NGORONGORO CRATER IN TANZANIA: NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA
The Ngorongoro district is home to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The 8,292 square kilometer region is home to 550 different species of birds and more than 25,000 big animals.
Prior its being designated as a separate reserve in 1959, the entire Ngorongoro Conservation Area was a part of Serengeti National Park. It received the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in 1979. Keramasi, Empakaai, Lolmalasin, Losirua, Olmoti, Ngorongoro, Oldean, Loroklukunya, Sadiman, and Makaruti are the nine craters that make up the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
The plains' Oldupai/Olduvai Gorges are also safeguarded by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The earliest known examples of the human genus were found here. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area's plains are traversed by the yearly migration of wildebeests in quest of food.
ACTIVITIES IN NGORONGORO
As you descend into the Ngorongoro Crater on game drives, you can spot birds among the many tree varieties. The crater floor is also home to a diverse array of creatures.
Flocks of pink flamingos can be observed along Lake Magadi's shoreline, depending on the season. There are hippos in the nearby wetland. The broad grasslands north of the Crater are home to the majority of the resident game.
Walking safaris offer a close-up look at the natural world. With a ranger guide, this adventure is done on foot.
Exploring the Ngorongoro protected area also allows for the observation of a variety of wildlife species. These hikes can also be taken around the rim of the Ngorongoro crater, where the surrounding forest is home to species including elephants.
More than 550 bird species can be found in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. On walking safaris and wildlife drives, these can be seen.
The Livingstone turaco and the white-eyed slaty flycatcher live in the highland woodland. Depending on the season, flamingos can be observed near Lake Magadi. The region is also home to a variety of species, including African spoonbills, grey-crowned cranes, black kites, ostriches, and starlings.
In Laetoli, you can search for early human footprints or go on a guided tour down the gorge. These footprints, which are nearly three million years old, were found on a volcanic rock.
Discovered remains and artifacts are on display in a tiny, publicly accessible museum. The most important finds may be easily viewed in realistic reproductions, and experienced guides can lead tours of the locations.
Cultural trips among other things, cultural tours involve seeing traditional Maasai homesteads, interacting with Maasai people, and taking in traditional dance performances.
Another option for tourists is to go to see the Hadzabe tribe. Hunting and gathering are still practices of the archaic Hadzabe people. A tour of their isolated habitats might teach you about their culture.
FAVORITE LOCATIONS IN NGORONGORO
A big volcanic caldera is the Ngorongoro Crater. At 1,800 meters above sea level, it is roughly 20 kilometers long, 600 kilometers deep, and 300 square kilometers in size.
About three million years ago, a massive volcano fell, creating the crater. Prior to its collapse, the volcano was 4587 meters above sea level. The crater is home to thousands of creatures, including the Big 5, and more than 500 bird species.
The tiny soda lake known as Lake Magadi is situated southwest of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Thousands of flamingos, usually lesser flamingos, frequently call it home.
Golden jackals, who frequently hunt flamingos, can also be seen along the lakeshore. The lion, rhino, hippo, eland, and Grant’s gazelle are among the other creatures that might be spotted.
Approximately 40 kilometers northwest of Ngorongoro Crater is the archaeological site known as Olduvai Gorge. The Olduvai Gorge is up to 90 meters deep and over 50 kilometers long. Through his excavations, Dr. Louis Leakey and his wife, Mary Leakey, brought fame to Olduvai.
Evidence of human evolution was found in the region. Among the findings at the location were fossils and stone tools. Additionally, there is a museum where guests can view the results and discover more about the evolution of humans.
NGORONGORO'S FLORA AND FAUNA
There are more than 115 species of mammals in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is home to a variety of carnivores, including lions, cheetahs, hyenas, leopards, jackals, serval cats, and endangered wild hunting dogs.
Elephants, elands, hartebeests, zebras, wildebeests, buffalos, waterbucks, warthogs, kudus, and endangered rhinos can all be found in the crater. The permanent freshwater ponds and wetlands
within the crater are home to hippos. Around Lake Ndutu, where acacia trees thrive, giraffes can be found. There are more than 550 bird species in the Conservation Area.
While some of these are migrants, others are locals. Lake Magadi is frequented by thousands of water birds, including lesser flamingos. These birds are also found at the Empakaai Crater Lake and Lake Ndutu.
Turaco and hornbill species are among the many birds that inhabit Ngorongoro's woodlands. On the plains of the Conservation Area, raptors like the goshawk and harrier are prevalent.
THE IDEAL SEASON TO GO TO NGORONGORO
December to March and June to September are the dates of the dry season. Because the grasslands are shorter during this time, it offers the best chances to see wildlife.
Tourists can view most of the animals in one place because they gather around the few waterholes that are left.
ACCESSING NGORONGORO
Kilimanjaro International Airport is roughly 230 kilometers away from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, while Arusha is roughly 185 kilometers away. By car, it takes roughly three hours to get there from Arusha and five hours to get there from Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Alternatively, visitors can drive to Ngorongoro after taking a chartered flight from Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha to Lake Manyara Airstrip.
ACCOMMODATIONS IN NGORONGORO
There are numerous places for visitors to stay in the Ngorongoro Crater. Budget, mid-range, and luxury lodges are available for your stay.
Another choice is to stay at a hotel in the nearby village of Karatu or on the rim of the Crater. Additionally, camping is permitted at specific locations, including the rims of the Ngorongoro, Ndutu, Lemala, and Empakaai craters.