The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a wide protected area approximately 8.300 square kilo metres of several volcanic mountains and craters within the Great Rift Valley. It embraces the famous Serengeti National Park on the west, Lake Natron in the northeast to Lake Eyasi in the south and Lake Manyara in the east.

This is popularly known as the “Eighth wonder of the world”, Noah’s ark, the Eden of Africa… etc. This is the land of the Maasai pastoralists seen grazing cattle and Buffaloes, calves and Antelopes along side, it is land of the Maasai with their cattle, of their flora, and of their fauna. The protected area is home to over 30,000 Mammals, over 600 Bird species, the gigantic earth fracture, crater floor, volcanoes, plains, lakes, forests, archaeological site of Olduvai gorge, the great Rift valley wall- all combine to form the Ngorongoro conservation Area. Caution! Double check your filming materials before descending to the crater floor, photo taking never seems to end at the Ngorongoro crater floor. floor. The Golden winged Sun bird ,the Tacazze Sun bird and the Living Livingstone’s Turaco, the Endemic Rufous tailed weaver and the Jackson’s Widow bird will be some of the special Bird species of the day to look out for while in the Ngorongoro.

The area is managed by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority with the focus of balancing the requirements of the local Maasai people and their domestic stock, wildlife, the natural environment, and to manage the effects of tourism on the area. This amazing area comprises archaeological sites, extinct and active volcanoes, breathtaking mountains, forests, vast lakes and magnificent wildlife.

The crater area holds a large concentration of wild animals that one can not miss on a Tanzania safari. Close at hand is the crater of Empakaai overflowing by a deep lake, and the recently erupted volcano, Oldonyo Lengai can be viewed. Excavations carried out in the Olduvai Gorge near Ngorongoro, led to the discovery of our ancestors, Homo habilis. Laitoli Site, also lying within the area, is one of the main sites where early hominid footprints where found, 3.6 million years ago.

Due to the varying topography, altitude varies from under 1.500m to 3.648m, and hence climate, a wide scope of habitats are found here ranging from dense montane forests, grassy plains with both fresh and salty water lakes, swamps, undulating plains covered in grass to upland woodlands predominantly made up of Acacia tree species.

BEST TIMES TO VISIT
All year except the rainy April. Come and see for yourself.

ACCESS
4 Hours drive from Arusha in a 4 WD Vehicle

Ngurdoto crater, within the Arusha national Parks (ANAPA) is a thrilling tourist attraction on its own. A caldera of an extinct volcano, Ngurdoto has a ring road that allows fabulous views down into the lush crater interior.

At the moment you can only drive up to the crater rim through the misty forest inhabited by the nimble black and white colobus monkeys that are the mascot of the park, Leopards are the main predator in this area and, strangely, there are no lions apart from the odd visitor.

Driving along the high ridges on the Crater edge provides a stunning view of the forests, glades and animal tracks that abound in this lush habitat.
The good news now is that the crater will be more thrilling to visitors as one would now be able to walk around the rim, half way.

In other words, Tanzania has once again added a new dimension into its already famous tourism industry. It has just introduced a new tourist product a walking safari around the ream of the world famous Ngurdoto Crater - at Arusha National Park.

Indeed, and typically Tanzanian, the tourist Mecca of the world has a further feature in game viewing Safaris and Trekking around the park which also include the Mount Meru.

“We are on the final touches of introducing another added value at the Ngurdoto Crater”, says thrilled ANAPA Chief Park Warden, Mr. Erastus Lufungulo.

He said the crater, known as a ‘mini Ngorongoro’, would start being accessed by walking tourists from July or August this year. Presently visitors can only access the ream half way by driving only.

Mr. Lufunguro said the on going works include clearing the foot paths and placing various guiding signs around the crater, adding that the works are almost complete and, when the walking trips are officially launched, “ANAPA would further be shrouded by its mystery and beauty”.

He said another uniqueness of the walking safari around the crater is that even older people would be able to walk around as the area is not steep. There would be several viewing points, staring at Leitong view point and ending at the highest viewing point known as Vikindu.

The three kilometre wide 400 metres deep volcanic caldera Ngurdoto Crater is famous for large herds of buffaloes, black and white colubus and blue
monkeys, among dozens other features in Arusha National Park.

TANAPA officials say, the additional attraction at ANAPA would further make the park demonstrate an incredible diversity of environments. In addition to preserving Mt. Meru, an extinct volcano of almost 15,000 feet, (4,566 metres) this park is also home to beautiful mountain lakes and craters.

The park has three distinct habitat zones that contribute to the amazing variety of wildlife in the area. From the lush green swamps surrounded by thick forest in the Ngurdoto Crater, up through the scenic beauty of the Momela Lakes, each a startlingly different hue, through to the chilly alpine like tundra on Mount Meru.

In addition to being an excellent park for birders, Arusha is one of the only places to see the black and white colobus monkey, flamingoes in huge congregations in the Momella lake

The remains of a large volcano, the Ngurdoto Crater is a steep sided bowl of lush swamps and riverine forest, home to elephant, buffalo, baboon, reedbuck, colobus monkeys, leopard and duikers.

Mosses, ferns, lichens and orchids thrive in the damp atmosphere of the Crater, giving way to huge mahogany, olive and date palm trees on the drier crater walls.

Descent into the Crater itself is not allowed, in effect creating a sanctuary within a sanctuary and leaving a large area of the park to the wildlife alone.

The Arusha National Park was ‘discovered’ by Sir Julius Huxley. Founded in 1960, it is 33,800 acres in size and consists of three spectacular features: the Momella Lakes, Ngurdoto Crater, and Mount Meru.

There is a beautiful mountain forest with unique species of plants and wildlife. The park is famous for its 400 species of bird life, both sedentary and migratory, and the black and white colobus monkeys. It is dominated by Mount Meru, an extinct volcano that rises 14,990 feet.

Tourists also have the opportunity to view a snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, weather permitting.

Arusha National Park is one of Tanzania’s smallest parks, covering an area of 137 sqkm . It is the closest national park to Arusha town – the Capital of northern Tanzania. The town and the Park derive their name from the Warusha people who traditionally lived in this area. However the Park also overlaps into areas where the Maasai lived and most of the place names in the Park are of Maasai origin.

The Park has a wide range of habitats, from the crater lakes where many water native and migratory birds can be viewed, through the highland montane forest, up to the impressive summit of Meru Mountain.

The forests contain a diversity of birds and other animals. The nice looking bushbuck easily glimpsed in the grades between the antique cedar trees, or the black and white colobus monkeys jumping from one branch to another. The appealing scenery of the area is reflected in the extraordinary sight of the ash cone and cliff face leading to the peak of Mount Meru.

Arusha National Park is one of the few in Tanzania where walking safaris take place, mainly because it is small with a few dangerous predators. Hikers pass through wooded savannah where buffalos and giraffes are regularly encountered. The ascent of MountMeru then leads into forests in flames with red-hot pokers and dripping with Spanish moss, before getting to the high open moorland spiked with giant lobelias. The alpine desert presents the ceaseless flowers and delicately-hoofed klipspringers along the trek. On both sides of the rocky summit, Kilimanjaro stands unveiled, withdrawn in the sunrise.

What to see on a Holiday to Arusha
Ngurdoto Crater- a miniature crater about 2 kilometres wide and a few feet deep with forested walls, Momella Lakes, Mt. Meru (4500M), Black & white colobus Monkey, all kinds of Big African game except Lion and Rhino. Hundreds of different species of sedentary birds to include the Silvery cheeked Hornbill, Hertlaub`s Turaco, Giant Kingfisher, a variety of wadders and Divers including Lilly troters, Yellow billed Stork and the Maccoa Duck respectively. Accommodations shall be arranged in Arusha Town.

Access
A 45 Minutes drive from ArushaTown.

Holiday Safari Highlights
Impressive views of Mount.Meru(4566 Metres), Elephants and Buffaloes, Maasai Giraffes, a variety of beautiful Birds most of them endemic to East Africa, Ngurdoto crater.

Best time to visit.
All year around except April and mid May. November.
Best views of Kilimanjaro December-February. To climb Mt Meru, June-February although it may rain in