About Ngorongoro Crater
The Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest intact caldera, twenty kilometres across, with a permanent lake and grassland on the floor and forest on the rim. Around 25,000 large animals live inside it, including one of the few remaining black rhino populations in Tanzania.
Lodges sit on the rim, six hundred metres above the floor, and the view from your room at dawn is the reason to stay up there rather than in Karatu. The descent road takes you into the crater for a morning of the densest game viewing on the circuit.
Known for
- UNESCO World Heritage caldera
- Black rhino on the crater floor
- Lodges on the rim with views over the crater
- Dense wildlife in a small area
Wildlife you can expect
- Black rhino
- Lion
- Elephant
- Buffalo
- Leopard
- Hippo
- Flamingo
- Hyena
When to visit Ngorongoro Crater
- Jan – Feb
Green and quiet
Short rains have passed; the highlands are green and uncrowded.
Good time to go - Mar – May
Long rains
The wettest months on the northern circuit; rates drop.
Quieter and cheaper - Jun – Oct
Dry season
Cool, clear days on the rim and game concentrated at permanent water.
Our pick - Nov – Dec
Short rains
Afternoon storms, dramatic skies over the caldera, few vehicles.
Good time to go
Safaris that visit Ngorongoro Crater
7 Day Ultimate Kenya & Tanzania Safari
7-day safari · Kenya & Tanzania
8 Day Kenya & Tanzania Safari
8-day safari · Kenya & Tanzania
10 Day Kenya & Tanzania Safari
10-day safari · Kenya & Tanzania
Want Ngorongoro Crater on your route?
Send your dates and a rough idea of what you want to see. We come back with a day-by-day route and a quote, usually within one working day.