Ngorongoro Crater Safari

The second-largest crater in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Empakaai is almost 8km in diameter and its floor is dominated by a saline crater lake and enclosed by sheer 300m high walls that rise to an elevation of 3,200m on the eastern rim. On of East Africa’s most underrated and seldom-visited scenic gems, the crater lies about 90 minutes’ drive northeast of Ngorongoro Crater via the Embulbul Depression, a grassy bowl that which dips to below 2,350m at the base of the 3,260m Mount Losirua and 3,648m Lolmalasin (the highest point in the Crater Highlands). The view from the forested crater rim is fabulous, whether you look inward to the emerald green crater lake, its shallows frequently tinged pink by thousands of flamingos, or east across the Rift Valley to the ashen slopes and smoking fumaroles of volcanic Ol Doinyo Lengai, a scene that also takes in Lake Natron and snow-capped Kilimanjaro on a clear day. Empakaai offers a welcome opportunity to break the safari regime of twice-daily game drives with a stiff steep guided hike to the crater floor. The steep but scenic descent along a tolerably well-maintained footpath takes 45-60 minutes, longer if you’re looking out for the plentiful birds that inhabit the forested crater walls, and there’s also a chance of spotting bushbuck, buffalo, blue monkey and even elephant. Good walking shoes and a reasonable level of fitness are recommended.

Credit: Naona Moru Camp

Coming from the direction of Arusha, the road from Lodware Entrance Gate to the crater rim switchbacks uphill through fertile slopes swathed in Afromontane forest to Heroes Point, which is where most visitors catch their first breathtaking view to the crater floor. It is here that German conservationist and filmmaker Michael Grzimek (son of the legendary Professor Bernhard Grzimek of Serengeti Shall Not Die fame) was buried in 1959 after his tragic death in an aeroplane crash over the Serengeti at the age of 24. Look closely at the crater floor below and you should pick out a few hundred-strong herds of wildebeest, zebra and buffalo moving across the crater floor, as well as elephants on the edge of Lerai Forest or flamingos in the shallows of Lake Magadi.

Bounding the southern Ngorongoro Conservation Area at the base of the Rift Valley Escarpment, remote Lake Eyasi is a shallow soda lake prone to large fluctuations in area and level depending on local rainfall. Possessed of a certain desolate beauty, the surrounding dry savannah is home to the Hadza, or Hadzabe, a tribe of nomadic hunter-gatherers that numbers fewer than 100 individuals today and speaks a similar click language to the San people of Southern Africa. The overgrown village of Mang’ola is the most important settlement in the area, and the base from which it is usually possible to visit a family of these traditional nomads, who resolutely refuse to be coerced into a more settled agricultural or pastoral lifestyle, and join them on a hunting expedition in search of baboons, dik-dik or even mice, all of which are despatched with a traditional bow and arrow.

Set within the Rift Valley on the eastern border of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Natron is perhaps the most starkly beautiful of all the Rift Valley lakes south of Turkana. Almost 60km long but nowhere more than a metre deep, this primordial alkaline sump is renowned for its caustic and unusually viscous waters, which are enclosed by a crust of volcanic ash and salt, as well as a few isolated swamp patches fed by bubbling hot springs. There is some large wildlife in the area, but Natron’s main faunal claim to fame is as the only known breeding ground for East Africa’s 2.5 million lesser flamingos, which congregate at an inaccessible part of the lake between August and October. Natron also attracts up to 100,000 migrant waders during the European winter. The main attraction close to the Natron is Ol Doinyo Lengai, the Maasai ‘Mountain of God’, a textbook volcano that rises more than 2km above the surrounding Rift Valley floor to an altitude of 2,960m. Probably the most active volcano in East Africa, Lengai has erupted at least a dozen times in the past 150 years, experienced almost continuous low-key activity over the last past century and a half, the most dramatic in recent years being over 2007, when it emitted an ashen steamy plume that travelled almost 20km downwind. The steep ascent of Lengai, ideally undertaken overnight to avoid sun exposure on the black shadeless slopes, is a popular hike with fit and adventurous travellers, at least when the volcano is sufficiently placid. It should only be undertaken with an experienced local guide, ideally leaving shortly before midnight to reach the crater rim for sunrise.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area is essentially an eastern extension of the vast Serengeti-Mara ecosystem – indeed, it formed part of the original Serengeti National Park as it was gazetted in 1951 but was split off shortly afterwards to appease Maasai protests against being evicted from their traditional grazing lands. Today, the southeast of the conservation area, around Oldupai Gorge, remains an important component of this migratory ecosystem, a fact of which you will be in no doubt should you pass through the area en route to the Serengeti National Park during the rainy season (late November to early May), when large herds of wildebeest and other ungulates disperse across the short grass plains and calve en masse in February. At other times of year, the area is a good place to look for cheetah, bat-eared fox, eland and ostrich. The game viewing centrepiece of the region is Lake Ndutu, which straddles the Serengeti-Ngorongoro boundary at the epicentre of the wildebeest dispersal, when it offers truly dramatic game viewing.

Two million years ago, the landscape of Ngorongoro Conservation Area looked very different to how it does today. Ngorongoro itself would have been an active volcano, taller perhaps than Kilimanjaro is now, and the seasonally parched plains at its western base were partially submerged beneath a seasonal lake that formed an important watering hole for our hominid ancestors. The fluctuating nature of this ancient lake led to a high level of stratification, one that accentuated by sporadic deposits of volcanic ash from Crater Highlands, creating ideal conditions for the fossilisation. Then, tens of thousands of years ago, fresh tectonic activity caused the land to tilt, leading to the formation of a new lake to the east and the creation of a seasonal river that cut through the former lakebed to expose layers of stratification up to 100m deep and a continuous archaeological and fossil record of life on the plains over the past two million years. Named after the Maasai word for the wild sisal that grows in the area, Oldupai Gorge is one of the richest palaeontological sites in East Africa. First excavated in 1931 by Professor Louis Leakey, it was here, in 1959, that Louis’s wife Mary Leakey unearthed a critical landmark in the history of palaeontology: the discovery of a fossilised cranium that provided the first conclusive evidence that hominid evolution stretched back over more than a million years and had been enacted on the plains of East Africa. Nicknamed ‘Nutcracker Man’ in reference to its bulky jawbone, the cranium belonged to a robust Australopithecine that had lived and died on the ancient lakeshore around 1.75 million years earlier, and while its antiquity would later be superseded by more ancient fossils unearthed in Ethiopia and Kenya, it rewrote the perceived timespan of human evolution, shot the Leakeys’ work to international prominence, and led to an a series of exciting new discoveries, including the first fossilised remains of Homo habilis. At nearby Laetoli, in 1976, four years after Louis’s death, Mary Leakey discovered footprints created more than three million years ago by a party of early hominids that had walked through a bed of freshly deposited volcanic ash – still the most ancient hominid footprints ever found.

Today, the original diggings can be explored with a guide, but the main attraction is an excellent site museum that lies a short distance off the main track connecting Ngorongoro Crater to Serengeti National Park. Displays include replicas of some of the more interesting hominid fossils unearthed at the site as well as the Laetoli footprints, along with genuine fossils of a menagerie of extinct oddities: a short-necked giraffe, a giant swine, an aquatic elephant and a bizarre antelope with long de-curved horns. Outside the museum, look out for colourful dry-country birds such as red-and-yellow barbet and purple grenadier.

Credit: Travel Buckhead

Another dramatic relic of the volcanic activity that shaped the Crater Highlands over the past ten million years, Olmoti – a Maasai name meaning Cooking Pot – is a sunken caldera whose rim is reached along a 30-minute footpath from the ranger post at Nainokanoka. Covered in grass and bisected by a river valley, this shallow crater doesn’t quite match Ngorongoro or Empakaai for scenery, but it is very pretty, and it offers good grazing to the local Maasai cattle and various antelope. Look out for pairs of augur buzzard cartwheeling high in the sky, and the cliff-loving Verreaux’s eagle. From the main viewpoint, a short footpath leads to the seasonal Munge Waterfall, where the eponymous river cascades out of the crater.

Ngorongoro Crater, part of the larger Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania, gives you the chance to explore  landscapes and rich wildlife experiences. Here are the key areas to explore:

1. Crater Floor

The heart of the Ngorongoro Crater is its floor, spanning about 260 square kilometres. It’s the best place for wildlife viewing, with a high concentration of animals including lions, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeests, and various antelope species. 

Key spots include the Lerai Forest, where leopards and monkeys are often seen, Lake Magadi, known for its flamingos, and Gorigor Swamp, which attracts hippos and elephants.

Key Highlights:

• Lerai Forest: Home to leopards and monkeys.
• Lake Magadi: Known for its flamingos.
• Gorigor Swamp: Attracts hippos and elephants.

Unique Fact: 

The crater floor is one of the few places in Africa where you can see the critically endangered black rhino.

2. Crater Rim

The rim of the crater offers stunning panoramic views and is home to several luxurious lodges and campsites. 

It’s an excellent starting point for morning game drives into the crater. The highlands surrounding the rim provide opportunities for hiking and cultural interactions with the Maasai people. Lodges on the rim offer breathtaking sunrise views and easy access to the crater floor.

Key Highlights:

• Panoramic Views: Stunning views from the crater rim.
• Luxury Lodges: Offers breathtaking sunrise views.
• Cultural Interactions: Opportunities to engage with the Maasai people.

Unique Fact: 

The rim’s highlands are often shrouded in mist, adding to the mystical atmosphere of the area.

3. Olduvai Gorge

Located within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Olduvai Gorge is one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in the world. 

Visitors can explore the museum and learn about the significant fossil discoveries that have provided insights into early human evolution. The site is often included in guided tours, offering a fascinating glimpse into the ancient past.

Key Highlights:

• Museum: Features significant fossil discoveries.
• Guided Tours: Offers insights into early human evolution.

Unique Fact: 

Olduvai Gorge is known as the “Cradle of Mankind” due to its rich fossil findings.

4. Empakaai Crater

A less-visited but equally beautiful crater, Empakaai offers hiking opportunities with breathtaking views of the alkaline lake at its centre. 

Flamingos often visit the lake, and the surrounding forests are home to various bird species and other wildlife. The hike to the crater floor is relatively challenging but rewarding with its stunning scenery and tranquillity.

Key Highlights:

• Alkaline Lake: Often visited by flamingos.
• Hiking: Offers stunning scenery and tranquillity.

Unique Fact: 

The lake at Empakaai Crater is so alkaline that it can support only certain types of bacteria and algae.

5. Olmoti Crater

Another volcanic crater in the area, Olmoti is known for its picturesque waterfall and hiking trails. It’s a quieter spot compared to the main crater, providing a more secluded experience amidst nature. The hike to Munge Waterfall is a highlight, passing through scenic highland meadows and offering opportunities to see eland and bushbuck.

Key Highlights:

• Munge Waterfall: A picturesque waterfall.
• Secluded Hiking: Scenic trails through highland meadows.

Unique Fact: 

Olmoti Crater is less visited, making it a peaceful retreat for nature lovers.

6. Ndutu Region

Located on the border of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Serengeti, the Ndutu region is famous for the Great Migration. During the calving season (January to March), thousands of wildebeest and zebras give birth here, attracting numerous predators such as lions, cheetahs, and hyenas. This period offers spectacular wildlife viewing opportunities, with dramatic predator-prey interactions.

Key Highlights:

• Great Migration: Witness thousands of wildebeest and zebras.
• Calving Season: High predator activity with lions, cheetahs, and hyenas.

Unique Fact: 

Ndutu’s calving season provides a unique opportunity to see newborn animals and predator interactions.

By exploring these diverse areas, visitors can fully experience the unique beauty and rich biodiversity of the Ngorongoro Crater and its surroundings.