Ngorongoro
My Safari
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The Ngorongoro Crater is an extinct volcano with 600 metre high walls and the crater itself covers an area of over 300 sq km. The crater accounts for only a tenth of the total Ngorongoro Conservation Area. In the crater game viewing is by vehicle but in the Conservation Area highlands some walking is allowed.
Ngorongoro Crater is a vast beautiful area and there are breathtaking views from the rim of the crater. There are huge amounts of game on the Ngorongoro Crater floor including elephant, buffalo, black rhino and a large lion population. In fact Ngorongoro Crater has the highest density of game and predators in Africa and is home to almost every species of plains mammal with the exception of impala, topi and giraffe. The Ngorongoro Crater floor is covered by grassland, swamps, lakes and woodland, and the birdlife includes flamingos, although these are seasonal and are affected by the ratio of soda to fresh water in Lake Magadi on the crater floor. [cont]
It would be wrong of us, however, not to point out that the experience of visiting this area can range from the mind-blowing to the dire. The factors leading to the former are described above, but it is also true to say that it is isn't really a wilderness area any more, the sheer density of the viewing traffic, and the degree to which the game has become habituated to this, leading to this situation. Careful planning is needed to get the best out of a visit here.
Wildlife Highlights:
There are no giraffe or impala here, but vast quantities of everything else, including black rhino.
The drawback is that, with the vast and incessant, volume of tourist traffic, this has become a major part of the animals' existence, and it can hardly be described as 'wild'-life any more - at least in comparison to that found in less-visited parks, such as Ruaha, or The Selous, or indeed in other countries, such as Zambia. It may not be quite like driving around a zoo or a safari park, but it's heading that way!
Getting to Ngorongoro:
Coming from Arusha it is either a 4 hour drive or a 1 hour flight. From either Lake Manyara or Tarangire it is only 2 hours drive away, making a stay at these considerably cheaper locations an acceptable alternative for visiting the Crater area.
There is no particular 'best time to travel' to Ngorongoro, although during the rainy season (April and May) the roads can become very muddy. For many people however this is the best time to go to Ngorongoro Crater as there are fewer visitors.
