Ngorongoro Conservation Area: Why is it so special?
By Tully Luxury Travel | 08-07-2024 |
Tanzania is inarguably one of the best luxury safari destinations in the world, a must-visit environment delivering unique wildlife, stunning landscapes and rich history. Throughout its expansive woodlands, wetlands and grasslands, visitors can get right in step with the natural cycle of life. Tully's luxury vacations to Tanzania never fail to impress - even those who have been on safari before.
If a safari in Tanzania is on the bucket list, a visit to the majestic and mysterious Ngorongoro Crater in northern Tanzania needs to be part of the plan. Experience nature at its finest at one of the world’s largest volcanic calderas – still intact and unfilled – rising almost 2,000 feet from the crater floor.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO Heritage Site since 1979, is the perfect home for animals by the thousands. Game drives reveal black rhinos, hippopotamuses, the blue wildebeest, zebras, elands, gazelles and waterbucks. The area is made even more amazing by the density of the animals within a relatively small area.
In the region, you are also fairly assured of seeing the Big Five – elephants, lions, leopards, buffalos, rhinos – Tanzania is a paradise for wildlife viewing in the national parks. Birders will revel in the sightings of more than 500 bird species in and around the crater lakes.
With the world’s highest volcano, Mount Kilimanjaro, off in the distance, visitors to this storied part of Tanzania are mesmerized by the powerful, almost haunting beauty of the flora and fauna. At Tarangire National Park, curious lions will gather around your four-wheel drive. Elephants roam among the baobab trees, also known as the Trees of Life.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is also inhabited by the semi-nomadic Maasai people, who practice traditional livestock grazing. Visiting communities here allows you to learn about their customs and way of life, the cultural interaction adding another layer of learning to your safari experience.
The archaeological significance of northern Tanzania is another reason to plan a trip to Tanzania. Modern human “hominin” fossils found in the Olduvai Gorge date back more than a million years. The gorge has been referred to as the Cradle of Mankind, lending a profound understanding of our place in the grand timeline of human evolution.
The best time to visit the Ngorongoro Crater
The dry season from June to October is the ideal time to travel here – quite a large window of a few months. The weather is cooler at this time, with less rain, allowing the roads to dry sufficiently for ATV travel. Wildlife will be drawn to the water sources at this time, making them easier to find. Rainy season from November to May presents more problems, the trade-off at this time being your enjoyment of the lush and green landscape.
The Tully Travel Designers have been curating itineraries across Tanzania for many years, their safari partners a roster of expert guides and hosts. Whether you’re visiting the Ngorongoro Crater or taking in the whole of Tanzania and southern Kenya, the team will absolutely come through with the ultimate safari experience.