Wildlife safari in Ngorongoro : Ngorongoro conservation area is among the Tanzania wildlife safari destinations of Tanzania and it is found in the northern part of the country. Over 20,000 wildlife species are found around the Ngorongoro conservation area. When searching for wildlife species during a safari around Ngorongoro, game drives are carried out along the crater floor. The Ngorongoro crater is also the world’s largest inactive caldera which was formed as a result of volcanic activity over 3 million years ago.
Around the Ngorongoro conservation area, there is a lot to see and experience including diverse landscapes, a variety of wildlife species, archaeological sites and the Maasai can also be encountered during tours to the Ngorongoro conservation area.
The Ngorongoro conservation area consists of grasslands, highlands in the surrounding area, acacia woodlands as well as swamps. There are also highland forests as well as marshes around Ngorongoro. During safaris around the crater, you can enjoy wildlife viewing around the plains and also enjoy the beautiful views of the surroundings of the crater.
Some of the wildlife species found in the Ngorongoro conservation area include the big five such as elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and buffalos. The big five are considered the most difficult wildlife species to hunt on foot. The Ngorongoro conservation area is also a good place to see the rare black rhinos during a Tanzania safari .
The Ngorongoro conservation area also has wildlife species like wildebeests, zebras, hyenas, cheetahs, jackals, gazelles, warthogs, hartebeests, waterbucks, bushbucks, reedbucks, baboons, impalas, elands and many others.
During wildlife tours around the Ngorongoro crater a dense population of lions can be seen as they move in their prides around the grass plains. You get to enjoy watching the lions hunt or sitting under the tree shades in Ngorongoro and you can also explore the plains and see both male and female lions as well as lion cubs.
Apart from the Ngorongoro crater floor, wildlife viewing during safaris around the destination can also be done around the Gol mountains which are found north west of the Ngorongoro crater and also around Lake Ndutu where different bird species can also be seen.
The calving season during the wildebeest migration in Tanzania also takes place between Serengeti national park and the Ngorongoro conservation area in the Ndutu area where about 8000 calves are born daily. The calving season takes place during the months from December, around January and February and also in March. The wildebeest migration is an annual movement of over 1.5 wildebeests across the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem annually. During a safari around the Ngorongoro conservation area from December to March, predators like lions and leopards can also be seen during the calving season since they prey on the wildebeests as they graze around the savannah plains in the Ndutu area.
The destination is also referred to as the Garden of Eden because of its beautiful scenery. The Ngorongoro crater is among the popular wildlife viewing destinations found in Tanzania and it is also a UNESCO world heritage site and a natural wonder.
There is a lot more to see when visiting the Ngorongoro conservation area during a Tanzania safari and this includes the Ol duvai gorge which is an archaeological site which is also referred to as the “cradle of mankind”. You can also visit the Empakaai crater, Ol donyo lengai, the Olmoti crater among other attractions around Ngorongoro. You can also visit Lake Magadi during a tour of the Ngorongoro conservation area and enjoy seeing bird species like flamingos found along the lake shore.
A number of activities are carried out during safaris around the Ngorongoro conservation area and they include game drives, guided nature walks, bird watching and cultural tours, horse riding experiences and also hot air balloon safaris.
Apart from wildlife species there are also numerous bird species which can be seen during tours around the Ngorongoro conservation area. The birds which can be seen around Ngorongoro include ostriches, flamingos, black winged lapwing, starlings, rufous tailed weavers, bee eaters, kori bustards, secretary birds, grey crowned cranes, long crested eagles and many others. Migrant bird species can also be seen during a safari around Ngorongoro and the best time to see these birds is from November to April.
Maasai in Ngorongoro
The Maasai people live in the Ngorongoro conservation area and they are known for their unique culture and nomadic way of life. Interactions with the Maasai are among the activities carried out during tours to Ngorongoro where cultural tours are done. The cultural tours involve visiting the Maasai bomas, seeing local arts and crafts, engaging in traditional dance performances among others.
Best time for wildlife safaris in Ngorongoro
Wildlife safaris in Ngorongoro can be done all year round during tours in Tanzania. There are two seasons which are experienced during tours at the destination and they include the dry season and the rainy season.
The dry season is considered the best time for wildlife safaris in the Ngorongoro conservation area. This season takes place from June to October and also in December, January and February when wildlife species can easily be seen during safaris around the plains. June to October is also the high season when many tourists visit Tanzania for wildlife safaris.
Wildlife safaris in Ngorongoro conservation area can also be done during the rainy season. In Tanzania there are 2 rainy seasons including the long rainy season from March, April and May and the short rain season takes place around November.
The difference between the dry season and the rainy season is that during the dry season, there are many tourists visiting the Ngorongoro conservation area and the prices of safaris are high as compared to the low season which is a time when fewer tourists go for safaris to the destination due to the rains.
How to get to Ngorongoro conservation area during a safari in Tanzania
There are different ways to access Ngorongoro conservation area during safaris around Tanzania. The destination is about 3 to 4 hours’ drive from Arusha and it can also be accessed by flight. When visiting Tanzania for a safari to Ngorongoro, flights can be booked to Arusha airport or Kilimanjaro international airport.
Book a safari to Tanzania today and enjoy a wildlife safari to the Ngorongoro conservation area all through the year.
