Discovering the Wonders of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area: A Comprehensive Travel Guide
Centred around a wildlife-filled crater, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of East Africa’s most enchanting safari destinations. It is located on Tanzania’s Northern Circuit (which includes Serengeti National Park, Lake Manyara National Park and Tarangire National Park) and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
While many people spend a day wildlife spotting in the Ngorongoro Crater, there is so much more to do in this spectacular area. In this Ngorongoro travel guide, we’ll explain why this area deserves at least a few days of exploration to experience everything it has to offer.
Whether you’re interested in going on a Ngorongoro safari or hiking to one of the majestic Ngorongoro Crater viewpoints, we have you covered. Our Ngorongoro travel tips include some of the best places to stay in this majestic corner of the world and when to travel to get the best deals and avoid the crowds.
Designated as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, the Ngorongoro Crater is all that’s left of an immense volcano that is thought to have been bigger than Mount Kilimanjaro. It now provides a haven for a huge diversity of Ngorongoro Crater wildlife, with around 25,000 animals residing within the caldera’s walls and many more migrating through the area.
A game drive safari is the best way of experiencing this majestic place and spotting the “Big 5” (black rhinoceros, elephants, lions, leopards and Cape buffalo), as well as everything from blue wildebeest to Grant’s zebras and gazelles. The Ngorongoro Crater is also home to a staggering birdlife, including flamingos, which come in huge numbers to wade in the shallow waters of Lake Magadi.
Surrounding the Ngorongoro Crater are the majestic Ngorongoro Highlands, which are ideally explored on foot. Guided hikes lead through the area’s thick mountain forests and wildlife-filled savannah, taking in breathtaking lookouts and passing Maasai pastoralists along the way.
You can descend to the foot of Mount Ol Doinyo Lengai (known as the “Mountain of God” to the Maasai people) or soak up the stunning views from the edge of the Great Rift Valley before visiting the flamingo breeding grounds of Lake Natron. While exploring the highlands, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for Ngorongoro Conservation Area wildlife.
Olduvai Gorge is a steep-sided ravine that is renowned as one of the world’s most important paleo-anthropological sites. Mary and Louis Leakey are credited with leading the archaeological excavations here, which have revealed valuable information about the life of early hominids.
You can get up close to some of their findings at the Olduvai Gorge Museum and learn about the significance of the area to the Maasai people, who refer to it as “Oldupai” (“the place of the wild sisal”). On the road leading to the museum is a large-scale monument depicting fossil skulls of two of the species discovered in the gorge.
Once used as a research base for Jane Goodall and Hugo van Lawick, the Ndutu Region sprawls between the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti National Park. It offers outstanding wildlife viewing during the green season and is a popular place to watch the Great Wildebeest Migration herds calving in February.
Giraffes and elephants can often be spotted around Ndutu’s permanent watering holes, together with elusive cheetahs and leopards. The birdwatching is exceptional, with steppe eagles, rufous-tailed weavers and African cuckoos among the species recorded here.
Filled with a deep alkaline lake, the Empakaai Crater is a collapsed volcanic caldera that’s roughly six kilometres in diameter. It’s ringed by steeply-sloped, forested cliffs, which offer magnificent views across the crater from the top.
Descend to the lake shore to watch as thousands of flamingos come to feed in its shallows, alongside elephants, buffalos and hyenas. For birdwatchers, you may be treated to sightings of bearded vultures, augur buzzards and some of the 500+ bird species that have been recorded in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
When Serengeti National Park was established by the British colonial government in 1959, many Maasai pastoralists were relocated to what is now the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Visiting a Maasai village is a fascinating cultural experience and an opportunity to meet members of one of East Africa’s most famous tribes.
After being greeted by the son of the village chief, you’ll be treated to a traditional dance performance by the men in their red-coloured cloaks. Then embark on a guided tour of their unique boma huts to see how the Maasai live or purchase beaded mementos to take home with you.
Formed over the last 10 million years, the Olmoti Crater is a sunken caldera whose name translates as “Cooking Pot” in the Maasai language. Its lush vegetation and water sources attract elephants, buffalos and antelopes, which can be observed while hiking along the crater rim.
A highlight of exploring the Olmoti Crater is marvelling at the Munge Waterfall, which plunges around 30 metres across several tiers. It can be viewed from miles away or up close while standing on the crater rim.
Best time to visit the Ngorongoro Conservation Area
The dry season (June to October) is considered by many people to be the best time to visit the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. In addition to sunny skies and limited rainfall, the shorter grass during this period makes the wildlife easier to spot. However, lodge and camp rates are comparatively high and you will have to share the experience with a large number of other tourists.
November to May is considered the rainy or “green” season, with the Ngorongoro Conservation Area’s landscapes turning undeniably lush. While you can expect short afternoon downpours most days, you’ll still get plenty of sunshine in between. This is the best time for birdwatching as many migratory species arrive in the area. During the “green” season, you can expect more affordable lodge rates and fewer other tourists.
Where to stay in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Find your dream stay with this curated collection of Ngorongoro Crater accommodations.
Gibb’s Farm Lodge
Gibb’s Farm Lodge features a handful of charming cottages surrounded by produce gardens that supply the property with food for its farm-to-table dining experiences.
Featuring just eight canvas-and-glass domed suites inspired by Maasai bomas, this spectacular property is located on the slopes of Olmoti.
This luxurious lodge occupies a Cape Dutch-style building and several cottages overlooking the Shangri-La Coffee State.
Consisting of three intimate camps overlooking the Ngorongoro Crater, this exquisite lodge has been described as “where Versailles meets the Maasai”.
Overlooking Lake Eyasi, this eco-lodge boasts just eight cottages and offers unique experiences with the Datoga and Hadzabe tribes.
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