Ngorongoro Conservation Area

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is located in northern Tanzania and is best known for the volcanic Ngorongoro Crater and being a home to the African Big Five animals (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, and rhino). This area is one of the best visited for wildlife viewing on Tanzania safaris/Tanzania Wildlife safaris. It is also an important region for the iconic migration of the wildebeest as large herds of wildebeest and zebras pass through its open plains during their yearly migration. It is one of the few places on earth where you can witness wildlife co-existing with humans. The centerpiece of Ngorongoro is its enormous volcanic crater, the largest unbroken and unflooded caldera on Earth. Measuring about 20 km across, 600 meters deep, and covering roughly 300 square kilometers, the Ngorongoro Crater is a remarkable natural spectacle.

The Ngorongoro Crater is one of Africa’s most renowned destinations and is believed to support the highest concentration of wildlife on the continent. Often referred to as the “eighth wonder of the world,” it has gained international fame and attracts growing numbers of visitors each year. Although visitors are likely to encounter other vehicles, the reward is exceptional wildlife viewing within an awe-inspiring landscape. There is truly no other place in Africa comparable to Ngorongoro, making it one of the world’s most striking wildlife areas.

The crater is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world, forming a dramatic basin of approximately 265 square kilometers, with walls reaching depths of up to 600 meters. Around 30,000 animals inhabit the crater floor and visitors are guaranteed sighting during safari game drive in customized safari vehicles. The rim rises more than 2,200 meters above sea level and has its own distinct climate. From this elevated viewpoint, animals appear as tiny figures moving across the crater floor below. Clouds frequently cling to the rocky rim, and Ngorongoro is one of the few locations in Tanzania where nighttime temperatures can become quite cold.

The crater floor encompasses a variety of habitats, including grasslands, swamps, forests, and Lake Makat (meaning “salt” in Maasai), a central soda lake fed by the Munge River. These diverse environments provide water, grazing, shelter, and breeding grounds for wildlife. While animals are free to enter and leave the crater, the fertile volcanic soils, abundant vegetation, permanent water sources, and steep crater walls encourage many grazers and predators to remain in the areas all year round.

Wildlife and Other Attractions in Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Ngorongoro Crater is one of the best places in Tanzania to observe the endangered black rhinoceros, as a small but stable population survives and continues to breed here. Leopards are also frequently seen, along with impressive black-maned lions. Large numbers of flamingos are drawn to the alkaline waters of Lake Magadi.

Approximately 25,000 large animals, mainly ungulates, live within the crater. Notable species include the black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), whose population declined from about 108 individuals in the mid-1960s to between 11 and 14 by 1995, the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), and the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius). Other common ungulates include blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus), Grant’s zebra (Equus quagga boehmi), common eland (Taurotragus oryx), and both Grant’s and Thomson’s gazelles. Waterbuck are mainly found near the Lerai Forest. Species such as topi, oribi, crocodiles, impala, and giraffe are absent, largely due to unsuitable habitat or limited food sources. Tanzanian cheetah, East African wild dog, and African leopard are present but are rarely encountered.

Although the crater is often considered a natural wildlife enclosure, seasonal movements still occur. During the wet season, more than 20 percent of the wildebeest and about half of the zebra leave the crater, while buffalo and eland increase in number during the rainy months.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area supports healthy resident populations of most wildlife species. The Ndutu Lake region in the western part of the area is particularly known for strong lion and cheetah populations. Hartebeest, spotted hyenas, and jackals are common throughout the NCA, while serval cats are widely distributed on the western plains. The African wild dog population may have declined in recent years.

The annual ungulate migration passes through the Ngorongor, with about 1.7 million wildebeest, 260,000 zebras, and 470,000 gazelles moving south into the area in December and returning north in June. These movements follow seasonal rainfall patterns as the animals search for grazing across the plains.

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