A labyrinth of chaotic alleyways interposed between towering limestone houses with ornately carved arched hardwood doors with brass finishings and terracotta roofs. Stone Town is a melting pot of cultures and one of the last remaining ancient towns in Africa. It offers a rare cultural and historical insight into a former era of trade and exploration.
Tanzania: Ngorogoro Conservation Area
Tanzania: Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Our Day Down in the Crater
🌫️ A Misty Start at the Crater Rim
We got up before dawn and, blimey, it was cold. Proper cold, the sort that makes you wish you’d packed an extra jumper even though everyone tells you Africa is meant to be roasting. On top of the cold, there was a thick mist hanging over everything, the kind that swallows up the headlights and makes you squint at shapes in the road that may or may not be a buffalo. We sat there over our breakfast wondering whether the whole morning’s plan, which was to drive right down into the bottom of the Ngorongoro Crater, was going to be a complete washout before we’d even started. The crater rim sits at around 2,286 metres above sea level, so mist and low cloud first thing in the morning is more the rule than the exception up there, and we’d read enough about it beforehand to know we shouldn’t panic, but sitting in a tent at half past five in the freezing fog, panic was certainly on the table.
🚙 Down We Went, Through the Murk
Breakfast done, we loaded ourselves into the LandCruiser and set off, and the mist, true to form, hadn’t budged an inch. If anything it had got thicker. Now here’s the properly hair-raising bit: as we trundled along the rim road, there was a drop of around 1,500 metres on one side of us, which is not the sort of thing you want to be casually pondering when visibility is about ten feet. We ended up tucked in behind another safari vehicle whose driver clearly hadn’t read the same instruction manual as ours, weaving about all over the carriageway like he’d had one too many Tuskers the night before. Our chap, sensibly, kept well back and made no attempt to get past him, which we were rather grateful for given the view, or lack of one, off to our left. Eventually we reached the entrance gate to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, paid our dues, and began the long, winding descent down into the crater itself, a vast caldera that geologists reckon was formed somewhere between two and three million years ago, when an enormous volcano, possibly as tall as today’s Kilimanjaro, blew its top and then collapsed in on itself entirely.
🦁 Lions, Baboons, and a Right Royal Welcome
It took us a good quarter of an hour of steady downhill driving before we finally levelled out onto the crater floor, dropping below the cloud as we went, and although it stayed grey and overcast for the rest of the morning, at least we could now see the towering walls of the crater rising up around us on every side, which gave us a proper sense of just how enormous this place is. The Ngorongoro Crater measures roughly 19 to 20 kilometres across and its walls climb some 610 metres above the floor, making it the largest unbroken, unfilled volcanic caldera on the planet, and the geologists reckon the original mountain that collapsed to form it might once have stood somewhere between 4,500 and 5,800 metres tall, taller than Kilimanjaro itself, which is a properly mind-bending thing to try and picture as you’re sat there looking down at flat grassland where a peak that size used to be. We hadn’t gone much further into the park before we got our first proper “blimey, look at that” moment of the day: a great big male lion, standing dead proud on top of a rock, surveying his entire kingdom below him, looking for all the world like Mufasa having a quiet word with himself before the next big scene in The Lion King. The crater floor itself is mostly flat open grassland, dotted here and there with a couple of lakes, one salty and one fresh, a marshy bit, and a single area of proper woodland known to the locals as the Lerai Forest, and it was this wooded patch we drove through first. In amongst the trees we came across a small troop of baboons who, like us, were clearly not yet won over by the morning chill, all huddled together in a tight, grumpy-looking scrum for warmth, looking thoroughly fed up with the whole business of being a wild animal before breakfast. Not far past the shivering baboons, right alongside the track, was a small pride of lions lounging about, so close to the vehicle that I genuinely struggled to fit the whole lot of them into one photograph, though I did manage a smashing shot of the big male with his jaws wide open in what I can only assume was either a yawn or a very pointed message to anyone thinking of disturbing his morning. Apparently Ngorongoro has one of the densest concentrations of lions to be found anywhere in Africa, and on the strength of that first half hour alone, we weren’t about to argue.
🐆 A Lioness on the Move
The wooded section didn’t go on for very long, so before too much longer we were back out on the open plains, which stretch out across most of the 260 square kilometres or so that make up the crater floor, and it wasn’t long after that before lion number two of the morning turned up. This time it was a lioness who had already made her kill, a Grant’s gazelle, poor thing, and she was busy dragging the carcass off to somewhere a bit more private to enjoy her breakfast in peace. We were the very first vehicle on the scene, which on a popular safari route like this one is something of a small miracle, given that Ngorongoro pulls in a fair old number of visitors these days, and it meant we got to watch the whole thing unfold without a dozen other Land Cruisers crowding in and jostling for the best angle, all engines running and long lenses poking out of every window. She had the gazelle’s neck clamped firmly in her mouth, hauling the body along between her front legs, and it was clearly hard graft, because a fully grown Grant’s gazelle is no small parcel to be lugging across open ground, and she kept having to stop every so often for a breather, looking thoroughly cheesed off with the effort of it all. We sat and watched for several minutes as she laboured away with her prize, taking the odd pause to glance about and make sure nobody fancied trying their luck at stealing her hard-won lunch, and sure enough, as these things always go on a busy morning circuit, other vehicles started rolling up to join the party, so we took that as our cue to push on and leave her to it in relative peace.
☕ Hippos, Hyenas and a Very Welcome Coffee
By this point we’d already had ourselves quite an action-packed morning of wildlife watching, and frankly we were both ready for a sit down and a brew, the way you would be after any decent morning’s outing back home, legs starting to feel a bit stiff from all the bumping about on rough tracks. Our driver pointed the LandCruiser towards the freshwater lake area of the crater, most of which is choked with dense reeds, though there’s still a modest patch of open water that’s claimed entirely by a small pod of hippos who looked perfectly content to spend the day wallowing about and minding nobody’s business but their own, occasionally letting out a great honking grunt just to remind everyone they were there, and the surrounding shoreline is a favourite haunt for antelope and zebra coming down to drink, picking their way carefully along the muddy banks with one eye permanently on the water in case anything with teeth fancied a go. Right there by the water was a proper rest stop, complete with toilets and, to our great and genuine astonishment, a little food cart serving up hot coffee, espresso and cappuccino included, plus a few snacks, which is the very last thing you expect to find at the bottom of a two-and-a-half-million-year-old volcanic crater in the middle of the Tanzanian bush, and we did rather wonder how on earth the fellow running it got his machine and his beans down there in the first place. It wasn’t cheap by any stretch, but after that white-knuckle drive down through the mist it was money very well spent, and we weren’t about to begrudge anyone running a coffee cart out here a decent mark-up. With bladders emptied and caffeine levels restored to a respectable level, we climbed back into the vehicle fully recharged for round two of game viewing. There aren’t a great many roads down on the crater floor, but the main one runs in a loop around the base of the rim, and as we followed it along we spotted a brace of hyenas slinking about low in the grass with that permanently shifty look they have, like they’re up to something even when they’re not, along with plenty more antelope grazing peacefully, seemingly unbothered by their presence. Most of the floor is dead flat, but there’s one modest hill that gives you a decent vantage point over the whole crater, so naturally that’s where we headed next. From up there, even though it’s not much of a climb, you get a cracking view right across the entire floor, all the way to the rim in every direction, and it’s not hard to see why the Maasai who once grazed their cattle right across this whole basin gave the place the name they did, since ngoro ngoro is supposed to be the sound a cowbell makes, and standing up on that hill listening to the wind you could almost imagine it. It was from this spot that we caught one of the more unexpected sights of the trip: an absolutely furious ostrich giving an unfortunate hyena what for, presumably because the hyena had got it into its head to have a go at the ostrich’s eggs. The ostrich was having none of it and chased the hyena off in no uncertain terms, legs going like the clappers, with the hyena wisely deciding that discretion was the better part of valour and beating a hasty retreat back into the long grass, tail between its legs, looking thoroughly told off.
🦩 A Splash of Pink (Just Not Quite the David Attenborough Kind)
From the hill we made our way down to the crater’s second lake, a smaller saltwater affair known locally as Lake Magadi, a shallow soda lake that’s rather popular with both the greater and lesser flamingos who come to feed on the algae that thrives in its alkaline waters. There wasn’t a vast flock in residence on the day we visited, so it was nothing like one of those David Attenborough documentaries where the camera pulls back to reveal millions of the birds turning an entire lake into a great pink carpet stretching off to the horizon. Still, it was a real treat to get up close to these wonderfully odd-looking birds, all knock-kneed elegance and bright pink feathers against the grey water, picking their way through the shallows with that strange, deliberate gait flamingos seem to have perfected.
🦅 Lunch with an Uninvited Guest
By now it was lunchtime, so we made our way back to the same rest area by the freshwater lake for a bit of grub, glad of the chance to stretch our legs properly for the first time since breakfast. The one hazard to be aware of here, and nobody had thought to warn us about this beforehand, was a particularly bold yellow-billed kite, who had clearly worked out over many years of watching tourists shuffle in and out that a packed lunch left unguarded for even a second makes for very easy pickings indeed, and would swoop down out of nowhere, fast as you like, to snatch food straight out of your hand if you weren’t paying proper attention.
🐃 The Lioness, the Zebra, and a Buffalo with a Grudge
After lunch we still had a bit of time left for one more loop around before heading out of the park to our lodge for the night, and it turned out to be quite the send-off, the sort of thing you’d struggle to script even if you tried, and certainly the sort of thing that makes the whole trip worthwhile when you’re sat afterwards trying to describe it to people back home who simply won’t believe you. As we made our way towards the exit road, we came across a sizeable cluster of safari vehicles all parked up watching a lioness who was stretched out near a waterhole right by the track, looking for all the world like she was simply having a lie-down after a hard morning, paws tucked under her, in no particular rush to do anything at all. Not far away was a buffalo, who seemed entirely unbothered by her presence, grazing away quite contentedly, presumably on the basis that a single lioness on her own isn’t much of a threat to something his size, what with a fully grown buffalo bull being a good deal heavier and considerably better armed than your average lioness would care to take on alone, those great curved horns being nothing to laugh at. As we sat watching, a lone zebra wandered closer, which immediately caught the lioness’s attention, and she watched it intently, head low, as it strayed within striking distance without the faintest idea anything was amiss. The zebra, oblivious to the danger, began to wander off and, fatally, turned its back on her. That was its undoing, and you could almost feel the whole row of vehicles holding its breath at once, cameras up, nobody saying a word. The lioness rose smoothly to her feet, began to stalk it low through the grass, belly almost flat to the ground, and then struck. A short chase followed before she brought the zebra down to the ground, and it was genuinely difficult to watch as the poor animal struggled beneath her, all four legs flailing, though we couldn’t quite bring ourselves to look away either, the way you can’t tear your eyes off a car crash even though every instinct tells you to. And then, completely out of the blue, the buffalo, who up to this point had been placidly grazing as if none of this concerned him in the slightest, suddenly decided to get involved, covering perhaps a hundred metres at a fair old clip before charging straight at the pair of them, head down, horns first, kicking up a proper cloud of dust as he went. The lioness leapt clear in good time, nimble as you like, but the unfortunate zebra, already pinned down and unable to move, took the full force of the buffalo’s horns. We’re fairly convinced the buffalo was actually having a go at the lioness and the zebra simply got caught in the crossfire, wrong place, wrong time, as the saying goes, though we’ll never know for certain what was going through that buffalo’s head. Either way, the zebra found itself briefly free and somehow managed to stagger back up onto its feet, though it was plainly mortally wounded by this stage, swaying about and clearly not long for this world, which was a hard thing to watch even knowing how the food chain works out here. The buffalo, evidently satisfied with a job well done, wandered off back to his grazing without so much as a backward glance, leaving the lioness to return and finish what she’d started, bringing the zebra down for good this time. A couple of minutes later a second lioness arrived to join in, presumably having smelled the dinner bell from somewhere across the plain, and between the two of them they made fairly short work of what was left, the whole drama wrapped up inside perhaps ten minutes from start to finish, which is more than enough excitement for one short afternoon.
🐘 Blocked on the Way Out
It was now time to leave Ngorongoro behind, but the crater clearly had a couple more obstacles in mind for us before it would let us go quietly. First a great bull elephant decided to plant himself in the middle of the exit road, taking his own sweet time about moving, before eventually shuffling off and passing close enough to the vehicle that we could have reached out and touched him, ears flapping and not in the least bit hurried about the whole business, and then a fallen tree took up the baton, showing absolutely no interest whatsoever in shifting out of our way regardless of how long we sat there hoping it might. Our driver did a spot of improvised off-roading to get around the obstruction, bumping us over rough ground we’d certainly not been on before, and before long we were climbing the long, steep road that takes you back up and out of the crater, leaving Africa’s Eden behind us for another day, mist long since burned off and the afternoon sun finally breaking through.
About the Ngorogoro Conservation Area
Ngorongoro Conservation Area, national conservation area in the Arusha region of northern Tanzania, southeast of Serengeti National Park. Occupying some 3,200 square miles (8,300 square km), it extends over part of the Eastern (Great) Rift Valley of eastern Africa and contains a variety of habitats and landscapes, including grassland plains, savanna woodlands, forests, mountains, volcanic craters, lakes, rivers, and swampland. Ngorongoro Crater, one of the world’s largest unbroken calderas, is the most prominent feature of the park. Also located there are the major archaeological sites of Olduvai Gorge and Laetolil, within which were found hominin remains dating from 2.1 million and 3.6 million years ago, respectively.
The area’s main volcanic formations, including Ngorongoro Crater and the volcanoes Olmoti and Empakaai, formed from 20 million to 2 million years ago. Empakaai Crater is noted for the deep soda lake that occupies nearly half of its caldera floor.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area is host to the largest ungulate herds in the world, including gnu (wildebeests), plains zebras, and Thomson’s and Grant’s gazelles. Predatory animals include lions, spotted hyenas, leopards, and cheetahs. The endangered black rhinoceros and African hunting dog can also be found there. Notable among more than 400 species of birds in the area are flamingos, silvery-cheeked hornbills, superb starlings, and bronze and tacazze sunbirds.
In 1951 the area was included as part of the original Serengeti National Park, but in 1959 it was separately designated the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.
Planning your visit to Ngorongoro
| 📍 Location | Arusha Region, Northern Tanzania – on the road between Arusha and Serengeti National Park |
|---|---|
| 🕖 Opening Times | Daily, 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| 📞 Phone | +255 27 253 7019 |
| 🚗 By Road | Self-drive or guided 4×4 from Arusha (approx. 180 km, 3–4 hrs) via Lodoare Main Entrance Gate |
| ✈️ By Air | Light aircraft charters land at airstrips within the conservation area, arranged via tour operators |
| ℹ️ Notes | Entry permits valid for 24 hours. Crater descent requires an additional Crater Service Fee. Permits must be arranged through a tour operator; cash is not accepted at the gate |
🎟️ Entry Fees
| Foreign Non-Residents | Children (5–15 yrs) | Crater Descent (per vehicle) |
|---|---|---|
| $70.80 per person | $15–$20 | $295 |
🧭 Getting There
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is most commonly reached by road from Arusha, a journey of roughly 3–4 hours via Lodoare Main Entrance Gate. Most visitors travel as part of an organised safari, since permits must be arranged through a tour operator in advance. Self-drive is possible but requires a ranger escort inside the crater itself. Travellers heading onward to the Serengeti typically pass straight through the conservation area, paying a transit fee at the gate.
The Best Time to Visit Tanzania
☀️ Long Dry Season (June to October)
This is widely considered the main dry season and the best time for game viewing in Tanzania, also offering the best chance to see the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti. Afternoon temperatures usually sit between 20°C and 30°C, with most days bringing fine, clear skies and sunny weather. Nights, especially at altitude, turn distinctly chilly. August and September are particularly good for catching the Mara River wildebeest crossings in the northern Serengeti. It’s also the most popular time to climb Kilimanjaro, with stable, dry conditions making for safer trekking. The trade-off is cost and crowds, as this is high season across most parks.
What to pack: lightweight, neutral-coloured clothing for daytime layered with a warm fleece or jumper for cold mornings and evenings, a packable waterproof jacket just in case, sturdy walking boots, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, high-factor sun cream, binoculars, a head torch, and a daypack for game drives.
🌦️ Short Rains (November to December)
The short rains arrive in November and December and are often unpredictable, but they have far less impact on a safari than the long rains, since rain tends to fall in short, heavy bursts during the afternoon rather than all day. This is a lovely, lush, and noticeably quieter time to travel, with the return of migratory birds making it a strong choice for birdwatchers. Temperatures stay warm, generally in the high twenties during the day, dipping into the mid-teens overnight, with humidity creeping up but rarely becoming uncomfortable.
What to pack: breathable, quick-drying clothing, a compact umbrella or lightweight rain jacket, waterproof footwear or boots that can cope with mud, a light cardigan for cooler evenings, insect repellent, a dry bag or waterproof cover for cameras and electronics, and binoculars for birdwatching.
🌤️ Short Dry Season (January to February)
A brief dry spell falls between the two rainy seasons, particularly across northern and coastal areas, making this an underrated window for travel. It’s especially prized by wildlife enthusiasts, as this is the most reliable time to witness wildebeest calving on the southern Serengeti plains, which in turn draws large numbers of predators. Days are generally warm and dry, though brief showers can still occur, and Zanzibar’s beaches are at their best.
What to pack: light, breathable clothing, swimwear and beach cover-ups if combining with Zanzibar, sun cream and a hat, a light rain shell just in case, comfortable walking shoes, and a camera with a good zoom for calving-season action.
🌧️ Long Rains (March to May)
This is the wettest and quietest stretch of the year. April is typically the wettest month, bringing high humidity, while May remains very rainy, with afternoon downpours common. Many lodges in the southern and western parks close during this period, and travel can be disrupted in low-lying areas. On the upside, this is when landscapes turn richly green, prices drop substantially, and crowds all but disappear, while birdwatching remains excellent as migratory species linger in the region.
What to pack: fully waterproof outerwear and footwear, quick-drying layers, a daypack with a rain cover, a strong insect repellent, plastic bags or dry sacks to protect electronics and documents, and a flexible itinerary in mind given possible road or lodge closures.
Overall Best Time to Visit
Taking everything together, June to October stands out as the overall best time to visit Tanzania for most travellers. This long dry season delivers the most reliable weather, the clearest skies, the easiest wildlife viewing as animals concentrate around dwindling water sources, and the best conditions for both Kilimanjaro climbs and Zanzibar beach time. The trade-off is that it’s also peak season, meaning higher prices and busier parks. For those seeking better value, fewer crowds, and who don’t mind a chance of rain, the short dry season of January and February offers an excellent alternative, particularly for witnessing the wildebeest calving. Ultimately, the right season depends on individual priorities, whether that’s guaranteed sunshine, lower costs, lush scenery, or a specific wildlife spectacle, but for a first-time visit with the broadest appeal, the dry season from June to October remains the gold standard.
Visiting Tanzania in January – February
There is a chance of rain, the temperature is getting higher and the humidity is building. It’s still a good time to go as rates are lower and safari is excellent. At this time of year the migration herds are in the southeast of the Serengeti for calving season, so the Ndutu Plains are busy but it is amazing to see so many animals in one place.
Events & Festivals- Green Season (November to March): Tanzania’s Green Season offers superb birdwatching opportunities, with migratory birds arriving in their thousands.
- Green Season (November to March): Tanzania’s Green Season offers superb birdwatching opportunities, with migratory birds arriving in their thousands.
- Green Season (November to March): Tanzania’s Green Season offers superb birdwatching opportunities, with migratory birds arriving in their thousands.
- The best chance to observe herds of animals in their hundreds as they cross Tanzania’s rivers on their epic journey across the continent is as part of the Great Migration in Africa.
- The best chance to observe herds of animals in their hundreds as they cross Tanzania’s rivers on their epic journey across the continent is as part of the Great Migration in Africa.
- The best chance to observe herds of animals in their hundreds as they cross Tanzania’s rivers on their epic journey across the continent is as part of the Great Migration in Africa.
- Green Season (November to March): Tanzania’s Green Season offers superb birdwatching opportunities, with migratory birds arriving in their thousands.
- Green Season (November to March): Tanzania’s Green Season offers superb birdwatching opportunities, with migratory birds arriving in their thousands.
Visiting Tanzania in February – February
Migration is still occurring in Ndutu. The weather is hot and humid with a chance of rain.
Events & Festivals
Visiting Tanzania in March
Migrating herds are starting to leave Ndutu, heading west toward Grumeti. This is truly low season, before the heavy rains but with humidity building. Great rates can be taken advantage of at this time of year.
Visiting Tanzania in April – May
This is a period of heavy rain, so we would advise against travelling at this time.
Visiting Tanzania in June
This is the green season, bringing lush grasses and bush that can make spotting game more difficult. However, this is still a wonderful time to travel — particularly for bird watchers as parks are full of migratory birds; especially in the south. Migration should be in the Grumeti area of the Serengeti heading north.
Visiting Tanzania in July
This is the start of the peak season. The Migration is in the north of the Serengeti moving toward Kenya, and elephant start to gather in Tarangire. The land is getting drier and spotting game is becoming easier. Temperatures are in the high 20°Cs to early 30°Cs and the humidity is low.
Visiting Tanzania in August
Peak season. Migration is still in the north. As the land becomes more parched, the animals’ behaviour becomes more predictable. The dense bush in Ruaha is drying out so game spotting here becomes much easier.
Visiting Visiting Tanzania in September
Peak season. The end of the migration is still in the north, with herds on both sides of the Kenya and Tanzania borders and high numbers of elephant in Tarangire. The northern circuit can be very busy, but it is less busy in the south, so for those who want to avoid crowds it’s best to visit the southern parks.
Visiting Visiting September in October
Peak season. The migration is now in Kenya, but the game viewing in central Serengeti is still very good. Southern parks are particularly rewarding at this time of year.
Visiting Visiting Tanzania in November
Short rains. This is a great time to take advantage of low season rates and is still a popular time to travel. The rains tend to be overnight, but there is a risk of rain during the day as well. Migrating herds are starting to travel south from Kenya, so crossings can be seen in the north of the Serengeti.
Visiting Visiting Tanzania in December
There is a chance of rain, but this is generally overnight. Temperatures and humidity start to build. Safari is good, with migrating herds in the north travelling south to Ndutu. The festive season can be very busy and needs to be planned well in advance to ensure availability.
Ngorogoro Rhino Lodge
There are several lodges and places to stay around the Ngorogoro Conservation Area. We were booked into Rhino Lodge formerly the home of Ngorongoro’s first conservator, Henry Fosbrooke. The lodge is located just a few metres from the rim of the Ngorogoro crater. The lodge does not overlook the crater itself but has vistas of misty montane forest and distant Mount Oldeani. The well-kept grounds are regularly visited by local wildlife.
There are 24 simple plain single, double, and triple rooms with double or bunk beds, each with an en-suite toilet, shower and hand basin, and a private verandah. All rooms are clean, cosy, colourful, and uncluttered, with wood-burning stoves. Power and hot water are limited because Rhino Lodge operates a careful policy of sustainability to protect the fragile ecology of the conservation area
The large public spaces include a bar and a restaurant. The food was amazing and there was a vegetarian option on each menu,
There is a large deck at the lodge which is a great place to have a sundowner and watch the sunset.
More to Explore
