- +254 722 510 431 | +254 733 556 555
- info@safarisandbeyond.com
- Gigiri Drive, Off UN Avenue, Kenya
- +254 722 510 431 | +254 733 556 555
- info@safarisandbeyond.com
- Gigiri Drive, Off UN Avenue, Kenya
The Ngorongoro Crater is rarely visited in isolation and tends to be part of a larger East African itinerary, combining the wildlife wonders of the Crater itself with the migration spectacle of the Serengeti and the laid-back ambience of Zanzibar’s golden beaches.
Ngorongoro Crater safaris are however truly unforgettable. The Crater is justly famous as being home to perhaps the most concentrated density of wildlife in Africa and offers some of the easiest Big 5 game viewing available. Ideal for wildlife enthusiasts, families and romantics, our selection of safaris that include the Crater includes adventure trips, Kenya and Tanzania combination holidays and Ngorongoro Crater honeymoon itineraries.
Ngorongoro Crater is exceptionally a popular add on destination especially on a Tanzania’s Northern Circuit Safari with wonderful Safari Lodges and Camps. Get your accommodation in Ngorongoro Crater with our recommended camps to make your travel stay planning in Ngorongoro more easier.
Ngorongoro Crater offer some of the easiest and most rewarding game viewing in East Africa unlike other larger National Parks in East Africa and it won’t disappoint.
Forming the Northern Safari Circuit, the Ngorongoro Crater offers a classic Big 5 safari experience in the unique setting of an ancient volcanic caldera. Its 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 spot the Big 5 in a single day.
There’s amazing accommodation perched right on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, offering some of the best views in East Africa. 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.
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 Tanzanian safari experience will find that the Ngorongoro Crater combines seamlessly with the Serengeti, Tarangire and Lake Manyara.
Arusha Airport: Located just outside the town of Arusha, Arusha Airport is the gateway to the Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti, Lake Manyara and Tarangire but you’ll need to get there via Kilimanjaro International Airport, located about 50km away.
Kilimanjaro International Airport: Fly into Kilimanjaro from Dar es Salaam, Nairobi or directly from Europe and transfer to Arusha Airport but note that international flights often arrive at Kilimanjaro Airport late at night, so an overnight in Arusha is usually necessary.
However, as the Ngorongoro Crater is only a 3.5hr road trip from Arusha, many travellers prefer to make the final transfer to their accommodation at the crater or in the nearby town of Karatu by road. Game drives and road transfers in the Ngorongoro Crater region are conducted in open-sided 4X4s.
Choose your accommodation carefully: Lodges on the crater’s rim have out-of-this-world views and the quickest access onto the crater floor but the nearby town of Karatu has a wider range of accommodation and activities.
Prepare to share: At only 260 km² the Ngorongoro Crater gets pretty crowded during the dry seasons, especially around good animal sightings and popular lunch spots. For the lowest visitor numbers in the Ngorongoro Crater, travel during the April to May rainy season.
Bring the kids: The abundance of animals and its many child-friendly lodges means the Ngorongoro Crater is an ideal destination for a family safari.
Wrap up in winter: The Ngorongoro Crater’s geography means that you can expect cold weather between June and August.
Lodges set on the rim of the crater are exclusive and luxurious. Their views are among the most spectacular in the world, the service world-class and they make for a perfect Ngorongoro honeymoon. You’ll also be first in the queue to descend into the crater in the morning for your game drive.
However, although visitors who stay close to the crater in the nearby town of Karatu will travel for around an hour before reaching the caldera, the accommodation here is more affordable, smaller and more intimate. Moreover, many of the lodges and guest houses offer additional activities such as local walking tours and horse riding.
