Park Overview

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Ngorongoro Crater is one of the world's greatest natural spectacles, its magical setting and abundant wildlife never fail to enthral visitors. It borders the Serengeti National Park to the north and west.

Lerai forest within the crater

Rhino in the ngorongoro crater

The Maasai in the conservation area

Location:
Manyara Region, Tanzania
Circuit Northern

Area: 8,300sq km

Gazetted: Natural Phenomenon

Topography:
Grasslands, swamps, forest, salt pans and freshwater lake

Main Features:
- Visitor Information Center

- Olduvai Gorge 'the Cradle of Mankind'

- Cultural Tourism

- Walking safari in the Ngorongoro Highlands

- Elbulbul; site of the highest population density of birds of prey (buzzards, falcons, eagles including the biggest African eagle the Martial Eagle)

- Nasera Rock and Olkarien Gorge are breeding sites of vultures

- Seasonal alkaline Lake Makat provide food to lesser flamingoes

- Ndutu area provides a stop on the migration calendar to millions of hoofed animals

- And of course; the Ngorongoro Crater is also the home of the ‘Big Five’. Yes indeed, the only place to complete your list of the big five is in the crater.

- The last remaining endangered black rhinos reside in the crater. Currently there are more than 17 rhinos in the crater (though the actual numbers aren’t published and are on a constant watch by the conservation.

- Lerai Forest; the only forested part of the crater which accommodates forest dwellers including elephants, rhinos, waterbucks among others.

- The crater boasts some of the largest elephant bulls in the world

- The Rhino Project

- Ngorongoro Crater has the highest concentration of carnivores in the world Animal life In the Ngorongoro Crater the "Big Five" (Elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard and the rhino), and many of the plain's herbivores such as wildebeests, Thomson's gazelles, zebras, and reedbucks can be seen. There are no giraffes however.

Birdlife: A rich variety of birdlife

Gear List

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Highlights / Features

Best time to visit:
All year round.

Safari Park Gear List

The key to staying comfortable on safari is layering. To get maximum comfort with minimum weight, you need versatile layers that mix and match to create the right amount of insulation. This gear list is provided to help you in choosing your equipment and clothing for this trip. Try to bring only what is necessary, as this helps you and the field staff.
Weather

On safari, temperatures are typically in the 70s - 80s during the day, cooling off to the 50s - 60s in the evening. The Ngorongoro Crater is over 7,000' high so you can count on the evenings being cool regardless of season.

Gear Checklist
Official Papers
- Valid passport
- Visas
- Airline tickets
- International health card with immunizations

Luggage
- Medium size duffel bag (~4000 cu in.)
- Luggage tags and luggage locks
- Passport pouch or money belt
- Daypack, ~1500 cu in.

City Clothing
- Bring a few lightweight, easily washable casual items for travel and city/lodge wear

Outerwear
- Waterproof, breathable jacket
- Sweater/jacket - synthetic fleece or wool (especially for cool morning game runs and evenings at the Ngorongoro Crater)

Footwear
- Walking shoes with good ankle support (for side hikes/walks and lodge wear)
- Sport sandals

Clothing
- T-shirts, mix of synthetic and cotton
- Synthetic, long-sleeve shirt(s) - think sun protection
- Synthetic, quick-drying shorts (mid-thigh or longer)
- Light weight, breathable, quick-drying pants (zip-off legs are great)
- Socks
- Underwear, quick-drying
- Sleepwear
- Swimsuit (some lodges have a pool)

Clothing Accessories
- Sun hat with brim
- Bandanna(s)

Travel Accessories
- Sunglasses
- Insect repellent with DEET
- Personal first-aid kit
- Hand sanitizer gel / towelettes
- Sun block and lip balm w/high SPF
- Toiletry kit with bio-degradable soap/shampoo, hand lotion,
- Small wash cloth
- Electrical converter and adapter
- Headlamp or flashlight & extra batteries
- Beach towel

Optional Field Gear
- Camera, lenses, and lots of film/memory cards
- Binoculars (highly recommended)
- Motion sickness remedies
- Earplugs and travel pillow
- Alarm clock or watch
- Spare contact lenses or prescription glasses
- Zip lock bags, to protect camera, binoculars from dust
- Favorite kids snacks

Things to Consider
- Please remember to always pack essential items such as your passport, money, eyewear, a change of clothing and medications in your carry-on baggage, in case your luggage is delayed.
- It has become quite common these days for a family to have more than one surname. Maybe a mother has kept her maiden name of perhaps the children are from different unions. Whatever the reason, you’ll want to be able to prove that, yes, these kids are really yours. Even if you are the nuclear family, copies of birth certificates aren't a bad thing to have along if passports are lost or stolen
- Parental permission - If you're traveling with your kids without your spouse, you may need proof that the absent parent has given permission for the child to travel with you. It's simple enough to write up a letter, sign it, have it witnessed and notarized.
- The checked luggage allowance on the internal flight from the Serengeti to Arusha is 33 pounds. Please pack accordingly. Travelers flying home on Day 9 can store extra luggage in Arusha while on safari.
- Casual attire is acceptable for Africa. Neutral, light-colored clothing is best for the safari, to blend into the landscape and not alarm the wildlife. Khaki is always a good color while on safari.
- Be prepared to hand wash your clothes (quick-drying materials are best). Laundry services are available at some lodges for an additional cost.
- Stuff sacks are great for sorting your gear. Plastic bags are also helpful to separate clean and dirty clothing.
- If you normally wear contacts, bring a pair of glasses in case of irritation from dust in your eyes.
- Many of the roads in Africa are deeply rutted and dusty. It is a good idea to pack camera equipment and binoculars in plastic bags to protect them from the dust. This is in addition to their normal cases. Also bring lens cleaning materials.

Other Parks and Places

Katavi National Park

Gombe Stream National Park

Mahale Mountains National Park

Selous Game Reserve

Udzungwa Mountains National Park

Ruaha National Park

Mikumi National Park

Arusha National Park

Tarangire National Park

Lake Manyara National Park

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Serengeti National Park

Photos