Ngorongoro Crater located in the East African country of Tanzania is the largest intact caldera in East Africa, Africa and the world. A caldera is large depression that forms when a volcanic eruption happens; the magma is expelled from the magma chamber and it empties leaving a depression.
The Ngorongoro Crater caldera was formed over 2.5 million years ago and it still stands to this day. This caldera is about 260 km (162 miles) wide covering an areas of 260 km² (100 miles²) with depth of 600 meters (2,000 feet). The Crater rim elevation is about 2,200-3,600 meters (7,200-11,800 ft) and the area is said to have the oldest known human fossils. No wonder the crater is in close proxy with Olduvai Gorge one of Tanzania’s most visited archaeological sites.
The Ngorongoro crater is part of the Ngorongoro Conservation area and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. The Crater is a wildlife hub, serving as a home to over 25,000 mammals divided in about 350 mammal species. Its tropical and alpine climates is perfect for the vegetation that makes the perfect home for the different animals.
The animals you will find in the Ngorongoro crater include but not limited to the big five, lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffaloes. Then other animals like the wildebeest, hyenas, giraffes, cheetahs, antelopes, impalas, topis, elands etc.
On top of the mammals, the crater is home to about 400 bird species that fly around and make their home in the Lake Magadi – the saltwater lake on the floor of the crater. Other birds are in the Lerai Forest – the tropical forest also found on the floor of the crater. The crater floor is basically volcanic ash and the walls are sandstone and limestone.
The Ngorongoro Crater also supports an assortment of flora from savannah vegetation, dry wood, acacia bushes etc. The crater landscape is most pronounced by the flat crater floor that is surrounded by quite steep walls to create a natural close off.
The way the Ngorongoro Crater is formed, it limits wildlife migration coming in or going out which has kept the wildlife population stable in this wildlife hub. With the limited wildlife migration, the ecosystem stays balanced and good for the flora and fauna.
The name “Ngorongoro” is a Maasai word meaning “Hole of God” or “Gift of Life”. It’s a maasai word because it is believed the maasai people used to live in this area many years ago hence the maasai relation. To this day there are some maasai communities in the Ngorongoro area. But the people popular in the area are the bush men.
The Ngorongoro crater receives visitors all year round who engage in activities including game drives to view the wild life, bird watching to see the numerous birds in the areas, picnics on the rocks to enjoy the beautiful views of the crater and the area as you enjoy a meal. Photographers and videographers usually to get some scenic backgrounds for their creative creations.
Then also at this crater you get a chance the bushmen in the Serengeti area usually you will visit the Hadzabe Tribe and do some bush men things with them.
You can also engage in nature walks again to further appreciate the flora, fauna and landscape design of the crater.
Other activities done in the Ngorongoro area are the Hot Air Balloon experience, a tour to other parks in the area like Serengeti national park, exploring areas like the Olduvai Gorge, Empakaai Crater, Olmoti Crater, Lake Magadi, and Lerai Fever Tree Forest
