Ngorongoro Crater

A giant volcano

Measuring around 14 miles in diameter, the Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera and is home to a remarkable diversity of animals including dense populations of large mammals.

Owing to the splendour of this unique sanctuary, thousands of visitors flock here every year and for some people, the crowds can make it a mildly disappointing experience. For others, viewing the crater for themselves is an unmissable opportunity and nothing can spoil the scenic grandeur of this amazing landform and the abundant game that lives here. The fact that the animals are accustomed to their spectators means that they are far more likely to behave as they would were nobody present at all – a wonderful chance to see them acting very naturally.

A very brief geography lesson

Ngorongoro was formed around 20 million years ago during the process that created the Rift Valley. It is now just a shadow of its former proportions since, at its peak, it would probably have been similar in size to Mount Kilimanjaro. Following a colossal eruption, the cone collapsed leaving the caldera that can be seen today. Subsequent minor volcanic activity formed smaller cones that are still evident on the crater floor.

A remarkable place to view game

Despite its 900 feet rim, the game can come and go from the crater. There are around 25,000 larger animals in the crater, amongst them many zebra and wildebeest. Lion, buffalo and elephant are virtually guaranteed to be seen and rhino are regularly sighted. Leopard, cheetah, numerous hyena, warthog, Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelle and eland are just some of the other species to be found here. (Giraffe and impala are notable for their absence.)

The crater’s soda lake, Lake Magadi, attracts large numbers of colourful flamingos along with a wide variety of other birds. The Mandusi Swamp is a great place to see many bird species including various waders, storks, ducks and herons. Enormous kori bustards, ostriches, crowned cranes and migrant storks are found amid the grasslands. Birds of prey include the augur buzzard and the long crested eagle.

Other than the grassland that is the predominant vegetation on the crater floor, to the south of the lake is Lerai Forest, a large wooded area consisting mainly of yellow fever trees (giant acacias with a yellowish bark). To the south and east of the lake is the Gorigor Swamp, which supports a permanent pod of hippo at the Ngoitokitok Springs.