Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers an 8292 square kilometers in the northern Tanzania. It is bordered on the west by Serengeti National Park and by the Rift Valley escarpment on the east. To the south lies the agricultural community of Karatu and to the north lies the rugged Ildonyo Oogol mountains.

The conservation area was established in 1959 as a multiple land use area, with wildlife co-existing with semi-nomadic Masai pastoralists. The Conservation Area has global importance for biodiversity conservation due to the presence of globally endangered species. Extensive archaeological research has also yielded a long sequence of evidence of human evolution and human-environment dynamics, including early hominid footprints dating back to 3.6 million years.

The Ngorongoro Crater, often referred to as the "Eighth Wonder", is one of Tanzania's key tourist attractions. Today, there are four main tourist lodges with several campsites on the crater rim. The Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest caldera is a breathtaking natural wonder and an absolute treasure to experience and explore.

The jewel in Ngorongoro's crown is a deep, volcanic crater, which formed when a giant volcano exploded and collapsed on itself some two to three million years ago giving a depth of 600m, and about 20km across, Making it the 6th largest Caldera in the world; it’s also the largest unflooded unbroken Caldera in the world. On the crater floor, grassland blends into swamps, lakes, rivers, woodland and mountains – all a haven for wildlife, including the greatest predator population in Africa. The descent into the crater is one of scenic beauty, as you make your way through lush forests, home to numerous elephants and buffalo.

Getting There
The area can be accessed from Arusha, which is 180km away and from Serengeti National Park 152km away.


Attractions Include;
* Animals; gazelles, buffalos, élan, cheetah, hartebeest, cheetah, lion, warthog, rhinos which are the last surviving in Tanzania. Rhinos inhabit the Lerai forest
* The Ngorongoro crater, Empakai and Olmoti Craters
* Ol Doinyo Lengai a mountain which is the only active volcanic mountain in Africa.
* The Ol Duvai Gorge that is host to the fossil remains of early man.
* Flamingoes and water birds inhabit Lake Magat, a soda lake. The crater floor is punctuated by swamps that provide solace to hippos, elephants along with smaller creatures such as frogs and snakes.
* The Masai community who inhabit the area. Their culture and lifestyle are a major tourist attraction. In all of Tanzania's national parks, this area is the only one that allows human habituation.
* Forest hiking, walking expeditions, game viewing, trekking mount Ol Doinyo or bird watching.

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