Tanzania · Safari destination
Ngorongoro Crater
A collapsed volcano, packed with game.
The Ngorongoro Crater is one of the highlights of safaris in Tanzania. This unique setting arises from an ancient volcanic caldera. It's openness gives rise to an extraordinary abundance of animals that visitors can see - it's quite common to see the Big 5 in a single day.
Ngorongoro Crater
Africa's densest big game, inside a volcano
Two million years ago a volcano the size of Kilimanjaro collapsed into itself; today its floor holds the most concentrated big-game viewing on the continent. Lion prides, huge bull elephants, flamingo-rimmed soda lakes and East Africa's most reliable black rhino sightings, all inside a 100-square-mile natural amphitheatre with walls 2,000 feet high.
It slots between Serengeti legs as a single unforgettable dawn descent, which is exactly how we recommend taking it.
- Is one day in the crater enough?
- Usually, yes. A dawn descent with a full morning on the floor sees the headline game; by midday the light flattens and the vehicles thicken. Two nights on or near the rim, one full crater morning, then onward to the Serengeti is the classic rhythm.
- Will I see black rhino?
- The crater offers the best odds in East Africa, a small, closely protected population on an open floor. No guarantee, but your guide will know where they have been holding, and the early descent exists partly for this.
- Ngorongoro or the Serengeti?
- Not either-or: they are neighbours and belong in the same itinerary. The crater is a one-morning spectacle of density; the Serengeti is scale, the Migration and days of range. Skip neither if you can help it.
- How bad are the crowds, and how do I beat them?
- Real in peak season, the crater is finite and famous. Beat them by staying on or near the rim, entering at first light, and doing one precise morning rather than repeat visits. A quality guide's timing is worth more here than anywhere.
- Should I stay on the rim or outside?
- Rim lodges buy you the earliest descent and that extraordinary view, at altitude and a premium. Lodges at Karatu below offer better value and gardens between game days. Both work; the dawn start matters more than the address.
- How does it fit a Serengeti itinerary?
- Perfectly en route: Arusha to the crater, descend at dawn, then continue into the central or southern Serengeti the same day or next morning. It is the natural hinge of every northern Tanzania circuit.
Tailor-made safaris
Safaris in Ngorongoro Crater.
Most requested · 10 days · Tanzania · Zanzibar
10 Day Bush and Beach Safari
Most meals · Most activities · All flights & transfers
- 2 nights at Mount Meru Hotel in Arusha bookending the safari
- Game drive in Lake Manyara, home to tree-climbing lions
- 2 nights at Serengeti Kati Kati Tented Camp with full-day Central Serengeti drives
- Descend 600 metres into the Ngorongoro Crater for Big Five viewing
From
$5,340
per person, complete package
≈ $10,680 for two · international flights excluded
Most requested · 10 days · Kenya · Tanzania
10 Day Luxury Fly-in Kenya & Tanzania Tour
Most meals · Most activities · All transfers
- 1 night at Gran Meliá Arusha, then 2 nights at Meliá Ngorongoro Lodge
- Guided game drive on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater
- 3 nights at Nimali Serengeti in the heart of the migration corridor
- 3 nights at Entim Mara Camp with twice-daily drives in the Masai Mara
From
$11,885
per person, complete package
≈ $23,775 for two · international flights excluded
Most requested · 6 days · Tanzania
6 Day Great Migration Safari - Natures Most Spectacular Show
Most meals · All activities · All transfers
- 1 night at Sangaiwe Tented Lodge exploring Tarangire's baobab-dotted savannah
- 3 nights at Kati Kati Tented Camp, positioned seasonally to track the herds
- Witness wildebeest and zebra crossings on the Serengeti plains
- Game drive on the Ngorongoro Crater floor with chance of black rhino
Special offer available
From
$3,650 normally $3,790
per person, complete package
≈ $7,305 for two · international flights excluded
9 days · Tanzania
9-Day Exquisite Tanzania Wilderness Safari
Most meals · Most activities · All transfers
- 1 night at Arusha Coffee Lodge with a guided coffee plantation walk
- 1 night at Melia Ngorongoro Lodge overlooking the crater
- 2 nights at Siringit Serengeti Camp with daily game drives and a bush picnic
- 2 nights at Siringit Migration Camp tracking the Great Migration herds
From
$9,865
per person, complete package
≈ $19,730 for two · international flights excluded
No safaris matching these criteria.
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Brochure
East Africa Guide
East Africa in signature pairings, like elephants beneath Mount Kenya: the Serengeti and Masai Mara, gorilla trekking and Zanzibar.
Where to stay
Lodges in Ngorongoro Crater.
7 lodges
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AffordableLemala Ndutu Tented Camp
Lemala Ndutu is a nine-tent mobile camp perched on the edge of a permanent marsh in the Ndutu region of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, near the southern Serengeti border. From December to March it sits ringside to the wildebeest calving season, with tens of thousands of zebra and gazelle on the short grass plains and a high concentration of big cats in pursuit.
From $330 per person · night
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Ultra Live availabilityLemala Osonjoi Lodge
Lemala Osonjoi Lodge sits on a forested hillside just back from the Ngorongoro Crater rim, close to the quieter Lemala Gate on the eastern side of the caldera. Twenty spacious suites, an indoor heated pool and an early-start location mean guests reach the crater floor within fifteen minutes, ahead of the crowds arriving from the western lodges.
From $1,885 per person · night
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PremiumA&K Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp
A mobile-style tented camp perched on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, run by Sanctuary Retreats as part of Abercrombie & Kent. Ten classic safari tents give guests a front-row seat for descents into the crater floor, where black rhino, lion prides and dense herds of plains game live inside a collapsed volcanic caldera.
From $825 per person · night
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Lux Live availabilityLABA Ngorongoro Lodge
LABA Ngorongoro Lodge sits on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater in northern Tanzania, within striking distance of the caldera floor and its resident Big Five. The lodge pairs full-board luxury with a premium drinks package and two guided activities a day, making it a strong base for guests who want the crater experience without piecing together add-ons.
From $1,095 per person · night
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PremiumNgorongoro Lodge Meliá Collection
Perched on the rim of the world's largest intact volcanic caldera, Ngorongoro Lodge Meliá Collection is a retreat that immerses guests in the sweeping views of the Ngorongoro Crater, home to more than 25,000 animals and 2.5 million years of natural history. Designed with deep respect for the environment and inspired by Maasai culture, the lodge blends luxury with authentic African character from its spa and crater-view dining to game drives, bush lunches, and walking safaris along the crater rim.
From $1,035 per person · night
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PremiumNgorongoro Rim Lodge
Perched on the eastern rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, this eco-luxury lodge pairs refined interiors with sustainable design and front-row views over one of Africa's most iconic natural wonders. Personalised service, gourmet dining and a light environmental footprint make it a quiet, considered base for exploring the crater floor.
From $560 per person · night
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Affordable Live availabilityNgorongoro Serena Safari Lodge
Built from river stone and wrapped in indigenous vines along the jagged rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, the lodge disappears into the landscape rather than imposing on it. Inside, rope-lashed timber walkways connect boulder-built rooms, each with a private stone balcony and uninterrupted views over the blue-green crater floor far below.
From $520 per person · night
Rates per person sharing, per night.
January
Green floor, calving nearby
Best time to visit
The crater year.
The floor never empties: the seasons change the light and the crowds more than the game.
Ngorongoro Crater
Your guide to Ngorongoro Crater.
When
Because the crater’s steep walls act as a natural enclosure, game viewing is world-class throughout the year.
Tourist activity peaks during the dry season, which runs from June to September. This period is considered the best for game viewing, as the sparse vegetation allows for better visibility around rivers and waterholes. Be sure to bring warm clothing for the chilly mornings during this season.
Tourist numbers decrease during the rainy season, from October to May, when the landscape becomes lush and green. The higher water levels in Ngorongoro Crater’s Lake Magadi attract more birdlife, including the famous flamingos. Rainfall typically occurs as brief afternoon showers, except for the heavier rains from March to May.
Where
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is an impressive UNESCO World Heritage site in northern Tanzania, continues to be a remarkable wilderness region. The pristine expanse includes short-grass plains on the southern border of the Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Highlands, featuring dramatic ancient volcanoes on the western edge of the Great Rift Valley.
The star attraction remains the Ngorongoro Crater, Africa's largest inactive, intact volcanic caldera.
The crater is home to the ‘Big Five’ as well as the following wildlife:
- cheetah,
- serval cat,
- jackal,
- hyena,
- Grant's and Thomson's gazelle,
- and over 400 species of bird.
In addition to the rich wildlife, the crater features several natural sites, including Lake Magadi; the Lerai Forest; and the picturesque Ngoitokitok Spring, a haven for hippos, elephants, and lions.
Must-see attractions within the greater Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area include the smaller Empakaai Crater, known for large flocks of flamingos, and the spectacular Olduvai (Oldupai) Gorge. This steep-sided ravine is one of the world’s most significant prehistoric sites with a museum that showcases replicas of the hominid and fossil discovered there.
Photos from our guests
A traveller's view.
Every photo below was taken by a guest of ours on a recent trip to Ngorongoro Crater. No stock imagery, no marketing shots. What they saw, on their cameras.
Imagery
Ngorongoro Crater, in pictures.
Recent travellers
Word from people who have just been to Ngorongoro Crater.
Quotes pulled directly from Trustpilot. Where we have specific reviews mentioning Ngorongoro Crater, those come up first. Otherwise these are recent five-star notes from across the trips we have planned.
"Jayson was very professional helpful and patient with me. I would recommend him Anytime. Too bad the Ngorongoro crater lodge will be closed during our visit"
"We, 3 friends from switzerland (Anna, 62; Jürg, 60; Amélie, 21), had a great time with Roy Safaris in Tarangire, Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara. We really recommend to book there. We felt very happy and comfortable with our guide and driver, Ally Kimea. He gave us unforgetable experience in wildlife we‘ve never expected, because of his profound knowlege about a…"
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