Ngorongoro Crater

Three million years ago, a volcano larger than Kilimanjaro collapsed in on itself, creating a 19-kilometre-wide crater 600 metres deep. Today, the Ngorongoro Crater holds the densest concentration of large animals in Africa — 25,000 of them, all year, in a self-contained ecosystem.

What makes it special

Because the crater walls are too steep for most animals to migrate over, populations stay year-round. This means consistent sightings of black rhino (rare almost everywhere else), the resident lion prides, and tens of thousands of flamingos on the soda lake.

Beyond the crater floor

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area extends far beyond the crater itself. Olduvai Gorge — where Mary and Louis Leakey unearthed early hominid fossils — is a fascinating side trip. The Empakaai and Olmoti craters offer hikes with views, and Maasai villages still graze cattle alongside wildlife under a unique multi-use mandate.