Ngorongoro Highlands

Ngorongoro
Conservation Area

Steep, forested walls rise six hundred metres to a rim wreathed in cloud — and below lies a 260-square-kilometre floor of grassland, soda lake and forest holding some 25,000 large animals.

Panoramic view over the Ngorongoro Crater floor and Lake Magadi from the rim

Ngorongoro Highlands · Wild & Nature Safaris

Discover

An Introduction
to Ngorongoro

Two and a half million years ago, Ngorongoro was among the highest mountains in Africa. When its cone collapsed it left behind the largest intact volcanic caldera on earth — a natural amphitheatre some 260 square kilometres in extent and 610 metres deep, walled by cliffs that keep the world outside at a distance.

The crater floor is a self-contained wilderness: Lake Magadi’s soda shallows draw flamingos, Lerai Forest shelters old bull elephants, and black rhino graze the open grassland within sight of lion prides. Around the crater, the wider conservation area climbs through highland forest and moorland to Empakaai Crater and the archaeological wonder of Olduvai Gorge — while Maasai families still bring their cattle to water here, as they have for centuries.

Location
Ngorongoro Highlands, Northern Tanzania
Crater Floor
260 km² · 610 m deep
Rim Altitude
Up to 2,286 m above sea level
Heritage
UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979

Wildlife & Natural Highlights

What You Will
Find Here

Every destination has its own rhythm and its own icons. These are the encounters, landscapes and moments that define Ngorongoro.

Lions resting on the open grassland of the Ngorongoro Crater floor

  • The Crater Floor

    Some 25,000 large animals live within the caldera — wildebeest, zebra, buffalo, eland, hyena and one of the finest predator densities in Africa.

  • Black Rhinos

    Ngorongoro holds one of the best chances in East Africa of seeing the critically endangered black rhino on open grassland.

  • Lion Prides

    Resident prides with famously large-maned males patrol the crater floor, often seen hunting at first light.

  • Lake Magadi

    The shallow soda lake at the crater’s heart draws lesser flamingos, and its mirror surface doubles the escarpment at dawn.

  • Olduvai Gorge

    One of the most important paleoanthropological sites on earth — the Laetoli footprints nearby preserve human footprints some 3.6 million years old.

  • The Maasai

    Maasai pastoralists live within the conservation area, sharing this landscape with wildlife in one of Africa’s most ambitious conservation experiments.

Best Time to Visit

When to
Travel

June to October for classic crater game viewing · January to March for the Ndutu calving plains.

  1. June – October

    Dry Season

    Cool, crisp mornings on the rim and clear game viewing on the crater floor. Wildlife concentrates around water and the grass is short.

  2. January – March

    Calving Season

    The short-grass plains of Ndutu, within the conservation area, host the Great Migration’s calving — and the predators that follow it.

  3. April – May

    Long Rains

    Mist rolls over the rim and the highlands turn vivid green. Quiet lodges, dramatic photography and excellent value.

  4. November

    Short Rains

    Fresh grass, thunderheads building over the highlands and migratory birds arriving on the crater floor.

Safari Experiences

Things to
Do Here

From first light on the plains to the last glow on the water — the experiences that make Ngorongoro unforgettable.

  • Crater Floor Drives

    Descend early for a full day on the crater floor, with a picnic lunch beside the hippo pool at Ngoitokitok Springs.

  • Crater Rim Walks

    Guided walks along the forested rim with views straight down to the floor — chameleons, turacos and Colobus monkeys in the canopy.

  • Empakaai Crater

    A full-day hike into a neighbouring caldera whose forested floor cradles a flamingo-rimmed lake and almost no other visitors.

  • Olduvai Gorge

    Visit the museum and excavation sites of the “Cradle of Mankind” with a local guide.

  • Maasai Village Visits

    Spent at the pace of the community — an afternoon with a Maasai family, arranged respectfully through the camp.

  • Dawn on the Rim

    Watch cloud pour over the crater walls at first light from a lodge perched on the escarpment.

Recommended Journeys

Safaris That Include
Ngorongoro

Hand-crafted itineraries built around this destination — each one shaped, paced and priced for the way you want to travel.

2 Days Tarangire and Ngorongoro Crater Safari

From $850 per person

View Itinerary
Elephants gathered beneath a giant baobab tree in Tarangire National Park

3 Days · 2 Nights

3 Days Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara Safari

Three iconic northern parks — elephant-rich Tarangire, the wildlife-filled Ngorongoro Crater and the forested shores of Lake Manyara — on one seamless private three-day Tanzania safari.

Private safari · enquire for pricing

View Itinerary
An acacia tree standing alone on the open grass plains of the Serengeti

4 Days · 3 Nights

4 Days Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti Safari

A four-day private Tanzania safari linking baobab-dotted Tarangire, the legendary Serengeti plains and the wildlife-filled floor of the Ngorongoro Crater.

Private safari · enquire for pricing

View Itinerary

Travel Information

Before You
Set Out

Getting There
Roughly three hours by road from Arusha (180 km), or fly to Lake Manyara airstrip and continue an hour by vehicle. Most itineraries arrive from Tarangire or continue west to the Serengeti.
Length of Stay
Two to three nights — one full day on the crater floor, with time for the rim, Olduvai or a highland walk.
Nearby Parks
The Serengeti lies directly west; Lake Manyara and Tarangire lie to the south-east. Lake Natron and Ol Doinyo Lengai reward the adventurous.
Good to Know
It is genuinely cold on the rim at night — pack a fleece. Crater descents are limited to six hours per vehicle and off-road driving is not permitted. Take the altitude gently on arrival.

Good to Know

Ngorongoro
FAQs

The questions travellers ask us most often about Ngorongoro.

— Ngorongoro Highlands

How long do we spend on the crater floor?

Crater permits are issued for six hours per vehicle, which is ample for a thorough game drive with a picnic lunch. We recommend descending at first light, when the lions are still active and the light is at its best.

What is the weather like on the crater rim?

Cool and often misty. Mornings can be around 10–12°C, so layers matter — particularly for the early descent. Days on the floor warm up pleasantly.

Can I see black rhino in Ngorongoro?

The crater is one of the strongest remaining habitats for the black rhino in East Africa, and sightings are common — though never guaranteed with wild animals.

Is Ngorongoro suitable for a first safari?

It is one of the finest introductions to African wildlife anywhere: the density of animals is extraordinary, the landscape is unforgettable, and it pairs naturally with Tarangire and the Serengeti.

Do the Maasai still live in the crater?

Maasai families live in the wider conservation area and graze their cattle around the crater, though they no longer keep livestock on the crater floor itself. Visits are arranged through local communities.