The Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers volcanic highlands between Tarangire and the Serengeti. At its centre is the Ngorongoro Crater, a collapsed volcano about 610 m deep whose floor holds lion, buffalo, elephant and black rhino.
Unlike a national park, people live here too, with Maasai herders sharing the land with wildlife.
The conservation area runs from the forested highlands near Karatu across to the Serengeti's southern plains, including the Ndutu area where the wildebeest calve early in the year. The Crater floor sits about 1,800 m above sea level, and the rim is higher still, so it is cool, especially at night.
Beyond the main Crater, the highlands include Olmoti and Empakaai, two smaller craters you can hike, and Olduvai Gorge, a 50 km ravine where fossils show early humans lived in the area at least 1.75 million years ago.
The Crater floor is a closed bowl of grassland, swamp and the shallow soda lake, Lake Magadi, which often draws flamingos. Lion, spotted hyena, buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, gazelles and hippo are all easy to find, and big bull elephants feed around the swamps. It is also one of the few places in Tanzania with a chance of black rhino on a game drive.
A few familiar animals are absent from the floor, including giraffe, impala and topi. Outside the Crater, you can walk in the highland forest and in Maasai grazing country, and visit Maasai communities.
The Crater has resident wildlife all year, so there is no bad month for wildlife. June to September is the coolest and busiest stretch, especially July to September. The green months bring fewer vehicles. From January to March, the Ndutu plains on the conservation area's western side host the wildebeest calving. Our month-by-month safari guide has more on the seasons.
The Crater rim is a few hours' drive from Arusha, and it usually slots in between Tarangire and the Serengeti on a northern circuit. Two nights is right for most people: one full day on the Crater floor, and one for walking or Olduvai. Get down onto the floor as early as you can, before the day visitors arrive from Karatu. Bring a warm layer, as the highlands get cold at night.
The Highlands is a small Asilia camp of domed suites on the slopes of Olmoti Crater, about an hour from the main Crater. It suits active travelers who want hikes, Empakaai and Maasai country as well as a Crater day.
Gibb's Farm is a working coffee farm near Karatu, on the forested outer slopes of the Crater, with garden cottages and food grown on the farm. It makes a calm, comfortable base, especially for families.
andBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge sits right on the Crater rim. It closed in January 2025 for a full rebuild, with reopening planned for January 2027, so it is only an option for trips from 2027.
Mammals
Primates
Birdlife
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