Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Without a visit to Ngorongoro, a safari in Northenn Tanzania is not complete. Ngorongoro Crater was once a massive volcano. When the volcano collapsed a giant bowl or caldera 20Km across was formed. Covering a mere 260km², the 600 metre deep crater is home to a permanent population of more than 30,000 animals, and is one of the only places in Africa where you stand a very good chance of seeing the "big five" in one game drive. The crater is now a World Heritage Site. Like Noah’s Ark with its huge bio-diversity, it truly is the eighth wonder of the world. Although it is now rather crowded especially during the high tourist season, it is really worth the visit as this is the highest concentration of wildlife to be seen anywhere in a spectacular setting. Lions abound and black rhino are usually seen. The animals move in and out of the Crater where the vegetation is extremely rich. The Maasai also graze their cattle in the crater floor in close proximity to the big predators.

The crater can be very dusty at the height of the dry season and parts become impassable after the rains but the crater is always full of life and its unique fascination changes with the seasons.

The crater rim is around 2300 metres and nights are cold and in the morning the mountain mist can be very chilly. There are a number of lodges on the crater rim from where the views are spectacular. We recommend Crater Lodge or at a slightly more reasonable price Serena Lodge. The Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge is a bit like a giant ski chalet but it’s cheap and has the best views. There is also a Sopa Lodge.

The Sopa Lodge has very large rooms, good service but the décor is really awful. The lodges were built by rich Indian businessmen and the whole style tends to be a bit glitzy and oversized. There is not the intimate feel of a good lodge. The dining room has huge glass windows overlooking the Ngorongoro.