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Serengeti National ParkEndless plains, exceptional predators and the Great Migration.Explore
Black rhinos grazing on the Ngorongoro Crater floor beneath the crater wall
TANZANIA DESTINATION

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

A spectacular volcanic caldera alive with wildlife.

WHY VISIT

A place that stays with you.

Descend into the world's largest intact volcanic caldera for concentrated game viewing framed by forested crater walls.

The Ngorongoro Crater is a collapsed volcano roughly 20 kilometres across, with walls rising about 600 metres from the floor. Grassland, acacia woodland, soda lake and freshwater springs support an extraordinary density of wildlife, all within a single game drive.

It is one of the best places in Tanzania to see the endangered black rhino, along with lion, buffalo, elephant, hippo and flamingo. The wider Ngorongoro Conservation Area is also home to Maasai communities, Olduvai Gorge and the highland forests on the crater rim.

Crater visits follow park rules on timing, so we plan an early descent for the quietest hours and the best light, then a picnic lunch by the hippo pool.

Ngorongoro CraterBig FiveHighland scenery
Cape buffalo with heavy curved hornsVillage weaver perched on a reed in NgorongoroAbdim's stork foraging in Ngorongoro grassland
WILDLIFE & HIGHLIGHTS

What you can see in Ngorongoro.

  • Black rhino
  • Lion
  • Buffalo
  • Elephant
  • Hippo
  • Zebra
  • Wildebeest
  • Flamingo
  • Spotted hyena
  • Kori bustard

Getting there.

Ngorongoro is about three to four hours' drive from Arusha on tarred road via Mto wa Mbu and Karatu. It sits naturally between Tarangire or Lake Manyara and the Serengeti on a northern circuit route.

Ngorongoro questions.

Can you see the Big Five in Ngorongoro Crater?

Lion, buffalo, elephant and black rhino are regularly seen on the crater floor. Leopard is present but more often found in the forested rim and the Serengeti, so it is never guaranteed.

How long is a game drive in the crater?

Park rules allow a limited time on the crater floor, usually around six hours. Most of our travellers find a half-day to full-day descent ideal.

Safaris featuring Ngorongoro.

Cheetah resting in the grass beside a safari vehicle in northern Tanzania
5days
Mid-range
Wildlife Safari

Best of Northern Tanzania Safari

Arusha · Tarangire · Serengeti · Ngorongoro

Elephant country, endless plains and the Ngorongoro Crater in one beautifully paced private safari.

From$1,850per person
Wildebeest herds crossing a river during the Great Migration in the Serengeti
7days
Luxury
Great Migration Safari

Serengeti Migration Safari

Arusha · Serengeti · Ngorongoro

Follow the Great Migration with a flexible route shaped around seasonal wildlife movement.

From$2,950per person
Lion and lioness together on a Tanzania wildlife safari
6days
Mid-range
Wildlife Safari

Tanzania Wildlife Adventure

Arusha · Tarangire · Lake Manyara · Serengeti · Ngorongoro

A varied safari through four celebrated parks, from Rift Valley forests to Serengeti grasslands.

From$2,150per person