Ngorongoro crater safari tours

Ngorongoro crater safari tours

Ngorongoro crater safari tours take place in the Ngorongoro conservation area in the northern part of Tanzania.

Numerous wildlife species can be seen around the Ngorongoro conservation area during safari tours and they include the big 5 such as lions, elephants, buffalos, leopards and also black rhinos which are among the endangered species that are found in the crater area.

During a safari around the Ngorongoro crater, other wildlife species that can be spotted include wildebeests, zebras, hippos, cheetahs, hyenas, warthogs, kudu, hartebeests, waterbucks, impalas, gazelles, jackals and many others.

Flamingos are also among the attractions of the Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania which also has over 350 other bird species. Bird lovers can also enjoy bird watching as they explore the savannah plains of Ngorongoro. Lake Magadi is a good location for bird watching in the crater during a safari and seeing the flocks of flamingos.

The Ngorongoro crater is considered to be the largest inactive volcanic caldera in the world. Apart from this factor, the crater is made up of grasslands, woodland, montane forests and beautiful scenery where different wildlife species live.

The Ngorongoro crater was formed as a result of volcanic activity which took place over 3 million years ago when a volcano erupted leading to the collapse of the cone and this formed the crater. There are also nearby craters in the Ngorongoro conservation area which were formed in a similar way and they include the Olmoti crater and Empakaai crater.

Another attraction in the neighboring areas of the Ngorongoro crater is the Ol donyo lengai which is referred to as “the mountain of god” in the Maasai language. Hiking is among the activities that are carried out at Ol donyo lengai where the Maasai people can also be encountered and also act as guides during safaris around the destination.

The beautiful view around the Ngorongoro crater and the abundance of wildlife species found at the destination are among the many reasons to add this destination during your Tanzania safari at any time of the year.

You can explore the Ngorongoro crater for a whole day or for half a day game viewing experience. The steep walls of the crater act as a form of a natural boundary around the habitat for wildlife species of the Ngorongoro conservation area. During a game drive, the safari vehicles descend about 600 meters into the Ngorongoro crater where the various wildlife species can be spotted.

Another attraction in the Ngorongoro conservation area is the wildebeest migration. Specifically the calving season when over 8000 claves are born daily in the grass plains of the Ndutu area around December to March is another attraction at this destination.

Predators can also be spotted around the savannah plains as they prey on the wildebeests. February is a time of the year when the calving season is at its peak. Many resident wildlife species are also a sight to see as you explore the Ngorongoro crater.

A safari to the Ngorongoro crater can take about 4 hours depending on the time you spend looking for the wildlife species while driving around the destination. A crater service fee of 295 USD is charged for vehicles entering the crater for a wildlife safari experience.

Another cost incurred during a safari around the Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania is park entrance fees. Nonresident adults are charged entrance fee of 71 USD while children are charged 23.6 USD to visit the Ngorongoro conservation area.

Residents living in Tanzania or expatriates are charged entrance fee of 35.4 USD for adults and children are charged 11.8 USD during a safari to the Ngorongoro conservation area.

East African citizens and Tanzanians are charged entrance fee of 11,800 Tshs for adults and 2360 Tshs for children during safaris to the Ngorongoro conservation area. Children below the age of 5 years are not charged park entrance fee.

There are a number of activities that are carried out during safaris to the Ngorongoro crater and they include the following;

Game drives in Ngorongoro are a popular tourist activity at the destination and after descending into the Ngorongoro crater where you can enjoy looking out for wildlife species like lions, leopards, cheetahs, buffalos, elephants, rhinos, wildebeests, zebras, waterbucks among others.

Walking safaris or nature walks are also done during safaris in the Ngorongoro conservation area and they give a closer interaction with the surroundings of the destination and also a chance to see the wildlife species on foot. These nature walks can be carried out around the crater rim and also in the forested area of Ngorongoro.

Cultural tours can also be done in the neighboring towns of the Ngorongoro conservation area. The Maasai people are among the locals who can be encountered during Ngorongoro crater safaris since they live in the neighboring area and can be seen as they graze their livestock in the savannah plains. Interactions with the Maasai people are a way of getting to know more about the way of life of these different tribes, their local foods, cultural dances and other traditional aspects of the cultures.

Bird watching is another activity that is carried out during safaris to the Ngorongoro conservation area. Some of the bird species of Ngorongoro include flamingos, secretary birds, hammerkops, gray herons, pelicans, long tailed lapwing, gray crowned crane, starlings, kori bustard, weavers, vultures among others.

Safaris to the Ngorongoro crater can be done at any time of the year and the best time for wildlife viewing at the destination is the dry season. You can also visit the crater in the rainy season which is also good for wildlife viewing and bird watching.

There are different ways to get to Ngorongoro crater during safaris in Tanzania and they include driving and also flight. To visit the Ngorongoro conservation area, you can get flights to Kilimanjaro international airport.

Driving from Arusha to the Ngorongoro conservation area takes about 4 hours.

Visit the Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania and enjoy a wildlife safari around the northern part of Tanzania.