This time, we’re doing something different: we’re heading off on a safari inside a volcanic crater
Imagine a gigantic volcanic bowl, as large as a metropolis and as deep as a 60-story skyscraper.
Now fill it with wild animals: lions, elephants, zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, flamingos... here you have the Ngorongoro Crater, an eighth wonder of the world (not officially, but we’re saying it anyway) that leaves even the most seasoned travelers speechless. A place where nature reigns supreme and where you can enjoy an experience beyond anything you’ve imagined.
But before you dive in, take two minutes to read this article. We’ll explain everything you need to know about this magical place.
Well, maybe not absolutely everything. We’ll tell you a whole lot, but we’ll save a few things for when we meet in person: after all, you’ll be joining us on the next 13-day self-drive trip in Tanzania, right?
NO?!!!
Well then, fair enough.
Come on, let’s start with a little appetizer.
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Today we’re going all in on sharing knowledge: an overview of Ngorongoro
With a diameter of more than 16 km and a surface area of 265 km², the crater is not only the largest in the world, but also a true geological time machine. Formed around 2 million years ago by the collapse of an enormous volcano, truly massive, Ngorongoro offers a journey back in time, letting visitors admire the variety of ecosystems that have developed in this microcosm.
Descending along the crater’s steep slopes, you come across a rainforest teeming with life: more than 25,000 animal species live in the area!
Mischievous monkeys swing from branch to branch, while brightly colored birds fill the air with sound. Further down, the forest gives way to rolling grasslands, where wildebeest, zebras, and giraffes go about their business—until the usual troublemakers show up: predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas looking for a snack.
At the center of the crater, Lake Magadi, a pink-hued salt lake, attracts flamingos and other water birds. Its waters also host a large quantity of algae, which give the lake its distinctive color.
In short, Ngorongoro Crater is a true earthly paradise, a place where nature rules supreme and where we always feel very small in its presence.
It’s one of those feelings that words simply can’t describe: you absolutely have to experience it for yourself by setting off to Tanzania!
We’ve put Ngorongoro under serious pressure. But little by little, things are improving
Keeping a rich and complex ecosystem like Ngorongoro in balance is more complicated than assembling IKEA furniture without instructions.
Unfortunately, this Eden too is facing a series of critical issues that could put its very existence at risk. The crater’s greatest enemies, in particular, are poaching and climate change.
Poaching
Despite the efforts of the rangers, poachers continue to threaten Ngorongoro’s wildlife. Lions, elephants, and rhinos fall victim to traps and rifles to feed the illegal ivory and horn trade, and they are not doing well. Some species are on the brink of extinction: the black rhino, for example, has here in Ngorongoro the last survivors in all of Tanzania, where it has practically disappeared.
Climate change
Drought and rising temperatures put the crater’s wildlife under severe strain. Waterholes dry up, vegetation changes, and animals find themselves struggling to survive. It’s the harsh law of nature, amplified by the whims of the weather. And those whims are nothing more than the product of human actions.
In short, we’re making a huge mess of things.
Fortunately, not all is lost. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) is working hard to protect the crater and its wildlife. Promoting responsible tourism, fighting poaching, and constantly monitoring the effects of climate change are just some of the tools being used in this battle.
Go NCAA!
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And we’ve put pressure on local communities too
The ones who truly know how to live alongside the Ngorongoro ecosystem are the Maasai.
We’ve already talked about these amazing people in this article, so if you’d like to learn more, take a look there and then come back here.
The Maasai, with their bright Shúkà (the colorful cloaks that make them instantly recognizable), are the historical guardians of these lands. They have lived here for a long time and have adapted completely to the natural environment in a way we never could.
But it’s not all sunshine and roses.
Visitors to the crater, while an economic resource, can sometimes be a problem for local communities if they are not properly educated.
Imagine having a line of vans full of overexcited people taking photos of you as if there were no tomorrow while you’re simply trying to go about your life at home. That’s often the situation the Maasai and other local residents find themselves in.
Even so, their resilient spirit and their ability to navigate conservation, traditions, and unruly visitors always seem to prevail in the end.
What’s more, there is a strong commitment to ensuring that the benefits of tourism also support local communities. From development projects that improve education and healthcare to initiatives that promote more responsible and sustainable behavior, Ngorongoro Crater is striving to balance tourism with the respect these communities deserve.
