Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania

After a day filled with game viewing, you can relax with a drink on your private deck and take in the incredible view.

These luxury suites resemble a magical Maasai Village, perched on stilts on the lip of the Ngorongoro Crater.

The Crater has only a few lodges situated on the rim, affording spectacular views in the day, and true magic at night.

You can watch the sun set from the Crater floor but you'll have to leave soon - there's no overnighting in the Crater itself.

Fresh green grass sustains the Crater's grazers during the April-May rainy season.

The scenic landscape of the Crater unfolds just beneath the plush Ngorongoro Crater Lodge which is situated on the rim.

Thomson's gazelles are too fast for lions to catch but the Ngorongoro Crater is also home to a cat that can- the cheetah.

Traditional Maasai villages dot the landscape as you approach the Ngorongoro Crater.

Resident herds of wildebeest & zebra provide plenty of hunting opportunities for the Crater's big cats.

The Ngorongoro Crater is a truly unique safari environment; the steep caldera walls provide a bowl-like atmosphere.

Ngorongoro Crater Safari

Where the Big Five roam in the world’s largest inactive volcanic caldera

Few safari destinations deliver the same experience as the Ngorongoro Crater. There are bigger and wilder parks but if you want some of the easiest and most rewarding game viewing in East Africa, an Ngorongoro Crater safari won’t disappoint.

Wildlife Experiences

A can’t-miss destination on Tanzania’s star-studded Northern Safari Circuit, the Ngorongoro Crater offers a classic Big 5 safari experience in the unique setting of an ancient volcanic caldera. Home to some 30 000 animals, the crater’s surprisingly diverse habitats are revealed on an Ngorongoro safari on all-day guided game drives; the scenery is spectacular, predators are abundant and it’s not unusual to see the Big 5 in a single day.

Where to Stay

There’s amazing accommodation perched right on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, offering some of the best views in Africa, if not the world. Staying at these prime-location lodges will put you first in the queue to drive down to the crater floor in the morning but for more affordable Ngorongoro safari accommodation in an equally tranquil and not much less scenic setting, head for the town of Karatu, set some 20km south from the crater in the green rolling hills of the Karatu Highlands.

Here you’ll find several excellent lodges, some set on working coffee plantations and offering a range of additional activities that aren’t so accessible to visitors staying on the rim of the crater. Activities range from game drives to nearby Lake Manyara and local bird watching to cultural visits and mountain biking.

Kitela Lodge Karatu_view — Kitela Lodge terrace with spectacular views of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

Ready to Visit the Ngorongoro Crater?

A hassle-free, ideal destination for first-time safari visitors and families, the wide range of resident wildlife and the ease with which the animals can be observed makes an Ngorongoro Crater safari an obvious choice for wildlife photographers too. The romantic cliff-top lodges provide the perfect base for a Ngorongoro honeymoon, while visitors who want to maximise their Tanzania safari experience will find that the Ngorongoro Crater combines seamlessly with the Serengeti, Tarangire and Lake Manyara.

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