Ngorongoro Crater Location

Ngorongoro crater is one of the unique features that are found in Tanzania. This is bowel shaped caldera that was formed through the collapse of an extinct volcano. Ngorongoro crater is located in the Northern part of Tanzania around the famous tourism region of Arusha. It lies about 120 kilometers away on the Western side of Arusha. Ngorongoro Crater is one of the largest calderas not only in Tanzania but the entire world that is unfilled with water. Its measures between 16 to 19 kilometers by diameter, it covers a total land area of 264 square kilometers (103 square miles). The walls of the Ngorongoro crater are mostly covered by the dominant bamboo forest. The rims are much raised to almost 2,000 feet roughly 610 meters above the crater floor. The Ngorongoro crater elevation is 2,286 meters (7500 feet). Ngorongoro crater location is along the Eastern Great Rift Valley in the Northern Tourist circuit.

History of Ngorongoro crater

According to history, Ngorongoro Crater was formed about 2.5 million years ago when the active volcano collapsed internally. This was caused by the eruption of the large active volcano which was believed to be higher than the current Mt Kilimanjaro which is the highest mountain in Africa. After the major eruption taking place, the unbroken caldera was left unfilled hence paving away for the open grassland to cover the floor of the crater. Currently, the Ngorongoro crater is one of the key attractions of tourists in Tanzania. It’s a home of thousands of wildlife with the highest concentration of lions in entire Africa.

In 1979, the Ngorongoro crater was declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site hence earning its reputation worldwide.

The Caldera was named by the Maasai locals after the cowbell sound “Ngoro ngoro” which the British combined to make it one word Ngorongoro. The area has been for the year being occupied by the Maasai locals who replaced the traditional hunters and fruit gatherers who had left in the place for long. The Maasai Pastoralist remain the occupants of the area till now.

Ngorongoro crater location in the Ngorongoro crater Conservation Area makes it one of the key tourism attraction in the conservation Area. Its located in the center of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area that which was formed in 1959. Ngorongoro Crater borders Lake Manyara National Park and Serengeti national park on South and north respectively. Karatu town is the nearest town that is located near the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. It is very much easy to access Ngorongoro Crater from Arusha, it is just a few hours drive through good tarmacked road that passes through the great Rift valley area.

Ngorongoro crater location is amidst the 8 extinct volcanoes within the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area. The Ngorongoro Volcanic Complex are all around lake Eyasi Half-graben which is found in the Eastern side bordering the walls of the Gregory Rift escarpments. Among the 8 extinct volcanoes shield, 5 are dome-shaped volcanoes and three are calderas with Ngorongoro crater being the largest caldera found in the area. The Ngorongoro crater has a crater lake inside called Lake Magadi lake. It is shallow salty lakes that is dominated by thousands of flamingos. It also provides water for the wildlife that is found at the crater. Lake Magadi is also being drained by several rivers that run from the walls of the crater down to the different swamps around the crater lake. Other craters around Ngorongoro Conservation Area include Empakaai, Sadiman, Loolmalasin, Oldeani, and Lemagrut. Other attractions that are found in Ngorongoro Conservation Area include Oldupai Gorge, Gol Mountains, Ndutu area and others.

Out of all the volcanic features found in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Ol Doinyo Lengai is still an active volcano, its latest eruptions occurred in 2007 and 2008. This is the Mountain of God as termed and respected by the local Maasai people.

In 2013, Ngorongoro Crater was voted as the seven Natural wonders of Africa, the voting was done in Arusha Tanzania.

Ngorongoro Crater location and accessibility

Ngorongoro crater can be accessed from Arusha or any part of East Africa with more good roads connecting the crater easily. One can access the Ngorongoro crater by air or by road depending on the location and the choice of an individual.

Accessing Ngorongoro Crater by Road

You can access the crater gently by road from Arusha through the good highway that takes only 3 to 4 hours drive. The drive is scenic and adventurous passing through the land of the Maasai warriors. You will enjoy the views of the Great Rift Valley features. Have stopovers at the local craft shops that are found all over the route. Enjoy the green coffee plantations as locals wave at you with great smiles. If using road, you can use private car, public cars that lead you up to Karatu town then you get special hire that takes you inside the Ngorongoro Crater. If hiring or driving your own car please not that they only allow 4×4 wheel drive cars only to descend down to the crater.

The road that leads to Ngorongoro crater is much direct and straight till you reach the branching sport only ones to the right and leave the one which continues to Tarangire national park.

By Flight

If you do not like rough and long drives, flight option is available with more domestic flights operating daily from different airports and airstrips across Tanzania. You can book your flight from Kilimanjaro international airport or Arusha airport or any other airports like Zanzibar, Mwanza airport, Seronera airport and others that operate directly to Ngorongoro crater airstrip. Your driver-guide can pick you up from the airstrip and transfer you to the lodge for refreshments or directly to descend down to the crater. The airstrip is not very far from the crater entry point. Using a flight gives you a good aerial view of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and even the crater.

Ngorongoro Crater remains one of the world’s best caldera that homes thousands of wildlife species. Do you want to see all the African big 5? Ngorongoro crater is the best destination to be. It can be visited any time of the year since all the animals are permanent residents. The park hosts big cats (Lions, Leopards) rare Black Rhinos, Elephants, hyenas, Wildebeest, Buffalo, Zebras, Gazelles, Topis, warthogs mention but a few. Game viewing is excellent at any time of the year. Come see the historical site where the remains of the oldest human kid was discovered that is Oldupai Gorge, wildebeest migration and many more action-packed adventure in Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area.

Ngorongoro crater location is simple and this has made even first-time travelers visit the area on their own without using google map. The routing is direct and the driving is controlled by the traffic police while the highway is not much bush by the public cars but dominated by the tourist safari cars.