Northern Circuit
Serengeti
Endless plains, the Great Migration and one of Africa’s most celebrated wildlife landscapes.
Tanzania Destinations
Ngorongoro
A vast volcanic crater, cool green highlands and one of Africa’s most distinctive safari landscapes.
The Crater Experience
A World Within Crater Walls.
The Ngorongoro Crater lies at the heart of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in northern Tanzania. Its floor — an unbroken volcanic caldera — holds open grassland, swamp, patches of forest and a shallow soda lake.
The steep crater walls create a self-contained landscape where wildlife can be observed against a remarkable natural backdrop.
Above the crater, the highlands are cooler and greener. The wider conservation area is a shared landscape, where wildlife lives alongside pastoralist communities who have called this region home for generations.
Why Visit
What Makes Ngorongoro Distinctive.
Four reasons the crater is a highlight of so many northern Tanzania journeys.
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The Crater Floor
Grassland, swamp and soda lake in a single, enclosed landscape — a setting unlike any other safari park.
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Year-Round Wildlife
The crater is known for wildlife viewing throughout the year, with opportunities to observe buffalo, zebra, wildebeest and lion. Sightings are never guaranteed.
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The Highlands
Cool air, green slopes and sweeping views from the crater rim add a different atmosphere to a safari.
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The Northern Circuit
Ngorongoro sits between Tarangire and the Serengeti, so it fits naturally into a wider northern itinerary.
When to Visit
A Destination for Every Season.
The crater can be visited throughout the year. The seasons change the colour of the landscape and the movement of wildlife across the wider conservation area, whose southern plains form part of the Great Migration’s seasonal range.
The best time for your visit depends on how Ngorongoro fits into your wider journey.
Planning Your Visit
Ngorongoro in Practice.
How Long to Stay
One or two nights in the crater highlands allows a full, unhurried day on the crater floor as well as time to enjoy the views from the rim.
Where It Fits
Ngorongoro lies between Tarangire and the Serengeti, so it is often visited on the way to or from the Serengeti’s plains.
Cool Highlands
The crater rim sits high above the surrounding plains, so evenings and early mornings can be cool. A warm layer is always worth packing.
A Shared Landscape
The conservation area is home to local communities as well as wildlife. Travelling quietly and respectfully matters here.
Safari Journeys
Journeys Through Ngorongoro.
Explore More of Tanzania
Pair Ngorongoro With
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Northern Circuit
Tarangire
Ancient baobabs, a lifeline river and some of the north’s finest elephant country.
Ready to Explore Tanzania?
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