Ngorongoro Crater: Top Experiences

1. Walk with a Maasai Guide

Any trip to the Ngorongoro Crater should be experienced in two ways: from down low in the thick of things and from up high. Guided by a Masaai tribesman, you can take in a view of the Garden of Eden and the thousands of wild beasts that inhabit it, from up on the crater rim.

The major action may be on the crater floor, but there are a number of hikes that provide a rewarding eagle's perspective on things.

2. Spot Rare Black Rhino

Black rhino have been poached to the verge of extinction throughout Africa and the Ngorongoro Crater is one of the very few places where people can still encounter this hook-lipped rarity.

Chances of seeing black rhino in the crater are almost guaranteed even though the rhino population has dwindled in the last few years. The remaining rhinos roam the crater floor, spending most of the day in open grassland in contrast to their nocturnal white cousins.

3. Encounter Elephants in the Fever Tree Forest

Tucked away in the southwest of Ngorongoro Crater is the yellow fever tree forest where you'll encounter at least some of the 70 elephant bulls that have made it home.

The elephants of the Ngorongoro Crater are renowned for their enormous tusks - the kind that have been poached away in the rest of East Africa. Seeing these old giants quietly lumbering in the forest is a profoundly moving experience and not to be missed.

4. Eat Breakfast on the Edge

Sit on a deck, perched on the edge of the crater rim and look out over the Ngorongoro Crater. You won't see game from this high, but the full view of the crater is an essential part of your crater experience.

5. Experience the Crater Alone

The Ngorongoro Crater does draw criticism for the number of safari vehicles on the crater floor during the day, but there is a way to beat the crowds.

The crater opens at seven in the morning. Most people opt to have breakfast before descending into the crater, but if you choose to save breakfast for later, these precious first two hours will see you driving along the crater floor with no other vehicle in sight.

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