Ngorongoro Conservation Area

A UNESCO protected “World Heritage Site”, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is situated some 190km west of Arusha, between Lake Manyara and Serengeti National Parks. Covering approximately 8,288 sq. km, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area consists of the Ngorongoro Crater itself, the Olduvai Gorge, the Empakai crater and the Oldonyo Lengai mountain.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a pioneering experiment in multi-purpose land use where the diverse interests of wild animals, plants and people are being integrated. Wild animals are protected as in the National Parks. The craters of Ngorongoro and Empakai are reserved exclusively for wildlife, while the rest of the Conservation Area is shared by wildlife, people and livestock

The Maasai, the main residents of Ngorongoro are pastoralists who move widely with their herds of cattle, sheep, goats and donkeys in search of pasture and water. In recent years the Maasai have been encouraged to work on the land and supplement their traditional diet of milk, blood and meat.

The Ngorongoro Crater, which is the central attraction in the area, is the largest Caldera in the world that has its walls intact. The Ngorongoro Crater is simply stunning. “There is nothing with which to compare. It is one of the wonders of the world...” once wrote Professor Bernard Grzimek. The crater floor is covered with plains animals, including wildebeast, zebra, gazelles, elands, rhino, and a large predator population of lions, hyena and jackal which can all be viewed at close quarters. Cheetah and leopard can also be seen here. The rainy season is between November and May. The crater rim is about 2286 metres high and is chilly during the evenings.