The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a wide protected area approximately 8.300 square kilo metres of several volcanic mountains and craters within the Great Rift Valley. It embraces the famous Serengeti National Park on the west, Lake Natron in the northeast to Lake Eyasi in the south and Lake Manyara in the east.

This is popularly known as the “Eighth wonder of the world”, Noah’s ark, the Eden of Africa… etc. This is the land of the Maasai pastoralists seen grazing cattle and Buffaloes, calves and Antelopes along side, it is land of the Maasai with their cattle, of their flora, and of their fauna. The protected area is home to over 30,000 Mammals, over 600 Bird species, the gigantic earth fracture, crater floor, volcanoes, plains, lakes, forests, archaeological site of Olduvai gorge, the great Rift valley wall- all combine to form the Ngorongoro conservation Area. Caution! Double check your filming materials before descending to the crater floor, photo taking never seems to end at the Ngorongoro crater floor. floor. The Golden winged Sun bird ,the Tacazze Sun bird and the Living Livingstone’s Turaco, the Endemic Rufous tailed weaver and the Jackson’s Widow bird will be some of the special Bird species of the day to look out for while in the Ngorongoro.

The area is managed by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority with the focus of balancing the requirements of the local Maasai people and their domestic stock, wildlife, the natural environment, and to manage the effects of tourism on the area. This amazing area comprises archaeological sites, extinct and active volcanoes, breathtaking mountains, forests, vast lakes and magnificent wildlife.

The crater area holds a large concentration of wild animals that one can not miss on a Tanzania safari. Close at hand is the crater of Empakaai overflowing by a deep lake, and the recently erupted volcano, Oldonyo Lengai can be viewed. Excavations carried out in the Olduvai Gorge near Ngorongoro, led to the discovery of our ancestors, Homo habilis. Laitoli Site, also lying within the area, is one of the main sites where early hominid footprints where found, 3.6 million years ago.

Due to the varying topography, altitude varies from under 1.500m to 3.648m, and hence climate, a wide scope of habitats are found here ranging from dense montane forests, grassy plains with both fresh and salty water lakes, swamps, undulating plains covered in grass to upland woodlands predominantly made up of Acacia tree species.

BEST TIMES TO VISIT
All year except the rainy April. Come and see for yourself.

ACCESS
4 Hours drive from Arusha in a 4 WD Vehicle

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Tags: national parks, ngorongoro, Safari Destinations, tanzania