The crater floor
A self-contained world of grassland, swamp and lake within the crater walls.
Tanzania · Northern Tanzania highlands
Ngorongoro Crater
A volcanic caldera filled with wildlife.
The Ngorongoro Crater is a vast volcanic caldera in northern Tanzania, part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its grassland, swamps and soda lake support a high concentration of wildlife, including one of the few populations of black rhinos you have a reasonable chance of seeing.
- Country
- Tanzania
- Known for
- Black rhino · crater floor wildlife
- From Arusha
- About 3–4 hours by road
- Ideal stay
- 1 night on the rim
The place
Ngorongoro Crater, at a glance.
From the crater rim, more than 2,000 m above sea level, a steep road descends to the crater floor. Down below you find open grassland, the Lerai forest, swamps and a shallow soda lake.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area also includes the Olduvai Gorge, an important site for human-origins research, which many safaris visit on the way to or from the Serengeti.
The crater floor covers roughly 260 square kilometres, enclosed by walls about 600 metres high. Wildlife here is largely resident because there is water and grazing all year. Giraffes are absent from the crater floor, although they live in the surrounding highlands.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is unusual in that Maasai pastoralists live within it alongside the wildlife, and you will often see their cattle and homesteads on the highlands around the rim.
Planning notes
- Official name
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area
- Region
- Northern Tanzania highlands
- Known for
- Black rhino · crater floor wildlife
- From Arusha
- About 3–4 hours by road
- Ideal stay
- 1 night on the rim
- Combines well with
- Serengeti, Lake Manyara, Tarangire
The appeal
Why visit the Ngorongoro Crater?
Black rhinos
One of the more reliable places in East Africa to see black rhinos, usually at a distance.
Views from the rim
Lodges and campsites on the rim look straight down into the crater.
Olduvai Gorge
A short detour on the way to the Serengeti, with a small museum.
Wild encounters
Wildlife of the Ngorongoro Crater.
Lions, black rhinos, elephants, buffalo, hippos, wildebeest, zebras and flamingos on the soda lake. Wildlife is free-ranging, so sightings vary and can never be guaranteed.
Flamingos on a crater lake with zebras and wildebeest on the shore 
Zebras grazing on the crater floor as sun rays break through cloud 
Black rhino walking across a dry plain 
Layered sedimentary walls across Olduvai Gorge in northern Tanzania
A world within walls
A day on the crater floor.
Most visits drop into the crater early, when the light is soft and the floor is quiet. Lions, buffalo, elephants, hyenas and herds of zebras and wildebeest live here year-round, and the soda lake can be pink with flamingos.
Black rhinos are present in small numbers and are usually seen at a distance in the open grassland. Time on the floor is limited by park rules, and your guide plans the route to make the most of it.
Travel through the year
When to visit the Ngorongoro Crater.
The crater is good all year because its wildlife is largely resident. Early starts help you enjoy the floor before it gets busier.
Jun – Oct
Dry season; good visibility and wildlife on the crater floor.
Nov – May
Greener, with rain in Nov–Dec and Mar–May. The rim can be cold and misty at any time.
Your way of travelling
Ways to experience the Ngorongoro Crater.
Optional activities are arranged separately and may cost extra.
01
Crater-floor game drive
A descent at first light and around six hours on the floor, covering the grasslands, the Lerai forest, the swamps and the soda lake.
02
Picnic by the hippo pool
Lunch is usually taken at a designated picnic site on the crater floor, often near a pool where hippos rest.
03
Views from the rim
The road along the rim gives sweeping views into the caldera; mornings are often misty and atmospheric.
04
Olduvai Gorge
A short detour between the crater and the Serengeti to an important site for human-origins research.
The way there
Getting to the Ngorongoro Crater.
By road
About three to four hours from Arusha via Karatu.
On a circuit
Usually visited on the way to or from the Serengeti.
Finding your pace
How long to stay.
Half a day
A crater-floor game drive of around six hours.
1 night on the rim
Allows an early descent the next morning.
Where to stay
Accommodation in the Ngorongoro Crater.
Our budget safaris use the property below. Mid-range and luxury lodges and camps are agreed with you after you enquire, based on your dates and preferences.
Crater-rim campsite · Ngorongoro Crater rim
Simba Campsite
Camping on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater.
Trip ideas
Short trip
3 Days Tanzania Safari – Tarangire, Lake Manyara & NgorongoroArusha → Tarangire → Lake Manyara → Ngorongoro Crater → Arusha
Combine it
5 Days Best Tanzania Budget Safari Wildlife AdventureArusha → Lake Manyara → Serengeti → Ngorongoro → Arusha
The long way
14 Days Kenya & Tanzania Budget SafariNairobi → Maasai Mara → Nakuru → Lake Naivasha → Amboseli → Arusha → Tarangire → Lake Manyara → Serengeti → Ngorongoro → Arusha
24 safaris
Safaris that include the Ngorongoro Crater.
7 days · Tanzania · Private or group
7 Days Northern Tanzania Circuit Midrange Safari
The northern circuit, unhurried
Wildlife safari · Mid-range
Seven days through Tarangire, Lake Manyara, two nights in the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, with lodge stays and time to enjoy each place.
Price on request
8 days · Tanzania · Private or group
8 Days Great Migration Midrange Safari
Four nights in the Serengeti, planned around the herds
Wildlife safari · Mid-range
An eight-day safari with four nights in the Serengeti, positioned where the herds are likely to be for your dates, plus Tarangire and the Ngorongoro Crater.
Price on request
10 days · Kenya & Tanzania · Private or group
10 Days Kenya to Tanzania Midrange Safari
From Nairobi to Arusha the scenic way
Wildlife safari · Mid-range
A ten-day mid-range journey from Nairobi to Arusha: the Maasai Mara, Lake Naivasha and Amboseli in Kenya, then Tarangire, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater.
Price on request
3 days · Tanzania · Private or group
3 Days Tanzania Safari – Tarangire, Lake Manyara & Ngorongoro
Three parks in three days from Arusha
Wildlife safari · Budget
A short northern Tanzania safari from Arusha: Tarangire's baobabs and elephants, Lake Manyara's forest and lake, and a final day in the Ngorongoro Crater.
USD 675 pp
4 days · Tanzania · Private or group
4 Days Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Serengeti & Lake Manyara Safari
The northern circuit in four days
Wildlife safari · Budget
Northern Tanzania's highlights at speed: Tarangire, a night in the Lake Manyara area, an afternoon and morning in the Serengeti and a final day in the Ngorongoro Crater.
USD 830 pp
Group joining4 days · Tanzania · Group joining
4 Days Mesmerizing Wildebeest Migration Safari
Two nights in the Serengeti, then the crater
Wildlife safari · Budget
A Serengeti-focused safari from Arusha with an afternoon arrival drive, a full day following the herds where they are that season, and the Ngorongoro Crater on the way back.
Price on request
Group joining5 days · Tanzania · Group joining
5 Days Best Tanzania Budget Safari Wildlife Adventure
Manyara, the Serengeti and the crater
Wildlife safari · Budget
Five days on a budget across northern Tanzania, with Lake Manyara, two nights in the central Serengeti and a final day in the Ngorongoro Crater.
Price on request
5 days · Tanzania · Private or group
5 Days Big Five Tanzania Safari – Northern Circuit
Four parks, five days
Wildlife safari · Mid-range
A mid-range northern circuit covering Tarangire, Lake Manyara, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, the area where all of the Big Five may be found.
Price on request
6 days · Tanzania · Private
6 Days Complete Tanzania Camping Safari
Three nights in the Serengeti
Wildlife safari · Budget
A private camping safari with three nights in the central Serengeti, giving you two full days to follow the herds, plus Tarangire and the Ngorongoro Crater.
Price on request
Beyond the Ngorongoro Crater
Where to next?
Ways to travel
Before you go
Practical notes.
Cold nights
The rim is high and can be cold, especially June–August. Bring a warm jacket.
Crater fees
Crater access fees are charged per vehicle and per person and are included in our package prices.
Common questions
Ngorongoro Crater, explained.
Can I see black rhinos in the Ngorongoro Crater?
The crater is one of the better places in East Africa to see black rhinos, usually at a distance. Sightings are not guaranteed.
How long is a crater game drive?
Most visits spend around five to six hours on the crater floor.
Where do budget safaris stay at Ngorongoro?
At Simba Campsite on the crater rim. It is high and cold at night, so bring warm layers. Mid-range and luxury lodges are agreed after you enquire.
Can I stay overnight inside the crater?
No. Accommodation is on the rim or in the highlands around it, and visitors descend for a game drive by day.
Is the crater worth visiting if I see the Serengeti?
Yes. The two feel very different: the Serengeti is vast and open, while the crater packs a great deal of wildlife into a dramatic, enclosed landscape.
Your Ngorongoro Crater journey
Ready to see the Ngorongoro Crater for yourself?
Explore safaris that include the Ngorongoro Crater, or tell us how you would like to travel.