Consisting of three spectacular volcanic craters – Ngorongoro Crater, Olmoti Crater and Empakaai Crater, Ngorongoro Conservation Area has huge expanses of riverine, savannah, forest and bush land supporting the wildlife and becoming one of the most popular safari destinations in Tanzania. 

Ngorongoro Conversation Area protects two distinct ecological zones: the flat short-grass western plains that border the Serengeti, and a sprawling volcanic massif studded with craggy peaks.  Another zone consists of 3648m-high Lolmalasin (the third highest peak after Kilimanjaro and Meru) and the breathtaking nature wonder & focal point of tourism: 600m-deep Ngorongoro Crater. Some three million years ago, a giant volcano exploded and collapsed, became this large, unbroken and un-flooded caldera, sinking to a 610metre in depth with a base covering 260 kilometres.  Due to the enclosed nature of the Crater it has virtually formed its own ecosystem. It is guaranteed to see large concentrations of game. The mineral-rich floor of this spectacular bowl is largely flat, open and covered in nutritious grasses – much to the liking of large herds of zebra and wildebeest.  The open plains are home to herds of buffalo, Thomson's gazelle, Grant's gazelle and tsessebe.  Cheetah move in and out of the Crater and leopard are most often encountered in the spectacular Lerai Forest.

Climate:

Summer (September-April)
Min: 20°C/68°F Max: 30°C/86°F

Winter (May-August)
Min: 19°C/66°F Max: 25°C/77°F

Long rains: April to May (Monsoon)
Short rains: November to mid-December