Ngorongoro Crater is the collapsed caldera of a volcano that once stood taller than Kilimanjaro, its floor now a self-contained grassland ringed by a wall over 600 metres high. Wildlife doesn't need to migrate here since food and water hold year-round, which keeps the crater floor stocked with dense, resident populations in a fairly small area.
Wildlife
- •One of the few reliable places in East Africa to see black rhino
- •A dense, resident lion population living entirely within the crater
- •Large buffalo herds and a resident flamingo population on Lake Magadi at the crater floor
- •Spotted hyena, in some of the highest densities recorded anywhere
Best Time to Visit
June to October
Dry season with clear crater-floor visibility, the most popular time to descend for a full day of game viewing.
January to March
Warm and mostly dry, coinciding with the Serengeti calving season for those combining both parks.
April to May
The long rains. The crater rim gets misty and cold in the mornings, but wildlife stays on the floor regardless.
