Ngorongoro Crater is the largest caldera on earth and a part of the larger Ngorongoro conservation area. The area is made up of mountains, forests, remote highlands on the northern side and an archaeological site, Olduvai Gorge. This unique crater attractions was made famous by the well-known movie “Out of Africa” that was filmed in the area, thus drawing more tourists every year to experience its beauty first-hand on a Luxury Tanzania Holiday.
Some scientists report that the crater was formed 3 million years ago when a huge volcano collapsed against its own weight after it erupted. The remnants of the mountain is what we now see as the Ngorongoro crater, 20 km wide and 2,000 ft deep. Due to the crater being enclosed by itself, an entire ecosystem managed to flourish inside of it, made up of acacia trees, lakes, swamps, small streams and savannah grasslands. This ecosystem forms a picturesque sight of wildlife hence often referred to as the Garden of Eden.
Attractions in the Ngorongoro crater are numerous, including The Big 5– lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard. Many tourists are attracted to this destination to spot not only the big 5 but also other wildlife like wildebeest, zebra, cheetah, hippos, crocodiles, jackals, reedbuck, servals, among many other animals. The most rewarding activities in the area are safari drives, picnics, birding, Masai village visit, hot air balloon safaris, hiking in the Gol Mountains, nature walks and photographic safaris.
You can visit Ngorongoro crater any time of the year, however, the most preferable months are between June and October as well as December and January. Between these periods wildlife is easy to spot due to short vegetation as there is less rain.
