Take almost 30,000 large mammals and place them inside the crater of an extinct volcano. Add about 264 square kilometres (102 square miles) of wetlands, forests and grasslands, and the result is the Ngorongoro Crater. This world-famous safari destination offers its visitors superb game viewing in an unbelievably unique setting. Nothing can fully prepare you for the moment you first gaze down into the Ngorongoro Crater.
The Crater is located within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a protected region in Tanzania that comprises a large chunk of the southern Serengeti’s short-grass plains and the Ngorongoro Highlands, a range of ancient volcanoes on the west side of the Great Rift Valley. The Ngorongoro Crater has earned a fabled reputation as one of Africa’s most unique natural wonders, boasting a remarkable concentration of animals living in diverse habitats.
But how was the Ngorongoro Crater created? And what is so unique about Ngorongoro Crater? We answer these questions and share our favourite facts about Ngorongoro Crater in this handy guide…