Things to do in Ngorongoro

No. 4 of Best Things to Do in Tanzania

Ngorongoro Crater

Ngorongoro Crater is located in northern Tanzania and is one of the best-preserved large, intact volcanic craters, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The crater is approx. 19 km in diameter and is surrounded by steep walls hundreds of meters high, with the bottom forming a self-contained, closed ecosystem that is home to approx. 25,000 large wild animals year-round. It is one of the places in Africa to see the "Big Five"—lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and African buffaloes. The crater has a high density of lion prides and is also a region in Tanzania for viewing the endangered black rhino. Old bull elephants with huge tusks are often seen in the Lerai Forest, and leopards also prefer to roam in these woods. Lake Magadi in the southwest of the crater is a shallow alkaline lake; during the wet season, flocks of flamingos gather here, with the pink birds contrasting against the white alkaline lake surface. Unlike most African savanna reserves, giraffes and impalas do not live on the crater floor, which gives the animal community within the crater a unique composition. Descending to the crater floor in the early morning, animals are more active in the cool morning light. However, the crater rim is at an altitude of over 2,000 m, and there is a significant temperature difference between day and night. It feels quite cold on the crater floor in the early morning, so it is recommended to bring warm clothing.

No. 7 of Best Things to Do in Tanzania

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Ngorongoro Conservation Area is located in northern Tanzania, a vast protected area that combines volcanic landscapes, dense wildlife, and the nomadic lifestyle of the Maasai people in one place. About 2 million years ago, a massive volcano in the area erupted violently and collapsed inward, leaving behind a huge crater nearly 20 km in diameter and about 600 m deep. The crater contains meadows, swamps, springs, woodlands, and a saltwater lake, forming a nearly self-contained ecosystem, which is why it is often called the "African Eden." Tens of thousands of large animals inhabit the crater floor year-round: wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles move in herds across the meadows, elephant herds are accustomed to roaming around the Lerai Forest, and lion prides, leopards, hyenas, and jackals prowl the area. With the addition of buffaloes and the rare black rhino, a single game drive offers the chance to see the "Big Five." During the dry season, water sources shrink, and animals gather around springs and swamps, making it the golden time for viewing and photography. When the water in Lake Magadi is shallow, thousands of flamingos turn the lake surface pink, a scene that photographers often wait to capture.

Lake Natron

Lake Natron is located in the northeast of Arusha Region, Tanzania, adjacent to the East African Rift Valley volcanic belt on the border with Kenya. This alkaline lake has a unique chemical composition formed by the dissolution of volcanic ash. When the pH value of the lake water reaches 10.5, it presents an ochre-red hue, and the shallows crystallize into coral-like sedimentary structures composed of sodium carbonate. Every dry season, it attracts 2 million lesser flamingos to nest here, and the pink flocks of birds and the reflections on the lake form a landmark ecological landscape. The lakeshore is dotted with black basalt terraces formed by volcanic eruptions. The Gelay volcano fumaroles continue to release sulfur-containing gases, forming mist in the morning light. The professional photography team provides anti-corrosion equipment rental services and guides the shooting of mineralized bird specimens and salt crust cracked landforms. During the rainy season when the water level rises, you can take a light aircraft to observe the geometric saline-alkali mudflats cut by the lake. The area implements strict ecological protection. Visitors need to wear special salt-alkali protective boots, and all trips are accompanied by certified ecological guides.

Olduvai Gorge Museum

This scenic spot is an east-west canyon in East Africa, about 50 kilometers long. It is sometimes called the Cradle of Humankind because of the many remains and fossilized remains of early humans found in the canyon's ruins.

Lodoare Gate, Ngorongoro

Ngorongoro Entrance Gate

Ngorongoro Crater National Park

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Serengeti National Park

Serengeti National Park is an iconic nature reserve in Tanzania, famous for its vast tropical savanna landscapes and large-scale wildlife populations. The park is home to various large animals, including wildebeest, zebras, gazelles, lions, spotted hyenas, cheetahs, elephants, and giraffes. A natural phenomenon known as the "Great Migration" takes place here all year round. Millions of wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles follow the fresh pastures brought by the rainy season, migrating in a clockwise cycle between the southern plains, the Western Corridor, and the northernMara River. The migrating herds stretch for dozens of km, creating a spectacular scene. At the beginning of each year, wildebeest herds gather in the southern plains to calve, with hundreds of thousands of calves born in a short period. Afterward, the herds move northwest, facing ambushes by crocodiles in the river as they cross the Grumeti River in the Western Corridor. The herds continue north to stage even more stunning river crossings along the banks of theMara River, before turning back south to complete the annual cycle. The park covers a vast area, with distinct landscapes and animal distributions in different regions. The central Seronera area has a high density of animals all year round; the southern plains have open terrain and are the core area for the calving season; the Western Corridor features a landscape of alternating rivers and woodlands; and the northernMara Riverbasin is famous for its river crossing views. During your visit, you will have the opportunity to observe wildlife behaviors up close, such as lion prides hunting, cheetahs chasing prey, and elephants roaming.

Tanzania Bush Camps - Ndutu

Serengeti South / Ngorongoro gate