The Ngorongoro Crater
The Ngorongor Crater is the best place for travelers who are planning for Ngorongoro Private Safaris and also Ngorongoro Group Safari Joining whether you want to go for one day trip or multi-day trip.
The Ngorongoro Crater – with its lush green plains, woodland trees and wildflowers – is one of the most popular travel destinations in Tanzania. A stunningly beautiful place, it’s often referred to as the ‘Garden of Eden’. Ngorongoro has been the site of numerous archaeological discoveries over the years, and it’s now one of the best places for safari in East Africa.
Millions of years ago, a volcano the size of Mount Kilimanjaro rose from the highlands of northern Tanzania. Its eruption formed the largest unflooded caldera in the world, the Ngorongoro Crater. Now inactive and filled with wildlife, the crater is a playground where you can enjoy game drives in search of the Big Five. Our Africa specialists have been on safari here and in the wider Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Using their own experiences, they can help plan your time in and around the crater.
The natural protection of the crater’s 600 m (1,968 ft) high walls helps many species to thrive. This is the best place in Tanzania to see critically endangered black rhino. Wildebeest, zebra, eland and gazelle carpet the short grassland, watched hungrily by lion, cheetah, wild dog and hyena. And the waters of Lake Magadi are often mottled pink by flamingos.
best time to visit Ngorongoro
Wildlife viewing inside the Ngorongoro Crater is superb at all times. However, grass on the crater floor is short in the Dry season (June through September) and this makes animal spotting easier. The scenery is lush and spectacular in the Wet season months (from November to May).
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Month by Month Guide for Travelling to Ngorongoro Crater
January is a great time for visiting the Ngorongoro Crater because it’s breeding season for the wildebeest in the area. The herds have what’s known as a “mass calving” on the green plains just outside the crater, making for excellent photo opportunities of newborns struggling to get on their feet. The months of January and February fall between the two rainy seasons that the area experiences annually, and these months can offer a dry spell between the ‘short rains’ and ‘long rains’.
February is one of the drier months before the rains begin near the end of March in the crater. This is an excellent time for game viewing, especially for predator sightings of lion and hyena preparing to hunt the abundant herds.
March is considered one of the best times to visit the Ngorongoro Crater to avoid the crowds and take advantage of reasonable rates. The ‘long rains’ begin to fall near the end of March and continues into April and May, transforming the crater into an emerald paradise.
June is one of the best times to visit the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The ‘long rains’ have come to an end and game drives are relatively less crowded. Peak season for a safari in the Ngorongoro Crater only kicks off towards the end of June or in early July. The cooler weather is also ideal for climbing Kilimanjaro during this month, which is a popular add-on to a Ngorongoro safari.
When visiting the Ngorongoro Crater, July and August fall within peak season and accommodation around the crater is generally quite full during these months. The reason why people flock from all over the world during the dry season is the visibility of wildlife along the barren plains, and their high frequency visits to watering holes. This is when it is commonplace to see the likes of leopard, lion, rhino, buffalo, and elephant all in one day.
September marks the start of spring but still falls under the very popular dry season in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The crater can be chilly at this time of year. The dry weather over the past few months leaves parts of the crater floor looking like a dusty bowl and the turns the grasslands yellow.
October is a transitional time weatherwise in the Ngorongoro Crater, as the beginning of the month is the height of the long dry season and the ‘short rains’ begin just before November.
The Ngorongoro Crater is warm and occasionally wet during November and December. This is the period of the ‘short rains’ but the rain occurs in short bursts, usually as afternoon showers that rarely affect safaris. The first migrant birds arrive with the rainfall in November, making this one of the best times to visit the Ngorongoro Crater for birdwatching.
Safari Holidays To Match Your Interests
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TANZANIA ROMANTIC SAFARI
HOT AIR BALLOON SAFARI
SERENGETI MIGRATION SAFARI
TANZANIA WALKING SAFARI
PHOTOGRAPHIC SAFARI
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Whether the appeal of a safari revolves around the wildlife, such as watching the Great Migration or spotting the Big Five, or you want to mark a special occasion, we can create an itinerary to match your tastes. We’ll suggest ways to tailor it depending on your interests, such as added time on the beach or experiences geared around your family.
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