A Look Inside Ngorongoro Crater

Image above of the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge

Spanning approximately five square miles, Ngorongoro Crater is an enormous volcanic caldera that is celebrated for its sheer size, riveting natural beauty, and dense wildlife populations. In fact, it’s one of the best places to witness the Big Five (lion, leopard, rhino, Cape buffalo, and elephant) in all of Africa and is classified as a World Heritage Site.

To the surprise of many travelers on their first trip to Tanzania, Ngorongoro Crater is actually quite lush! It’s not a barren crater, filled with volcanic remains and ash, but rather, it’s filled with breathtaking landscape, including grasslands, Lake Magadi, marshlands, and thick forests. And in this diverse landscape lives some of the most beautiful creatures in the world, including hundreds of bird species, cheetah, jackal, bat-eared foxes, wildebeest, gazelle, jackal, and, of course, the Big Five.

Whilst visiting Ngorongoro, you have the opportunity to take part in a variety of Tanzania safari tours and personalized activities. Game drives are an absolute must whilst visiting the Crater and can be offered privately or in small, intimate groups. The guides that we use are all local guides who are extremely knowledgeable of the area and its wildlife. It’s also important to note that game viewing is excellent year-round; however, it can get quite cold at the top of the crater from May to September so packing warm is a must.

In addition to exceptional game viewing, Ngorongoro Crater is also celebrated for its large populations of bird species, including flamingos, saddle-bill storks, yellow wagtails, ibis, crowned cranes, ostrich, and more, making it the perfect retreat for bird lovers.

And after an exciting morning of game viewing and birding, there’s nothing better to break up the day than with a private bush picnic in the center of the Crater. Here, you’ll enjoy breathtaking scenery and wildlife as you relax on folded chairs with a coffee, tea, beer, wine, or cocktail in hand as your guide prepares an exceptional private picnic for you.

Although the wildlife is the main attraction at the Ngorongoro Crater, you’ll also have the opportunity to enjoy cultural visits with the local Maasai people. During these visits, your local Maasai guides will take you around their community, introducing you to their lifestyle and the Maasai warriors, dressed in traditional attire. You’ll also have the opportunity to witness the Maasai warriors perform their traditional dances.

Nearby the Crater is another fascinating site, referred to as the Cradle of Mankind. While visiting Ngorongoro, you’ll have the opportunity to take a half-day trip to the Cradle of Mankind to learn about the hominid fossils and tools discovered in this ancient land. You’ll also be able to walk through the ruins of an ancient city and witness the Shifting Sands, which are mounds of volcanic ash.

And, of course, there is no better way to end the day than with a sundowner. But not just any sundowner, a sundowner on the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater!

If you’re planning on visiting this fascinating World Heritage Site, we highly recommend staying at the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge. This andBeyond property is situated on the actual rim of the Crater and is renowned for its luxurious accommodations, intimate atmosphere, exceptional food, and exclusive activities. You simply cannot go wrong when you stay at the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge!

Image above of a room at the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge