Ngorongoro Conservation Area : Northern Tanzania’s 8,300 km2 Ngorongoro Conservation Area is located to the west of the Great Rift Valley cliffs and to the east of the Serengeti National Park.
This region, which includes the well-known Ngorongoro Crater, also contains undiscovered gems that should be explored, such as the two craters of Olmoti and Empakai in the Eastern Highlands, the Olduvai Gorge, where the remains of some hominids from various eras have been found, or the Northern Plains, which are the site of the Great Migration and one of the best places in Africa to see the Big 5.
The black rhino, which is easily spotted while on a 4×4 jeep safari in the Ngorongoro Crater, is just one of the endangered species that call this area home and are protected there.
The Ngorongoro Crater alone is worth the trip; it is the caldera of an extinct volcano with slopes covered in dense forest, the perfect habitat for an extraordinary concentration of animals. Spectacular views are available that are constantly changing. While the northern plains are covered in grasslands that continue into those of the Serengeti National Park, the surrounding highlands are dotted with the craters of other extinct volcanoes, promontories, and Masai villages.
The Ngorongoro Crater, the largest dormant volcano in the world with a diameter of 19 km and a depth of 600 meters, is the intact caldera of a volcano that erupted about 3 million years ago. It is the most visited area of the entire conservation area.
Around 25,000 large animals live in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), including wildebeests, zebras, elands, Grant and Thompson gazelles, elephants, mountain reedbucks, buffalo, spotted hyenas, black-backed and golden jackals, cheetahs, African wild dogs, servals, bat-eared foxes, hippos, baboons, and black rhinos.
The Great Migration, which involves nearly two million wildebeests and zebras traveling across the plains of the Serengeti National Park and the Masai Mara National Reserve in search of food and water, passes through the northern grasslands every year from December to March. Specifically, they travel through the area near Lake Ndutu and Make Masek to the west, where they stop to feed and give birth to puppies that, among other things.
In the NCA, there are also many species of birds, around 400; some are migrants, such as white storks, yellow wagtails, and swallows; others are residents; there are water birds, including the saddle-billed stork, the black-winged stilt, ibises, lesser flamingos, and various species of ducks, that populate the waters of the Lake Magadi inside the Ngorongoro Crater; the Lake Ndutu; and a lake inside the Empakai crater; numerous species living in the forest, such as turacos and hornbills; and some typical of the savannah, such as the ostrich, the grey-crowned crane, and the Kori bustard, are also present; and no shortage of birds of prey, such as eagles and vultures.
There are different types of vegetation: short and long grass plains, semi-arid woodlands, and moorlands in the northern plains and highlands, where Albizia Gummifera, Flamboyant or fire tree, Afrocarpus, Hagenia Abyssinica, Olea Africana, Acacia Lahai, and Acacia Nilotica find their habitat; the slopes of Mount Oldeani are carpeted with a bamboo forest, while Juniperus procera grows on Mount Makarut.
The base of the Ngorongoro crater is covered with short grass pastures, freshwater and brackish ponds and marshes, and two wooded areas: the Lerai Forest, where Acacia Xanthophlea, or fever acacia, grows, and the Laiynanai Forest, where Acacia Lahai predominates. The steep walls of the area’s craters are covered in a dense evergreen forest.
The grasslands of the gently rolling plains to the west are covered with Acacia tortilis and Commiphora Africana, also known as African myrrha; Acacia melanoceras and Guettarda speciosa predominate in the area to the back of Lake Eyasi.
Only 4×4 jeep safaris are permitted in the Ngorongoro Crater, but walking safaris and more or less strenuous trekking are permitted in the surrounding areas.
The NCA was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 and was added to the list of Biosphere Reserves in 2010; it was also added to the Cultural Heritage List in 2010.
Administratively, the NCA is managed by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority rather than the TANAPA Authority, as is the case with national parks; unlike national parks, this is Tanzania’s only protected area where Maasai are allowed to live and move freely.
This is the only area in the world where a high concentration of wild animals coexist in harmony with man’s presence; in other words, this is one of the first places where the philosophy of shared use of the land is practiced—a kind of peaceful coexistence between wilderness and traditional settlements of native ethnic groups, such as the Maasai.
Human settlements, the preservation of traditional rites, natural resources, and tourism are all supported and promoted to the same extent.
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA
- For the past 2000 years, the area has been home to pastoralist tribes such as the Mbulu, Datoga, and, most recently, the Maasai.
- The Ngorongoro Conservation Area has been occupied by hominid species for approximately three million years.
- The Ngorongoro Crater was formed by a major volcanic eruption, as evidenced by anthropological discoveries.
- The area was designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1976.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
The climate in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is subtropical. The region, like all of East Africa, has a dry season and a rainy season. The summer rainy season lasts from November to April, while the winter dry season lasts from June to August.
Because each season has advantages and disadvantages, the best time to visit Ngorongoro Conservation Area is all year. If you want the best weather and the best game viewing, visit the area during the dry season.
The Great Migration is best witnessed between December and March. During the summer, a large number of rare migrant birds can be seen.
There is one advantage to traveling during the rainy season: there will be fewer people and lower prices. Furthermore, when the water level in the region’s soda lakes is high, a large number of flamingos can be seen.
HOW TO GET TO NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA
By Air
- You can fly to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) and then drive 230 kilometers to Ngorongoro. The trip takes about 5 hours.
- Arusha Airport (ARK) is small, but it is the closest to Ngorongoro Crater. You can fly into Arusha Airport and then drive for three hours to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The trip is 170 kilometers long.
By Road
- Drive from Nairobi to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The distance is 400 kilometers, which takes about 7-8 hours to drive.
- Driving alone is not recommended because it is exhausting. Flying to Nairobi and then taking a local flight to Arusha is another option. After that, drive for three hours to Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
