Location Of Ngorongoro Crater
The Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area is one of the protected areas in Tanzania and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Location of Ngorongoro: The Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area is located in the Eastern Great Rift Valley arm, in the northern part of Tanzania, approximately 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the western part of the tourist city of Arusha, which is usually the base for many visitors who plan trips to the Crater.
Ngorongoro Crater is the largest extinct volcanic caldera not only in Tanzania but in the whole world, measuring an area of 264 square kilometers with dimensions of 16 by 19 kilometers.
The area was named the Ngorongoro Conservation Area after the largest crater of Ngorongoro, which got its name from the local Maasai people who live around the conservation area; they named the crater after the ring bell tied (cowbell) on the lead cow that produces the unique sound Ngorongoro… hence completing it as Ngorongoro.
The Crater is surrounded by high-rise forested rims at a cliff that rises 610 meters, which is approximately 7,500 feet or 2,286 meters above the crater floor.
The Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area can be accessed by both air (domestic flights) and a very decent tarmac road, which runs from Arusha through Lake Manyara National Park to Ngorongoro. Karatu town is the nearest town to the crater, just a few kilometers away from the main gate.
It’s funny that all the Northern Tanzania Parks use one highway until the junction after Lake Manyara, where you branch off to the location of Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park while the continuing road goes to Tarangire National Park. The road leading to the conservation area is well-maintained and paved, which shortens the driving distance compared to bumpy roads.
Most flights land at Kilimanjaro International Airport, and either begin the drive directly from there to the park, or spend a night in Arusha and make an early start the next morning. You can also plan to land at Arusha Airport. Reach out and let us help you plan your visit to Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania.
