a spectacle that, in my opinion, even exceeds the action on the crater floor.
For me another huge feather in the bow of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is that long hikes can be made through the cold and spectacular crater highlands and, because the Maasai still live here in a fairly traditional manner, there’re lots of possibilities for cultural interaction. All up the Ngorongoro Conservation Area offers an almost unsurpassed combination of wildlife viewing, scenic beauty, adventurous walking and human interest.
Philip is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many guidebooks, including the Bradt guides to Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.
13 people found this review helpful.
Nature’s Greatest Natural Stage
Ngorongoro Crater is arguably Tanzania’s ultimate safari destination. This is the world’s largest intact caldera, and one of the most scenic places anywhere in the region. Coming from Arusha, as almost all safaris do, I always stop as I reach the forested crater rim to absorb the spectacular view over its 260km2/100mi2 floor, which supports a cover of open grassland interspersed with fever tree woodland, marshes and the saline Lake Magadi, which usually supports large flocks of flamingo.
Once inside the crater, wildlife highlights include the heavy-tusked elephant bulls that haunt the swamps, and a small population of the rare black rhino, which is regularly seen in open terrain. There are also astonishing densities of spotted hyena, lion and other predators. The crater floor is one of the best places to look for serval, a long-limbed small cat that rather resembles a miniature cheetah, but has a larger, blotchier spot pattern. And the plains are almost invariably scattered with plenty of wildebeest, zebra, buffalo and gazelle.
The most common criticism of Ngorongoro is the dense tourist traffic, particularly straight after breakfast, and there is no getting around the fact that the high volume of tourists in a relatively confined area diminishes the crater’s wilderness feel. On the plus side, it also means that the wildlife is exceptionally habituated, which makes it an excellent place to watch uninhibited animal behaviour at close range.
Stephen is a travel writer and avid conservationist whose work appears in prestigious magazines such as Africa Geographic and Travel Africa.
12 people found this review helpful.
The Safari of a Lifetime
Sure there will be plenty of other tourists and vehicles bumping and bouncing around inside the crater with you, but there is good reason for this: Ngorongoro is an incredible wildlife area.
If you are allergic to crowds and the thought of joining the safari hordes makes you quake in your proverbial boots, then this might not be the best destination for you; but, for everyone else, this will surely be the safari experience of a lifetime. This is a Big Five reserve that offers so much more…
The views from the lodges perched on the crater rim are superlative, a vast array of wildlife carpets the floor below and, while on safari, the backdrop of lush green walls climbing skywards is jaw-droppingly impressive. I saw elephant bulls here that must be amongst the biggest tuskers in all of Africa; when they stopped to relax, they simply dropped their heads and rested their long tusks on the ground! It’s not unusual to see lion, elephant, rhino and a host of other species in a single drive here.
First-timers will love this place, but Ngorongoro Crater should blow even the most hardened and experienced safari-goers clean out the water.
US
Tim is a travel writer who has covered 10 African countries for Lonely Planet's Africa, East Africa and West Africa guidebooks.
10 people found this review helpful.
The best scenery and best chance to see rhinos in Tanzania
At 19km across and up to 600m deep, Ngorongoro Crater is one of the largest unbroken calderas in the world, and the view from above is one of the most stunning vistas in Africa. It’s one of the few places I've visited where seeing pictures or video before seeing the real things did nothing to diminish the magic of the moment. But, it’s not the scenery that makes Ngorongoro the most visited destination in Tanzania, it’s the unrivalled abundance of wildlife inside the crater; in particular predators, for which this is the highest density of any single spot in Africa. Even more thrilling is the high likelihood of seeing black rhino. This would make for a relatively easy Big Five day if it weren’t for the fact that Ngorongoro’s leopards mostly stick to the forested fringes of the crater and are rarely seen. From a safari standpoint, the rest of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is pretty much just what you have to pass through on the drive to Serengeti National Park, except for the January to March migration season, when the famous herds of wildebeest, zebra, topi, eland and more roam down the conservation area’s western edge. But besides wildlife, Ngorongoro is an excellent trekking destination and also home to over 40,000 Maasai, plus the Oldupai Gorge, where many important fossils of early human ancestors have been found, cuts across the west.
US
Mary is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including South Africa, Tanzania, East Africa and Africa.
10 people found this review helpful.
Wildlife-filled Crater & Magnificent Vistas
Ngorongoro Crater is expensive, but the scenery, and the density and variety of the wildlife, are unparalleled. With its quintessential East African vistas awash with wildlife, and surrounding landscapes graced by the local Maasai, it is one of the most unique and rewarding places on the continent for wildlife watching. I highly recommend it as a destination, especially if it’s your first safari.
The journey to Ngorongoro is half the fun, climbing up first through patches of forest to the crater rim, and then descending into the crater itself. On clear days, the views from the rim are breathtaking. Plan your visit for as early in the morning as possible to minimise crowds and to take advantage of the more favourable morning light. Once in the crater, all of the 'Big Five' are present, including the usually elusive black rhino. You'll also almost certainly see hyenas and hippos, and the birding is wonderful. Once away from Ngorongoro Crater, the rest of Ngorongoro Conservation Area offers fine hiking and stunning terrain.
Kim is a travel writer who authored and updated over 15 guidebooks, including Lonely Planet's South Africa and Bradt's Tanzania guides.
10 people found this review helpful.
Nature’s Own Eden
At times it may appear that tourists outnumber the animals, but nonetheless Ngorongoro is an essential stop on Tanzania’s northern circuit and one I certainly wouldn’t miss.
With its steep crater walls forming a natural barrier it is quite literally a veritable Garden of Eden jam-packed with just about every species of African wildlife you can imagine including all of the Big Five and the elusive endangered black rhino. This makes wildlife viewing ever-so-easy, but it of course also means you’ll rarely escape the tourist herds. My best advice is to plan your trip very early in the morning so you can get some private game viewing in before the crowds arrive.
The vista from the crater rim is simply stunning, so make sure you stop en route to soak it all in. When you arrive down on the crater floor not only will you be gobsmacked by the sheer mass of wildlife, but also with the volcanic landscape, which is so rich and fertile.
Ariadne is a renowned African wildlife photographer whose work is featured in many well-known guidebooks and magazines.
10 people found this review helpful.
Africa’s Garden of Eden
Over-touristed or not, the Ngorongoro Crater should be on the itinerary of every first-time visitor to northern Tanzania. This is one of the most incredible wildlife places in Africa and, yes, you’re not the only one who wants to experience it. The 600m-/2,000ft-deep extinct volcano, with its forested crater walls, is a scenic delight with grassy plains, lakes and a fever-tree forest. But it’s the abundance of wildlife that attracts the crowds. It is one of the best places in Africa to see black rhino, and you might be able to spot the Big Five in a single day.
Ngorongoro Crater is only one of several extinct volcanoes in the Conservation Area. Stay an extra day to visit Olmoti and Empakaai Craters, and perhaps a traditional Maasai village. We employed an armed ranger, which allowed us to explore the area on foot. The descent into Empakaai Crater, with its flocks of flamingos, is highly recommended, especially if you like to get off the tourist treadmill.
Sue is an award-winning writer who specializes in African travel and conservation. She writes for national newspapers, magazines, Rough Guides and Lonely Planet.
8 people found this review helpful.
Life in the Caldera
I felt completely spellbound on my first trip to Ngorongoro Crater. The rim was shrouded in cloud but as we descended the 600 metres down to the crater floor, this vast caldera opened up before our eyes absolutely teeming with animals – a truly spectacular vista. Roughly 30,000 animals share the 260 sq km of verdant grassy plains, including all the Big Five. Giraffes however are absent, mainly because there’s little food for them at tree level but also because the rim is said to be too steep to descend. It’s almost a Disney-esque scene here – the wildlife is so used to humans, it can sometimes seem totally unconcerned by us, although this isn’t necessarily the case and care should be taken not to cause distress. The downside is the number of tourists in safari vehicles that want to do exactly what you’re doing. They can be avoided by going very early in the morning or by visiting in the wet season, provided the roads are passable.
Mike is an award-winning wildlife writer, former editor of Travel Zambia magazine and author of the Bradt Guide to Southern African Wildlife.
7 people found this review helpful.
Crowded Crater, Empty Highlands
On my most recent visit to Ngorongoro Crater, two decades after the last, I found that this extraordinary natural phenomenon still presents the same paradox. On the one hand, it is enormous. The extinct volcanic caldera comprises some 269km2/104mi2 of savanna within its looming crater walls. On the other hand, it can feel very cramped. There is an almost unnatural profusion of game, plus a density of safari vehicles crisscrossing the crater floor to gawp at it. The wildlife is literally wall-to-wall: zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, gazelle and other grazers munching the grasslands in every direction and Africa’s highest concentration of large predators stalking them. We found lions aplenty, though had to join a convoy of vehicles when we followed a pride on the hunt. This convoy became even more jam-packed when we jostled among other road-users to catch a glimpse of a distant black rhino.
For the wilderness aficionado, such crowds will feel too much. But for the first-timer, it’s a jaw-dropping wildlife bonanza. I still believe that if you had just one day in your life in which to experience African wildlife – indeed even a single afternoon – then this would be the place to go. There are also hippos in the lakes and elephants in the forest. Leopard is sometimes seen. And there are often surprises. My highlights this time included a large python swimming across a lake, a martial eagle swooping on (but missing) a Thompson’s gazelle foal and a serval trotting down one quiet back road. The birdlife was prolific, with an area of flooded marsh producing a pageant of migrant waders and terns, plus a frenetic feeding party of white pelicans.
What made this recent trip most special, however, was an opportunity to explore the Ngorongoro Highlands beyond the crater rim. This area is neglected by most whistle-stop tours, which head straight for the crater. Up on the cool plateau, we followed secretary birds, and African golden wolves hunting mole rats (the wolves were once known as golden jackals but have been recently reclassified). We surprised a shy herd of eland and watched Maasai herders leading their cattle through herds of zebra against a breathtaking backdrop. We also visited another crater, Empakaai, where we took a guided walk to the bottom. This was a welcome chance to stretch our legs. It also produced some of the more unusual Afromontane forest wildlife, including blue monkey, tree hyrax, red duiker and crowned eagle. There were flamingos on the lake and, best of all, not another tourist in sight. This area is well worth an extra day or so. But bring a fleece.
Lizzie is a reputed guidebook writer and author of the Footprint guides to South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
7 people found this review helpful.
A Spectacular Wildlife Extravaganza in the Densely Packed Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro is everything you would expect, and there’s a staggering amount of game, which is so used to the army of vehicles with camera-toting tourists poking out the top, they practically stand to attention.
I’ve had some amazing animal encounters here – black rhino and buffalo have nodded their heads politely, elephants have casually thrown back their heads to shake their giant tusks, a leopard jumped down from a tree in the middle of the day and padded past swinging her hips, and a whole pride of lion casually ambled over and flopped down in the shade of our car, their whiskers grazing the glass of the hurriedly shut windows.
Admittedly a safari here is about taking a photo and moving quickly on to the next, and I prefer the larger and slower-paced ecosystem of the Serengeti, but you can’t beat watching the animals’ magnificent stage presence in Ngorongoro.
Christopher is a British travel writer and has contributed to various Fodor's guidebooks and a range of travel magazines.
6 people found this review helpful.
Tanzania’s Garden of Eden
I would wager that anyone who has been to Ngorongoro Crater will never forget their first view of it from the rim some 500 feet above: the dense green forests, the saline Lake Magadi coruscating in the sun at the heart of it, the myriad colours and contours of the crater’s walls and floor.
Inside the walls of this extinct volcano there are a staggering 25,000 mammals in an area roughly half the size of Cape Town. As you descend along the windy track from the top of the rim, tiny black dots will gradually become vast herds of buffalo, zebra and wildebeest stretching across the flat crater floor.
There’s probably nowhere in Africa you have a better chance of seeing the Big Five in a single game drive. At one point on our first drive inside the crater, there were three young male lions passing close to our car on one side, four big bull elephants on the other, two black rhino dead ahead and a spotted hyena behind. More than once inside the crater I didn’t know which way to look.
Gemma authored several Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guides to Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.
6 people found this review helpful.
Superstar park that’s well worth sharing
The Ngorongoro Crater is, alongside the Serengeti, Tanzania’s superstar park, and it’s a well deserved title. The ‘crater’ (technically a caldera) is breathtaking - a 160-square-kilometre circle of bush and savannah surrounded by a ring of steep hills, giving it a truly otherworldly feel. Within the ‘crater’ itself, there are grasslands, woods, swamps and small lakes, inhabited by all Big Five species and hundreds more besides. I love the fact that only male elephants live down here, and if you come in spring you’ll get to see them wading appealingly knee deep in bright yellow beitens flowers.
The game is extremely habituated to vehicles, and the lions in particular barely raise their heads on the approach of an engine. Its relatively small size and huge popularity means that the Ngorongoro ‘crater’ area is often crowded with Land Rovers, following each other in convoy around the limited network of roads and queuing up to see the big-ticket animals, a habit that really got on my nerves on my last visit, especially when the visitors insist on talking at the top of their voices – why don’t their guides tell them to shut up? It’s still worth a visit though, and I suggest you aim to get in as soon as the gates open in the morning to minimize the crowding.
Brian is an award winning travel writer, author of safari books and regular contributor to magazines such as BBC Wildlife and Travel Africa.
6 people found this review helpful.
Jewel of the Northern Circuit
Set at the foot of the Great Rift Escarpment, Lake Manyara is small enough to see in a day but deserves a longer stay. The park itself is a long, narrow strip with the escarpment on one side and the lake on the other, and begins with a beautiful expanse of ground water forest frequented by bushbuck, blue monkeys and swallowtail butterflies. Elephant are common – this is where Iain and Oria Douglas-Hamilton lived and wrote their African wildlife classic: Among the Elephants.
But Manyara’s top attractions are its flamingo flocks and tree-climbing lions. Flamingos and pelicans you should see for sure. This is altogether a terrific park for birding. But in six visits, although I have seen plenty of lions, I have never seen one reclining in the big overhanging acacias. The farther you drive the more the quieter the park becomes. A lot of visitors don’t even make it as far as the Endabash River, so it’s well worth pushing on to Maji Moto Kubwa Hot Springs, even though you have to come back along the same route.
Mark is a travel writer who grew up in Africa and has written over 700 titles for Condé Nast Traveller, Travel Africa, BBC Wildlife and others.
6 people found this review helpful.
As close to guaranteed big 5 sightings as you can get outside a zoo!
That first view of the great Ngorongoro Crater from its forested rim is one of those African experiences you will never forget. And when you drive down into the crater, the experience just keeps getting better. By 11am we had already seen lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo (a herd of close to a thousand!)... and shortly after lunch we saw a leopard resting in a tree. Spotting all the big five within the space of 5 hours has to be some sort of record!
Lucy is travel writer for a range of publications, including Lonely Planet's guides to Africa, Southern Africa and South Africa.
4 people found this review helpful.
Guaranteed sightings
Sometimes, a place is popular because of hype and a visit proves to be a disappointment when compared to the expectation. And sometimes a place is popular because it deserves to be. Ngorongoro undoubtedly fits into the second category. Sure it can get busy, and a lion is easy to locate thanks to the jeeps that inevitably line up for a viewing, but the wildlife watching opportunities, the knowledgeable guides and the sweeping views of the ancient volcanic crater make this an unforgettable animal encounter. Vistas are unbroken by trees or undergrowth and for me, the clear sight of a trio of elephants gently plodding towards a water hole hundreds of metres away will always be the lasting image of my visit.
Harriet is a zoologist with more than 20 years’ experience. She has the privilege of working with the world’s top wildlife photographers and photo-guides.
2 people found this review helpful.
Top of the Bucket List
It was my childhood dream to see the Ngorongoro Crater, and I feared it would not live up to my expectations. However, it spectacularly exceeded them – truly taking my breath away. I realise this is a well-worn phrase, but the Ngorongoro Crater should be on everybody’s bucket list. Having said that, of course the disadvantage is the queues of vehicles snaking down the crater access road. Try and stay in a lodge as close to the descent road as possible and get up early to be near the front of the queue in the morning.
But it is so worth it, descending into the Eden-like bowl, full of wildlife. It feels like entering Jurassic Park. There is surprisingly great wildlife too, with lots of big game including lion and leopard, a lake rimmed with flamingo, and it’s one of the best places in Africa to see the endangered black rhino.
Anthony is a photographer and writer for travel magazines and Lonely Planet, including the guides to Kenya and Botswana & Namibia.
2 people found this review helpful.
Ngorongoro: The Lost World
There’s nowhere on earth quite like Ngorongoro. Looking out over (or descending down into) this vast crater soon after dawn is like experiencing the Africa of childhood imaginings, a place where human beings are very much secondary. It is the umbrella acacia silhouetted against the deep green of the crater’s steep walls. It is the 30 black rhinos that range across the valley floor. And it is the daily battle between lion and hyena (with both black-backed and golden jackals never far away) in their pursuit of prey. In fact, in my experience, this is one of the easiest places in Africa to see hunts and/or predators on a kill. It is that combination of staggering wildlife densities and views of staggering beauty surrounding the austere salt lake in the crater’s heart that make Ngorongoro one of Africa’s most rewarding safari experiences.
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