Ngorongoro Crater - the best 1 day safari experience in Africa!

I often get asked where I would go if I only had one day for a safari in Africa. The answer is simple - Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania! It is arguably the best one day all round safari experience you can have. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a vast and untouched protected area teeming with the densest wildlife populations on earth, breathtaking landscapes, mountains, world’s largest unbroken caldera, history of human evolution, and so much more.  It is also one of Africa's Seven Natural Wonders due to its breathtaking natural features. You simply have to visit to see and believe it!

Getting There

After breakfast we were met by our guide 'Big James' at our accommodation. James, our gentle giant, was our guide and driver for the next 4 nights as we travelled from Arusha to the Ngorongoro Crater and then onto the Serengeti National Park. The journey to Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers approximately 180 kilometres and takes just over 3 hours making the Crater an easy drive from the safari capital of Arusha.

Big James with my son who was 10 at the time.

Leaving Arusha behind we travelled through to the little town of Mto Wa Mbu and then past Lake Manyara National Park before starting the climb up to Karatu and to the edge of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Whilst James took care of the formalities for the conservation area entry and permits we enjoyed a wander around the visitors centre, familiarising ourselves with the history and geological story of Ngorongoro Crater and the broader conservation area.

The entrance gate to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Karatu side

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Jumping back into the vehicle we continued further up into the highlands before pulling over at a crater viewpoint - my families first chance to take in the sight of the crater! To give you an idea of the vastness the crater has a diameter of approximately 20 kilometres, an area of 260 square kilometres and a depth of about 600 metres. Formed over 2.5 million years ago the Ngorongoro Crater is the world's largest intact and unfilled volcanic caldera. The Ngorongoro Crater is known as a home to over 25,000 animals, including the big five; elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, lions and leopards. Other animals found in this crater include hippos, hyenas, warthogs, zebras, elands, gazelles, wildebeests, just to name a few.

A viewpoint on the crater rim affording views of the Ngorongoro Crater floor below

Geological records show that the cone of the volcanic caldera collapsed inwards, forming what is currently known as a crater. The crater takes it's name from a Maasai phrase, ‘orgirra le kkorongorro,’ which means “Big Bowl.” A misspelling of the phrase led to the name 'Ngorongoro' which remains to this day.

Our Accommodation

Whilst there are campgrounds and lodges dotted along sections of the crater rim, there are no accommodation options on the crater floor itself. Some seasonal tented camps exist part way up the crater rim and it was at one of these tented camps that we spent the night. This allowed us to have an afternoon game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater followed by a morning game drive the following day.

The view from the front deck of my tent - a beautiful place to greet the morning with a cup of tea!

Our tented camp contained a total of just nine tents along with a communal dining and lounge tent and an outdoor fire pit. The staff were incredibly welcoming and produced amazing food and memories. One of my favourite amenities of the camp was the 'talking' shower. Each safari tent was equipped with a couch, two large beds and an ensuite complete with a flushing toilet and a shower. Upon checking into camp you confirmed your shower time. Right on time we could hear a voice sing out from behind our tent "Are you ready for your shower?" When we replied yes we could hear the camp staff filling our shower bucket with beautiful warm water, then hoisting the bucket up into place using chains. From there the call came back "Shower is ready!" Turning on the tap inside we were treated to a beautiful warm shower in the middle of the bush. Further calls of "Is the temperature okay?" and "Would you like a longer shower?" ensured we were suitably showered and ready for dinner. Coming back to our tent after dinner we found our bed had been pre-heated with hot water bottles to ensure we were cozy and warm.

Our tented camp complete with the very luxurious 'talking shower'

Game Driving

Game driving in Ngorongoro Crater is a surreal experience. It is like driving through a zoo but with no fences or enclosures. As the worlds largest inactive caldera there is plenty of room for the 25,000 mammal inhabitants to roam. The soils around the Ngorongoro crater are very rich in nutrients, supporting the growth of numerous plants that are for both human and wildlife consumption. Hence, this attracts animals, including mammals like the zebras and the gazelles, to settle in this area. With such an abundant food supply, the predators exist in good numbers too. As there is a reliable water source, even in dry seasons, animals in Ngorongoro do not have to move away from the crater to look for water.

The Ngorongoro Crater has a unique terrain endowed with alkaline lakes, highland areas, and also vibrant forests. All these habitats have different species that they can sustain. For example species like the blue baboons usually live around the forested areas, whilst the flamingos are supported by the algae on the crater rims. The acacia woodlands are a refuge for the elephant herds and the swamps and the marshland are a habitat for hippos and the buffaloes. Therefore, each habitat in this park is of a contribution to the survival for different species.

Always a plethora of game with the beauty of the crater wall in the background

Whilst the Ngorongoro Crater has a lot of animals there are some mammals that you will not find - such as giraffes, impalas, topis, crocodiles and African dogs. The reason for this is the crater itself which acts as a physical barrier. The crater's terrain is characterized by steep ridges and because of the open woodlands, animals like the impalas don’t prefer staying in such kind of vegetation. Since the Ngorongoro Crater has many wild animals, there’s competition for resources and animals like the African wild dogs do not settle in this area because of the presence of many predators.

Final Thoughts

Unlike in other national parks where numerous game drives are required to spot the big 5, travellers can spot all these animals in just one game drive in Ngorongoro. This is because of the high concentration of most of these animals around the crater floor and the open terrain of the Ngorongoro Crater. All of this is combined with the stunning backdrop of the ever present crater rim!