Ngorongoro Crater National Park Review: The Best One In Tanzania
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This is a Ngorongoro Crater National Park Review based on my recent visit to the safari.
If you’re planning a safari in Tanzania, the Ngorongoro Crater should be at the top of your list—it’s absolutely worth going. It is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, and it is located in a volcanic caldera with over 2 million years history.
Despite the small size of the area at 264 km² (i.e., versus Serengeti at 14,763 km²), the crater stands out for its exceptionally high density of resident animals year-round. There are around 30,000 mammals there, including over 7,000 wildebeests. There, you could see a “mini-migration” each day, even if you missed the Great Migration in the Masai Mara or Serengeti. Even if you are not visiting during the Great migration period, the over 30k long-term resident animals there would “perform” mini-migration each day.
It is only 4-hour drive from Arusha, making it suitable for an even day trip. Additionally, the landscape is amazing there with cool weather. I felt like being in an African version of Scotland there.
Of all the safaris I have been to during my last vacation in Kenya & Tanzania, this one amazed me the most.
🐘🐃🦓🐆🦒🦏 Recommended African Safari Package
Tanzania 🇹🇿 :
✅ Same Day – Safari trip from Arusha to Ngorongoro Crater
✅3 Days 2 Nights – Safari trip including Serengeti & Ngorongoro
Kenya 🇰🇪 :
✅ Same Day – Safari trip from Nairobi:
Masai Mara / Lake Nakuru + Naivasha / Amboseli / Nairobi National Park
✅ 3 Days 2 Nights – Masai Mara Safari trip from Nairobi:
✅ 7 Days 6 Nights – Kenya Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi:
✅ 11 Days 10 Nights – Kenya & Tanzania Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi in Kenya; Serengeti & Ngorongoro in Tanzania with departure back to Nairobi:
✅ There are also other packages online (GetYourGuide / Viator) !
Animals to See In Ngorongoro Crater
Although not as large as Serengeti, you can find most of the African animals here, including the Big 5, herbivores, elephants, hippos, birds, and even black rhinos (if you are lucky). The crater itself is home to around 30,000 large mammals, and the animal density is a lot higher than Serengeti.
Compared to Lake Nakuru, which is famous for flamingos, the ones in Ngorongoro Crater near Lake Magadi are even more colorful!
Ngorongoro Conservation Area Versus Ngorongoro Crater
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while the crater is part of the area and itself is the Seven Natural Wonders in Africa due to its geological features and biodiversity. The whole conservation area spans an impressive 8,292 square km², consisting of not only the famous crater but also vast grasslands, forests, and archaeological sites like Olduvai Gorge.
For the Great Migration (the annual movement of over 1.5 million wildebeest, zebras, and other herbivores), January to March is the calving season, when herds congregate on the short-grass plains for birthing and fresh grazing. This phase occurs primarily in the southern Serengeti and the Ndutu Plains, which fall within or adjacent to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area—not inside the Ngorongoro Crater itself.
Yet, the wider conservation area also suffers from the drawbacks of the Serengeti, being too large and much harder to spot animals compared to the crater. Not to mention the best timing for a wider safari trip should be Jun – Aug during the climax of the great migration. It may not be sensible to target the calving season with limited annual leaves.
So, for the avoidance of doubt, the Ngorongoro Crater is our goal.
🐘🐃🦓🐆🦒🦏 Recommended African Safari Package
Tanzania 🇹🇿 :
✅ Same Day – Safari trip from Arusha to Ngorongoro Crater
✅3 Days 2 Nights – Safari trip including Serengeti & Ngorongoro
Kenya 🇰🇪 :
✅ Same Day – Safari trip from Nairobi:
Masai Mara / Lake Nakuru + Naivasha / Amboseli / Nairobi National Park
✅ 3 Days 2 Nights – Masai Mara Safari trip from Nairobi:
✅ 7 Days 6 Nights – Kenya Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi:
✅ 11 Days 10 Nights – Kenya & Tanzania Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi in Kenya; Serengeti & Ngorongoro in Tanzania with departure back to Nairobi:
✅ There are also other packages online (GetYourGuide / Viator) !
You Will Love The Place
The Ngorongoro Crater is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site in Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Other than the UNESCO status, it is also renowned as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa due to its history and biodiversity.
How’s The Game Drive Like In Ngorongoro Crater
Game drive in Crater is straightforward and somewhat comfortable. The role is not as bumpy as the Masai Mara or as dusty as Amboseli. The driving route is mainly circling the conservation area. On the way, you will see beautiful mountain views with green grass and also lake. It feels like being in Scotland.
There will be a break point near Lake Magadi. There you will have lots of time to take lovely IG photos. You would even find some mobile snacks and coffee shops there. It is also a great spot for a picnic. The whole drive is smooth and enjoyable. From time to time, the jeep will stop by for you to take photos of the animals. Also, with the grassland, animals are comparatively easier to spot here. We even had time to track a male lion for “hunting”.
Fee, Opening Hours & Best Time For Visit For Ngorongoro
Entrance to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is $71 for non-East African adults (children, valid for 24 hours, with an additional crater descent fee of $295 per vehicle per day—essential since that’s where the action is. The best way to experience Ngorongoro is via a joint tour, which would vary around 200 to 400 USD depending on group size and platforms.
The Crater National Park itself opens from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily. Ngorongoro best time to visit Ngorongoro is the dry season (June-October) for optimal viewing, as animals cluster around water. Ngorongoro Crater’s July weather is cool and dry, with highs around 20°C (68°F) and low rainfall, perfect for game drives.
Camping in Ngorongoro Conservation Area
If you are taking a multi-day safari tour that includes the Ngorongoro Crater. Then you will have a chance to enjoy the camping experience near the crater entrance in the conservation area. During my visit, I camped at the Simba Campsite (a public campsite with affordable rates at $30-50 per person per night, equipped with public wifi, toilets, and showers). Most of the tour packages would already have included a tent and all the necessities. The only thing I needed to prepare was maybe just an extra jacket or blanket, as the high altitude means chilly nights (down to 5°C/41°F).
In a typical Tanzania overnight safari tour, a local chief will be cooking for you at the campsite during dinner time. So you don’t need to worry about the food as well.
🐘🐃🦓🐆🦒🦏 Recommended African Safari Package
Tanzania 🇹🇿 :
✅ Same Day – Safari trip from Arusha to Ngorongoro Crater
✅3 Days 2 Nights – Safari trip including Serengeti & Ngorongoro
Kenya 🇰🇪 :
✅ Same Day – Safari trip from Nairobi:
Masai Mara / Lake Nakuru + Naivasha / Amboseli / Nairobi National Park
✅ 3 Days 2 Nights – Masai Mara Safari trip from Nairobi:
✅ 7 Days 6 Nights – Kenya Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi:
✅ 11 Days 10 Nights – Kenya & Tanzania Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi in Kenya; Serengeti & Ngorongoro in Tanzania with departure back to Nairobi:
✅ There are also other packages online (GetYourGuide / Viator) !
A Great Night In The Wild
Unlike the campsite in Kenya where you feel like living in a hotel room, the tent-camping in Ngorongoro Conservation area provides a true wild experience with a starry night and great landscape. It is also very well equipped, and you don’t need to carry your own equipment from your home Country.
Comparison to Masai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivasha, Serengeti
I have been to 6 safaris in both Kenya and Tanzania during my 11-day safari trip. Ngorongoro is the final stop, and it is also the most amazing one. Although the crater floor (where you have your game drive) is much smaller than other safaris or, at best, only comparable to Lake Naivasha, you are likely to encounter a lot more animals than in other safaris because of this density.
As I mentioned earlier, the road at the crater is a lot smoother than the other safaris as well. Although you would not see the climax of the great migration like the Serengeti and the Masai Mara, you can see a little migration of wildebeest daily. So, as compared to the “not guaranteed” great migration, the view at Ngorongoro is much more stable.
The park’s entrance fee is around 70 USD, making it a lower tier compared to other Kenyan or Tanzanian safaris. Again, given its proximity to Arusha, there are a lot of tour packages to Ngorongoro, be it a day trip, a 3-day tour including Serengeti, or a wider Kenya & Tanzania safari tour. The tour price varies, but the price is a lot more reasonable than going to the Serengeti. At least there is an all-inclusive day trip for just less than 200 USD.
The park opens daily from 6 am to 6 pm, similar to all other safari parks (except for Serengeti). Other than that, there are a lot of camping sites in the Ngorongoro area offering you an extra wild experience.
Things I Didn’t Know About Going to Ngorongoro
- Ngorongoro Crater is a designated area in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area
- The Annual Migration takes place in the wider area instead of the crater
- Crater has a high animal density, and all the animals you need to see
- Tent-camping has more facilities than I thought: a charging plug, wifi, and even hot water
- The crater amazed me, even being the last stop for the 11-day safari trip
Ngorongoro Crater National Park Review: You Shouldn’t Miss It!
Wrapping up this Ngorongoro Crater National Park review, it’s clear why it earns the title of being one of the Seven Natural Africa with its unique blend of dense wildlife, stunning geology, and cultural depth.
On top of that, it is way more convenient (4-hour drive from Arusha), more comfortable (smooth road), and affordable (a day tour would be only ~ 200 USD all-inclusive) than the famous Serengeti in Tanzania.
Unlike another Seven Natural Wonders of Africa – the Great Migration, the resident animals in the crater are always there. You don’t need time for the season or rely on luck to experience that.
In that, the Ngorongoro Crater is a must-visit item in Tanzania, and you shouldn’t miss it!
🐘🐃🦓🐆🦒🦏 Recommended African Safari Package
Tanzania 🇹🇿 :
✅ Same Day – Safari trip from Arusha to Ngorongoro Crater
✅3 Days 2 Nights – Safari trip including Serengeti & Ngorongoro
Kenya 🇰🇪 :
✅ Same Day – Safari trip from Nairobi:
Masai Mara / Lake Nakuru + Naivasha / Amboseli / Nairobi National Park
✅ 3 Days 2 Nights – Masai Mara Safari trip from Nairobi:
✅ 7 Days 6 Nights – Kenya Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi:
✅ 11 Days 10 Nights – Kenya & Tanzania Safari trip including Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, and Amboseli from Nairobi in Kenya; Serengeti & Ngorongoro in Tanzania with departure back to Nairobi:
✅ There are also other packages online (GetYourGuide / Viator) !
The Best In Tanzania
Renowned as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa, the crater provides all the animals you want to meet in nice landscape, weather, and smooth driving road. It is close to Arusha and has lots of local tours there. It is totally flawless and worth going!
Frequently Asked Questions For Ngorongoro Crater
What is the best time to visit Ngorongoro Crater?
The best time to visit Ngorongoro is during the dry season from June to October, when wildlife congregates around water sources for easier viewing. July offers particularly pleasant weather with minimal rain.
Are there elephants in the Ngorongoro Crater?
Yes, Ngorongoro Crater is home to a healthy population of elephants, often seen in the Lerai Forest area, including impressive bull elephants with large tusks.
How big is the Ngorongoro Conservation Area?
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers 8,292 square kilometers, including the crater floor, which is about 260 square kilometers.
What attractions are in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area?
Key attractions include the Ngorongoro Crater for wildlife safaris, Olduvai Gorge for archaeological history, Lake Magadi for flamingo watching, and Empakaai Crater for hiking.
What is the historical background of Ngorongoro Conservation Area?
Formed millions of years ago from a volcanic collapse, it has been inhabited by humans for over 1.75 million years, with Maasai pastoralists arriving in the 1800s. It became a UNESCO site in 1979.
Can I see the Big 5 in Ngorongoro Crater?
Absolutely, Ngorongoro is one of the best places to see the Big 5: lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, and black rhinos, all in a compact area.
Where can I spot black rhinos in Ngorongoro?
Black rhinos are commonly sighted on the crater floor, with a population of around 55; early morning drives increase your chances.
What is the altitude of Ngorongoro Conservation Area?
The crater rim sits at about 2,300 meters, while the floor is at 1,800 meters, which can affect weather and visitor acclimatization.
Are there flamingos in Ngorongoro Crater?
Yes, thousands of flamingos gather at Lake Magadi, especially in wet seasons, creating a vibrant pink spectacle.
How far is Ngorongoro Crater from Arusha?
It’s approximately 180 kilometers from Arusha, a 3-4 hour drive on mostly unpaved roads.
Is there a hot air balloon safari in Ngorongoro Crater?
Yes, hot air balloon rides are available for around $500-600 per person, offering stunning aerial views at sunrise.
What is the weather like in Ngorongoro Crater in July?
July features cool, dry weather with daytime highs around 20°C (68°F) and low rainfall, ideal for safaris.
How does Ngorongoro Crater compare to the Masai Mara?
Ngorongoro offers denser, year-round wildlife in an enclosed crater, while the Masai Mara is larger with seasonal migrations and off-road access; preferences vary per Reddit threads.
