Ngorongoro Crater

(For more information about Crater trekking see Ngorongoro Crater Trekking)

Nearly two million years ago, Ngorongoro peak towered almost as high as Kilimanjaro. Both these mountains formed the highest peaks in Africa at that time. The Ngorongoro Peak collapsed beneath the volcano to form a caldera, the largest unbroken and unfolded in the world today. Although a geological feature formed by the withdrawal of a molten in this manner is correctly called a caldera, many people traditionally used the term crater, an hence Ngorongoro Caldera is described as a crater, in all records available.
The animals make the Ngorongoro Crater one of Africa’s major attractions. The crater is also known as "The eighth wonder of the world". Around 300,000 animals live in the bottom of the crater, the numbers change with seasons, because some animals migrate towards the Serengeti. The largest group is the wildebeests, but there are plenty of zebras, gazelles and buffaloes. In the forests and the swamped areas one can find hippos, rhinos, elephants, waterbucks, baboons and monkeys. Ngorongoro is one of the few places you are quite sure of spotting a rhino. In the forest s and the swamped areas one can fined hippos, rhinos, elephants, waterbucks,

Attractions in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Lake Eyasi: The largest soda lake in Tanzania, with diverse cultures settled around the area. Explore the real bushmen, the Hadzabe and the Datoga tribe.

Lake Natron: Engaresero river gorge, breeding flamingos in the soda lake and rift cliffs.

Empakaai Crater: No roads and no human inhabitants, a crater that contains forest and deep lake, where flocks of flamingos can be spotted. The Card era is six kilometers wide and the lake occupies nearly half of its floor. The scenery is spectacular at every point. From the northern and eastern side you can look out the dramatic cone of Oldonyo Lengai, the Great Rift Valley and Lake Natron on the valleys eastern side you might see the snow capped peak of Kilimanjaro. It is possible to camp on the rim and hike into the crater with an armed ranger.

Olmoti Crater: This shallow grassy crater is the source of the Munge river, which pours through a north in the rim in a spectacular waterfall on its way to Ngorongoro crater. Participate in a pleasant walk from Nainokanoka ranger posts, through the forest up to the top of the waterfall.

Ol Doinyo Lengai: An active volcano, with the possibility of climbing to the very top of the crater. Adventurous visitors sometimes struggle up its steep slopes to visit the steaming, bubbling crater, but most prefer to view its symmetrical cone from a distance. Ol Doinyo Lengai is the Masai language for “Mountain of God.

Ndutu Woodlands: Acacia trees, resident Giraffes, Impalas and Elephants in the dry season

baboons and monkeys. Ngorongoro is one of the few places.

You are quite sure of spotting a rhino. In the 1960’s the crater had 100 rhinos permanently living there, but because if poaching, the number was decreased to under 20 in a few years. Now the illegal shooting appears to be under control, so the number of rhinos is stabile and even rising. The rhinos, than one rhino to be shot."

There are also ideal circumstances for the predators living in the crater. With around 100 lions and 400 hyenas, the crater has the largest number per kms in East Africa. Among the male lions one can find a number of black manned ones. There are also good chances of spotting jackals ad serval-cats, which hunts in the swamps and do se to the water holes. In Ngorongoro you have the vest chance of spotting the "Big Five" namely lion, leopard , buffalo, elephant and rhino.