Ngorongoro Crater Day Trip

Ngorongoro crater day trip Tanzania: Ngorongoro crater is just one part of a larger area of interrelated ecosystems consisting of the crater highlands (to which the Ngorongoro Crater belongs) together with larger stretches of plains bush and woodland. Ngorongoro conservation area covers an area of about 8300 sq km. Near its centre is the olduvai Gorge where many fossils have been earthed. Ngorongoro Crater is one of Africa’s best known wildlife – viewing areas. The crater is about 20kms wide and it is one of the largest calderas in the world.

Within its walls is a variety of animals and vegetation, including grasslands, swamps, forests, salt pans, a fresh water lake and rich wildlife. The wildlife found includes Rhinos, lions, elephants, buffalos, wildebeests, Thomson’s gazelles, zebras reedbucks etc.

Ngorongoro crater day trip is the best for those who’ve limited time to visit other parks in Tanzania.

Ngorongoro crater fact

1. The Ngorongoro Crater was formed when a large volcano erupted and collapsed on itself. This explosion created a caldera approximately two and a half million years ago.

2. When it was a volcano it’s thought to have been a similar size to Mount Kilimanjaro, one of the world’s highest mountains. Estimates of the volcano’s original height vary between 4,500 to 5,800 metres. The crater itself is about 610 metres deep and 260 kilometres squared.

3. Approximately 40,000 people live in the conservation area. They share the land with an incredible amount of wildlife. There are around 30,000 animals ranging from leopard, cheetah, elephant and hyena to warthog, buffalo and impala. It’s also one of the best places to see the endangered black rhino and black-maned male lions.

4. You won’t find any giraffes in the crater. It’s thought they can’t enter as the sides are too steep for them to walk down. However, you’ll still be able to find them around the crater.

5. The Ngorongoro Crater along with two others in the region (Olmoti and Empakai) were enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. It’s also one of the Sevens Natural Wonders of Africa.

6. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of the most important prehistoric sites in the world. Olduvai Gorge is located in the Conservation Area, and this was the location for a major archaeological discovery in the 1950s. The fossils discovered here are said to be the earliest known evidence of the human species, and hugely furthered our understanding of evolution.