Safari destination · Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Ngorongoro Crater
Three million years ago a volcano the size of Kilimanjaro collapsed in on itself, and the result is the most concentrated wildlife spectacle on the planet.
4 Hours
2 nights
Year-round
Drive access only
About
About Ngorongoro Crater.
Three million years ago a volcano the size of Kilimanjaro collapsed in on itself, and the result is the most concentrated wildlife spectacle on the planet. The Ngorongoro Crater floor covers barely 260 square kilometers, yet it holds an estimated 25,000 large animals: lion prides whose territories you can see in their entirety from the rim, vast herds of buffalo and wildebeest that never need to migrate, hyena clans, golden jackals, and the flamingo dusted shallows of Lake Magadi at its center. Nowhere else in Africa can a single morning game drive deliver this much, and nowhere else does the landscape itself watch you back, with the caldera walls rising six hundred meters on every side. The crater is also the most reliable place in Tanzania to see the critically endangered black rhino. A small protected population grazes the open floor, often visible at distance across the grassland, completing the Big Five in a single day for many travelers. Between sightings the floor keeps shifting character: the fever trees of the Lerai Forest shelter elephant bulls carrying some of the largest tusks left in Africa, hippo crowd the Ngoitokitok springs, and in the green season the crater grasses turn an impossible emerald under fast moving highland cloud. Honesty matters here: the crater's fame means it is rarely empty, and midday can feel busy at major sightings. The answer is timing. Stay in nearby Karatu or on the rim, enter at the Loduare Gate as it opens, and descend in the dawn mist when the predators are still hunting and the floor belongs to the first dozen vehicles. By the time the day trip crowds arrive, you will have had the best of it, picnicked by the hippo pool, and climbed back to the rim with the single most extraordinary morning of your safari behind you.
Government fees
Fees at Ngorongoro Crater.
Pass-through to the Tanzanian government — paid directly to the authority on top of accommodation. We always itemise every line on our quotes. TDL applies on top at 1% of net room rate.
| Fee | Amount | Peak | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Concession Fee | $59.00 | — | Per person / night |
| Adult Entry Fee | $70.80 | — | Per person / day |
| Child Concession Fee | $11.80 | — | Per person / night |
| Child Entry Fee | $23.60 | — | Per person / day |
| TDL (Tanzania Development Levy) | 1% of room | — | Per room / night |
| Vehicle Fee | $295.00 | — | Per vehicle / visit |
Getting there
Drive times to other destinations.
Approximate dry-season drive times in a private 4×4. Legs marked as productive game viewing are themselves part of the safari experience. Long legs that need an overnight midway, or transfers we always fly, are flagged in the note column.
| Destination | Drive time | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Karatu | 1 hr | Game-viewing drive |
| Ndutu Ngorongoro Conservation | 2 hrs | Game-viewing drive |
| Lake Manyara National Park | 2 hrs | Transit drive |
| Tarangire National Park | 3 hrs | Game-viewing drive |
| Arusha City | 4 hrs | Transit drive |
| Seronera Central Serengeti | 4 hrs | Game-viewing drive |
| Grumeti Western Serengeti | 7 hrs | Game-viewing drive |
| Kogatende Northern Serengeti (Mara River) | 8 hr 30 min | Game-viewing drive |
| Lamai Northern Serengeti | 9 hrs | Game-viewing drive |
Keep reading
Related to your trip.
Pricing
How safari pricing works.
Park fees, lodge tiers, transport ranges. Everything line-itemised.
Seasons
When to visit.
Month-by-month calendar. Where the migration is each month.
Lodges
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Common questions
Tanzania safari FAQ.
Planning, lodges, park fees, transport — answered.