The Ngorongoro Conservation Area spans 8,300 square kilometres of protected land, surrounding the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater and the dramatic Highlands that share its name. Originally part of the Serengeti National Park, the Crater became a separate entity in 1956 after pressure from the local Masai community, who had been displaced when the park was created.
Today, the 210-square-kilometre Crater stands as one of the premier attractions on the Northern Tanzanian Safari Circuit, while the Highlands are emerging as a sought-after trekking destination. The Crater lives up to its reputation as the “Garden of Eden” or the “Eighth Wonder of the World”, with its diverse and thriving ecosystems flourishing inside a natural amphitheatre formed by cliffs rising some 600 metres high.
Within this unique setting lies an extraordinary cross-section of wildlife. The Crater is home to one of Tanzania’s last remaining populations of black rhinos, alongside nearly every other East African mammal—except giraffe and impala, who are kept out by the steep crater walls. It boasts the highest density of lions in Africa, with over 30 per 100 sq km, compared to the Serengeti’s 14 and Kruger National Park’s 10. Remarkably, it’s not unusual to see lions lounging in the shade of parked safari vehicles.
What makes Ngorongoro particularly special is its coexistence of people and wildlife. The area is uniquely managed to allow both the pastoralist Masai tribe and the extraordinary wildlife populations to share the same land, preserving cultural heritage and biodiversity in equal measure.
