Destinations
Ngorongoro Crater
The largest unbroken volcanic caldera on earth, and dense wildlife all year.
The crater is what remains of a volcano that collapsed in on itself. The rim stands at around 2,300 m and the floor about 500 m below, enclosing roughly 260 square kilometres of grassland, swamp, forest and a soda lake.
That enclosure is why the wildlife is so concentrated. The floor supports a large resident population year round, including one of the few places in Tanzania where black rhino are seen with any regularity.
Most visitors descend for a single full day. Mornings are best: the light is better, and the vehicle traffic on the floor builds through the day.
Wildlife it is known for
- Lion
- Black rhino
- Elephant
- Buffalo
- Spotted hyena
- Flamingo
- Zebra
- Wildebeest
What you can do there
- A full descent onto the crater floor
- Game drives, morning and afternoon
- Cultural visits with local communities
- Photography, with time at sightings
- Birdwatching
Good to know
| Best time to go | Year round. The floor holds resident wildlife in every month, so it never depends on the migration. |
| How long to stay | One full day on the crater floor is standard. Two nights on the rim if you want it unhurried. |
| Getting there | About three hours from Arusha by road, and on the way to the Serengeti, which is why most itineraries include it. |
Journeys that include it
Ready when you are
Tell us roughly when you want to travel and what you would like to see. We take it from there.