Ngorongoro Crater is chosen as one of Africa’s Seven Natural Wonders because of the abundance of animals and beautiful colours of the landscapes. The view from the rim into the crater floor is simply unreal. This spectacular arena is home to the Big Five and the densest population predators found anywhere in Africa.
Extinct volcano
Millions of years ago the peak of a huge volcano, larger than Kilimanjaro, collapsed and formed a crater of 20 km (12,5 mi) across with sides up to 600 metres (2,000 feet) deep. It has become home to all of Africa’s famous wildlife and has its own unique ecosystem. From woodlands and savannahs to swamps, salt lakes and fever tree forests. With a year-round supply of fresh water, wildlife has no need to migrate. That’s why today the crater is home to the highest concentration wildlife in Africa.
Black rhino
The mineral-rich floor of this spectacular arena is largely flat and open which makes animal spotting easier. Leopards, lions, hyenas and jackals can be found on the crater floor as well as elephants, buffaloes, wildebeest, zebras and ostriches. You can see here some of the biggest tuskers left alive in Africa today. The crater is famed for its healthy black rhino population and is one of the best places to see the Big Five – buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, rhino. Ngorongoro Crater shelters almost 30,000 animals.
Garden of Eden
Ngorongoro Crater is a natural wonder and often called the ‘Garden of Eden’. If you stand on the rim and look below, the majesty of nature lays out before you. The burst of colours is mind-blowing: a large blue lake with pink flamingos, yellow acacias, dense green jungle, fluffy white clouds in a sky that changes from blue, to pink, to orange. This crater makes your senses dazzle. It’s difficult to capture the beauty with a camera, you have to see it with your own eyes.
Check our blogs:
What to wear on safari in Africa
Best things to do and see in Serengeti National Park
Fun things to do in Zanzibar