TZ
Ngorongoro
A vast volcanic caldera full of wildlife, on the road to the Serengeti
A vast volcanic caldera full of wildlife, on the road to the Serengeti
Vehicles descend at first light on steep one-way roads to the open grassland, swamps and soda lake of the crater floor. Animals are used to vehicles, so sightings are often close, and the lions of the crater are among the most photographed in Africa.
Enter at gate opening to beat the midday crowds.
Photo: Justine Msechu, CC BY-SA 4.0
The crater shelters a small, closely protected population of critically endangered eastern black rhino – one of the best places in Tanzania to see one. They are usually spotted at a distance on the open plains.
Bring good binoculars.
Photo: Erasmus Kamugisha, CC BY-SA 4.0
The forested rim road offers sweeping views into the caldera, and the rim lodges are among the most spectacular places to stay in Africa. Nights up here are cold all year.
Pack a warm layer, even in the dry season.
Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen, CC BY-SA 3.0
On the road to the Serengeti, this ravine is one of the world’s most important sites for early human fossils, made famous by the Leakey family. A small museum explains the finds.
Stop on the way to or from the Serengeti; allow an hour.
Photo: Mike Krüger, CC BY-SA 4.0
Meals are taken at the rim lodges and camps, usually on full-board rates, or as packed lunches on the crater floor, where picnics are allowed only at designated sites. Keep food out of sight at picnic spots, as black kites swoop on sandwiches.
Karatu, the farming town below the conservation area gate, has cheaper lodges and restaurants for budget safaris.
The crater rim is about 3 to 4 hours by road from Arusha via Karatu and the Lodoare gate. Almost all visitors come on a guided safari combining Ngorongoro with the Serengeti, Tarangire and Lake Manyara; see our Arusha guide for arrival.
Only 4×4 vehicles are allowed into the crater. Fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport, or the Lake Manyara airstrip for the nearest flights.
Ngorongoro fees are high: in 2026 non-residents pay a US$70.80 conservation fee per person per 24 hours, plus a US$295 crater service fee per vehicle for each descent.
Group safaris split the per-vehicle crater fee between passengers.
Prices are per person, per day, for two people sharing.
Peak season (July–September) books up months ahead.
A typical visit as part of a northern Tanzania safari.
Drive from Arusha via Lake Manyara or Tarangire, arriving on the rim for sunset over the caldera.
Stay on the rim to be first into the crater next morning.
Descend at dawn for a full morning of game viewing and a picnic lunch, then continue towards the Serengeti via Olduvai Gorge.
Crater visits are time-limited; your guide will plan around this.
🛂 Entry rules: visa and new visitor insurance
Most visitors need a Tanzania visa; apply online through the official Immigration e-visa portal before you travel.
New from 1 October 2026: all foreign non-resident visitors to mainland Tanzania must buy a US$44 visitor insurance policy from the state National Insurance Corporation, even if they already have travel insurance. Visitors arriving directly in Zanzibar buy the equivalent Zanzibar policy, required there since October 2024.
Official information: Tanzania Immigration: e-visa · Reviewed September 2026
Most visitors need a Tanzania visa and, from 1 October 2026, the US$44 Tanzania visitor insurance.
The rim sits at about 2,300m; mornings and nights are cold.
Essential for rhino and distant sightings.
Conservation and crater fees are set by the NCAA and change; check current rates with your operator.
Quick answers for planning time in Ngorongoro Crater.
In 2026 non-residents pay a US$70.80 conservation fee per person per 24 hours, plus a US$295 crater service fee per vehicle for each descent, on top of the safari cost.
By road from Arusha, about 3 to 4 hours via Karatu, usually as part of a guided safari.
The dry season from June to October is best; January and February are also good, with wildebeest calving nearby at Ndutu.
Lion, elephant, buffalo and black rhino are all present; leopard is rarely seen on the crater floor.
Since 1 October 2026 foreign visitors to mainland Tanzania must buy a US$44 visitor insurance policy from the National Insurance Corporation; arrivals directly into Zanzibar buy the equivalent Zanzibar policy.
Download northern Tanzania offline; signal is weak inside the parks.
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