Ngorongoro Crater Safari, Tanzania

The Ngorongoro Crater is a breathtakingly beautiful setting and the best place in East Africa to see the Big Five.  It is a great way to start your African safari adventure. However, as one of the world's most astonishing and renowned natural wonders, the Ngorongoro Crater does get busy, and at times very busy.  Due to the crowds, we recommend a two-night stay only here, then moving on to the Serengeti for a quieter, more private safari experience.  

Any Northern Tanzania Safari should ideally include a visit to Ngorongoro Crater: it is one of the most beautiful natural wildlife safari sites in the world and an exceptional place to interact with people from the Maasai tribe.

The Ngorongoro Crater and surrounding highlands together form one of Africa's most beautiful regions. Volcanic craters form stunning backdrops to some of the most fertile and richest grazing grounds in Africa. The most famous such crater is without question Ngorongoro, the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera and home to the highest density of big game in Africa. Ngorongoro is justifiably one of the continent's most famous safari destinations.   
 

How to get to the Ngorongoro Crater | Arusha to Ngorongoro

 

• Driving from Arusha. Depending on your party size, it may be cheaper for you to all share a private vehicle and guide from when you are picked up from your international flight at Kilimanjaro Airport all the way until you fly out of the Ngorongoro region. If you are driving, it is essential to have a night on either side of your crater descent either in a camp on the crater rim, or a 20-minute drive away in the Ngorongoro Highlands. This means you can get to the gates early to avoid the crowds!

• Flying from Arusha. If you are staying at a “fly-in” camp which means your guide and vehicle are provided by your camp, and not by a ground handler from Arusha, you can fly into Lake Manyara airstrip, and get picked up by the camp. This can be a good idea if there are fewer people in your party, making flying cheaper than driving in a private vehicle from Arusha. It is also essential for some camps which are usually the more luxurious ones owned by excellent safari companies such as Nomad’s Entamanu or The Highlands Asila.

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Ngorongoro Crater Weather - When to go

Since the wildlife mainly stays in the crater all year round, there is really no good or bad time to visit. However given that the crater floor does get busy with vehicles, it can be more pleasant to visit during low season. Higher water levels in Lake Magadi (in the centre of the Crater) also result in higher concentrations of flamingos.  Whenever you visit to Ngorongoro, you are guaranteed excellent safari action. The beauty of an Ngorongoro safari is because of its unique micro-climate, it can be enjoyed year round.