Ngorongoro crater by car
Ngorongoro crater by car : The Ngorongoro crater is a safari destination which is found in the northern part of Tanzania and it can be accessed by different means of transport.
The fees which are paid for safaris to the Ngorongoro conservation area by car include entrance fee which is 70.8 USD for nonresidents and this fee is paid per person. Another fee which is paid during safaris to the destination is crater service fee which is 295 USD per vehicle when entering the Ngorongoro crater.
When traveling to the Ngorongoro conservation area during Tanzania safaris, these tours can start from Arusha town which is also referred to as the safari capital and a drive from the Ngorongoro crater takes about 3 hours. Flights to the northern part of Tanzania can be got to Kilimanjaro international airport.
A number of wildlife species can be seen during a tour around the Ngorongoro crater and they include elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, buffalos, wildebeests, zebras, hyenas, warthogs, impalas, kudu, hartebeests, hippos, waterbucks and many others. The big five are among the wildlife species that are spotted around the Ngorongoro crater during a safari.
The Ngorongoro crater can also be explored on a self-drive safari which is carried out with a ranger guide who provides information about the different attractions at the destination and the wildlife species that are spotted on safari.
The Ngorongoro crater can be explored from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm which is a time when the crater floor can be accessed for wildlife viewing experiences. The destination is described as the world’s largest inactive volcanic caldera and it consists of savannah plains, acacia woodland as well as an alkaline lake where flamingos can be seen during a tour.
During a tour around the Ngorongoro crater, some of the attractions which can be visited include the Ol duvai gorge which is an archaeological site where evidence of the evolution of mankind was discovered by Dr Louis and Mary Leakey. These findings such as fossils are displayed in the museum and can be seen during a tour at the destination.
The Ngorongoro crater can be explored for a full day or half a day and other attractions around the destination include Ol donyo lengai which is referred to as the mountain of God, the Empakaai crater, Gol mountains among others.
The Maasai people also live around the Ngorongoro conservation area and as you drive around the destination and explore the different attractions, the Maasai can be encountered and you can enjoy a cultural tour and interact with the Maasai, visit their homes and engage in many other activities as you get to know more about their culture and nomadic way of life.
In the neighboring town of Karatu, there are different lodges where tourists can stay during their tours around the Ngorongoro conservation area and these accommodations are more affordable and include luxury, midrange and budget lodges. There are also campsites where tourists can stay during their tours such as the Simba campsite.
When traveling to the Ngorongoro crater by car, the vehicles can be hired for the tourists who don’t have their own safari vehicles and another alternative would be booking a safari with a tour operator who takes care of all the details of the trip including the transport to the destination.
The different activities that you can engage in when you get to the Ngorongoro conservation include game drives along the crater floor, nature walks, bird watching, cultural experiences with the Maasai people and other tribes, hiking, visits to the Ol duvai gorge and also enjoying the beautiful scenery around Ngorongoro.
Game drives during a wildlife viewing experience around the Ngorongoro crater are exciting and involve driving along the crate floor after descending about 600 meters into the crater in search of the various wildlife species like elephants, black rhinos, buffalos, zebras, predators like lions, leopards, cheetahs among others. These game drives can be carried out in the morning and also in the afternoon.
Apart from exploring the Ngorongoro conservation area by car, tourists can also enjoy a walking safari or nature walk around the destination and get a closer view of the surroundings of the destination and also spot wildlife species from a safe distance. These nature walks are done with the help of a ranger guide and take place in locations such as the crater rim.
Bird species such as flamingos can also be spotted during a safari around the Ngorongoro crater. Many other birds are found at the destination and they include ostriches, grey crowned cranes, starlings and many others. This activity is best done during the months of November to April.
You can also combine a safari to the Ngorongoro conservation area with other destinations in the northern part of Tanzania such as Lake Manyara national park, Tarangire national park, Arusha national park and the famous Serengeti national park which are within driving distance from Ngorongoro.
Wildlife viewing around the Ngorongoro crater can be carried out at any time of the year and the dry season is the best time to engage in wildlife viewing at the destination when wildlife species can be spotted around the water holes. With the help of a guide, these wildlife species can be seen around the savannah plains.
Visit the Ngorongoro crater and enjoy a wildlife viewing experience at any month of the year as you tour the destination and its attractions during your safari in Tanzania.
