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aaroncherney
Very interesting location - but very crowded with aggressive safari operators
The scenery was awesome - and there were a ton of animals, however after coming from the Tarangire, I was disappointed with a few things. First, there were more people in this small crater floor than there were in the entire Tarangire national park. Second, the safari operators on the floor were very aggressive with the animals. People were driving after lions as they tried to cross a road - blocking them from their prey. At one point a lion tried to move to a watering hole, and cars kept moving in front of her to get pictures until she turned around.
I don't think this is a problem with the crater specifically - just the number of people allowed in at once without any ranger support system to keep them in check leads itself to an environment that is not centered around what is best for the animals.
Lynne
US
Visited:
August 2015
Reviewed: Sep 12, 2015
Email Lynne | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I had heard there was so much wildlife congregated in the crater but felt I saw more in other parks. Maybe it was the time of year, as we visited in the winter.
Simone
IT
Visited:
July 2015
Reviewed: Aug 7, 2015
Email Simone | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
we were a bit unlucky .. it was a bit cloudy and cold .. not too many cats but a lot a lot of wildebeast and buffaloes .. we might give it another try coming back from Serengeti as it is on the way!!
JW
US
Visited:
July 2015
Reviewed: Jul 29, 2015
Email JW | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
African Garden of Eden
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the crater at 6 AM to maximize our chances of seeing the elusive black rhino. When we entered the crater as the sun was rising, we felt like we were transported to a different planet. Our early start time was rewarded by a rhino sighting right off the bat. It is awe-inspiring to see such an endangered species in its natural habitat. We then spent the majority of the day driving throughout the crater, oohing and ahhing over the endless animal sightings - Thompson's gazelle, Cape buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, hippos, elephants, lions, hyenas, jackals, countless bird species, etc. My favorite moment in the crater was when our guide picked a spot for our picnic breakfast. He set up a table and chairs by a watering hole and we sat amongst a herd of zebras grazing and drinking. It was a surreal moment, as if we had been placed in the middle of television documentary footage. Toward the afternoon the crater became more crowded and we had covered most of the roads, so our guide decided it was time to move on to our next destination, the Serengeti. Driving back up to the rim of the crater, I couldn't help but look over my shoulder at the crater, surprised again at its massive expanse.
Khurram Khan
US
Visited:
March 2014
Reviewed: May 29, 2015
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very satisfied
Most people are interested in the wildlife. As far as that is concerned it is a mixed bag. Lions are plenty but depending on where they are in the crater they can be hard to find and photograph. I am not sure if there are leopards or cheetahs in the crater, but we never saw.
There are definitely a lot of grazers and interaction between the predators and prey can be fascinating if it is close to the road otherwise the action may be too far away. You can get very close to Cape Buffalo, Wildebeest, Zebras and of-course African
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Elephants.From a birding perspective be on the look out as you descend the crater early in the morning. There is a vast diversity of avian life form and they are not shy at all. The accommodations surrounding the Crater are truly amazing for the most part. As far as I am concerned every time I go to Tanzania, I always make a stop at the crater.
António Mesquita
PT
Visited:
July 2014
Reviewed: May 23, 2015
Email António Mesquita | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
A truly magical experience, taking me hundreds of years back in time!
On waking up early the next morning, the whole place was covered in fog. The slow descend from the 2100m peak to the bottom set the pace followed by an increase in my heart beat from emotions and expectations. As the 4WD went down and the mist slowly faded away, a feeling of time travel to the past filled the atmosphere.
Surprisingly, the first animals spotted were cows, taken care by Maasai farmers. As explained by our guide, they manage to live in harmony with the predators in the crater (apparently the Maasai rub the bodies of the cattle with a smelly protective herb in order to keep lions away.) What a surprise to witness cows and wild predators living so close to each other.
As the vehicle drove along the caldera roads, wildlife popped up like popcorns. In fact, this place has one of the highest
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concentrations of wildlife in Africa.Roaming along we came across ostriches, buffalos, wildebeests, zebras, elephants and many different birds. These are cool animals for first time safaris but the interesting game was yet to come.
Lions were resting on the road and along the side of the road like true kings. Probably their last moments in the open before going away to rest for the day.
Lions are nocturnal and sleep up to 20 hours a day. One can tell they are nocturnal because the area below their eyes is white, just like leopards, to reflect moonlight. Cheetahs, on the other hand, hunt during the day and have black stripes to aid their vision.
We saw a lioness guiding her 4 cubs to safety in the tall grass before leaving for a hunt. It was impossible to tell where the cubs were just moments after their mother left them. We didn't follow the hunt and continued roaming in this nostalgic and amazing reserve until after lunch.
A truly magical time travelling experience, the ancient caldera definitely lives up to its name.
A must see.
Andy
GB
Visited:
October 2012
Reviewed: May 5, 2015
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great, but a little crowded
The Ngorongoro Crater has some fantastic wildlife and because of the enclosed nature of the crater, good sighting are almost guaranteed. We saw lots of Africa's large animals including lions and hyenas; however this inevitably brings in large numbers of people. This meant there was a slight safari park feel to the experience that took the edge off slightly. Also we went in October because we want to climb Kilimanjaro, which I don't think is the best time to see the park. Everything was quite dry and dusty. Despite this, the feeling of being the crater is incredible and not something I have experienced anywhere else in the world.
rwcm47
NL
Visited:
March 2015
Reviewed: May 5, 2015
Email rwcm47 | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was FANTASTIC.
We came from Lake Manyara and the Serengeti. It was overwhelming. And now we met as a bonus the hippo's with a baby (from 10 meters) and the rino. Fantastic scenery, all that animals walking in the crater. Excellent hotel (Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge).
safarist
CH
Visited:
July 2014
Reviewed: May 4, 2015
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible view while entering the Ngorongoro crater
Ngorongoro crater is a speciale place to visit. You can enter early in the morning and stay just a few hours but it's a unique place, full of animals and with a very special environment and scenic surrounding mountains.
Justin
CA
Visited:
November 2014
Reviewed: Apr 28, 2015
Email Justin | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellent destination for spotting wildlife. It has one of the highest concentrations of lions around and I certainly saw quite a few. It tends to feel a bit like a zoo in my opinion, as it is all enclosed within the 'crater', and the land cruisers feel like they're on a set track weaving through it like a Jurassic Park ride in Hollywood studios. It's not my favourite, but if you have a long focal length Canon L lens, this is your place to shine. Prop it on a beanie and start shooting keepers.