Explore Tanzania, your way
Hit the road with confidence in one of our sturdy cars – perfect for exploring Tanzania’s diverse landscapes at your own pace. Prefer to sit back and enjoy the ride? We can arrange a local driver-guide to navigate the way while you take in Tanzania’s breathtaking scenery.
At Serengeti Trips Tanzania, we own and service all our cars – Ngorongoro car rental. No middlemen, just well-maintained vehicles you can trust. Need help on the road? Our 24/7 roadside assistance and nationwide workshop network have got you covered.
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Ngorongoro Car rental
Car hire with rooftop tent
Ngorongoro conservation area is formerly part of the greater Serengeti national park and one of the most popular protected area in Tanzania. Was established in 1959 and it is one of the protected areas with the highest population of wildlife and a home to all the big five of Africa.
The resident population of wildebeest, lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, and birds is so impressive. Its fame comes from its unique landscape that includes the biggest unbroken caldera in the world. The crater is the home to several wildlife and birds that lives within it all year round. The peak season of Ngorongoro conservation area is between June and September and that is the peak time of the wildebeest migration when they will be crossing the Mara river crossing
You need a good reliable 4×4 car to descend and ascend Ngorongoro crater which is the climax of Ngorongoro conservation area, and you also need to be skilled at driving it, as the park’s roads are rutted and rough. Remember that you can’t expect a speedy, city-style assist if you breakdown inside Ngorongoro. It’s therefore very important to travel in a well-serviced off-road vehicle that’s up to the rigours of the terrain.
Can you self drive in Ngorongoro Crater?
Yes,
it is possible and safe to explore the Ngorongoro conservation area on self-drive tour. The Ngorongoro conservation area is one of Tanzania’s outstanding safari destinations known for its gigantic wildlife experience. But it is an amazing safari park that rewards travel energies especially if well-prepared in advance. The best way to explore Ngorongoro is by embarking on a comfortable 4×4 Land Cruiser rental car. This can let you navigate through this vast conservancy area known for its breathtaking landscape.
The Ngorongoro conservation area makes up part of the across-border Eco-system that also coves the Serengeti national park, the Masai Mara in Kenya and several tiny game reserves. If you are from Arusha, Ngorongoro conservation area is reachable from Arusha through Lodoare gate which is about 160 kilometres from arusha. The drive to Ladoare is about 3 and half hour drive
While Ngorongoro conservation area, you will explore the Ngorongoro crater which is the biggest unbroken caldera in the world. You will also have an opportunity to visit Olduvai gorge where the first human remains where discovered. Basing on you time of travel, you can also have a chance to witness the newborn wildebeest during the calving season between December and March.
From Ladoare gate to the Ngorongoro crater is about an hour drive with a distance of about 15 kilometres. From Ladoare gate to Olduvai gorge is about 57 kilometres with estimated driving time of about 1 and half hour. Whereas the distance from Ladoare gate to Ndutu area is about 106 kilometres with estimated driving time of 2 and half hours.
How can I plan for Ngorongoro Crater permit ?
Permits for all Ngorongoro conservation area run by Ngorongoro conservation area authority (NCAA) are paid through your tour operator in Tanzania. No need for prior bookings as you can once you arrive in Tanzania. You will secure an entrance quote first prior accessing the gate to pay for the park entrance fee.
Best Time To Visit Ngorongoro Crater
Ngorongoro car rental : Wildlife viewing inside the Ngorongoro Crater is superb at all times. However, the grass on the crater floor is short in the Dry season (June to October) and this makes animal spotting easier. The scenery is lush and spectacular in the Wet season (November to May).
June to October : Dry Season
- Wildlife is easier to spot since the grass is shorter
- There is little rainfall and lots of sunshine
- It gets crowded
- Mornings and nights get very cold so you’ll need winter clothes – Ngorongoro car rental
November to May wet:
- Wildlife viewing is excellent, even in the Wet season
- The scenery is green and beautiful
- April and May are low-season months so there are fewer visitors
- Birding is in its prime due to the presence of migratory birds from November to April
- Wildlife viewing might be more difficult when the grass is long
- March to April is the peak of the Wet season
- It is cold during the nights and mornings, so it is important to pack warm clothing – Ngorongoro car rental
How many gates that access Ngorongoro?
Ngorongoro conservation area has got 2 main entry gates in Lodoare gate and Naabi hill gate. Beside those 2 main gates, the park also has many other entry gate points that you can use to access the park.
Lodoare gate
This is the main entry gate of Ngorongoro conservation area and that is where you can access the park from Arusha which is the tourism capital of Tanzania. This is the easiest wat to access the crater when you are coming from Arusha.
Naabi hill gate.
This entry point join Serengeti national park and Ngorongoro conservation area. Its is a good entry point to the Ngorongoro for those coming from Serengeti national park or those continuing with their trip to Serengeti from Serengeti.
How To Get to Ngorongoro Crater
Depending on the nature of the safari you are doing during your visit in Ngorongoro, a variety of accommodation option are offered. For those doing a camping safari, the conservancy offer a public campsite inside Ngorongoro. Simba public campsite is the public campsite in NCA and is available at 50 dollars per night and you will also have to pay the concession fees of 70 dollars per night. You can also book a private campsite outside the park. For the places like Ndutu where there is no public campsite, you will need to book a special campsite which must be booked in advance.
For the people heading out for the lodging safari, Karatu town which is the gateway town to Ngorongoro crater will offer you various accommodation option from the budget options to the luxury option. You will surely find where to stay.
Can I book a special campsite on self-drive
Though not a popular option as most special campsites are prebooked by the tour companies in Tanzania during the peak season in area like Ndutu. You can find less popular special campsite available that you can book through NCAA portal. However, you are highly likely to get the campsites that are situated in place where there almost nothing to see. Therefore, for you to get a classic special campsite, you should try to book through a registered tour operator as they know where best to camp during the safari.
Ngorongoro Car rental : Vehicle options
Ngorongoro trips / safaris by areas
Ngorongoro Crater
The Ngorongoro Crater is a breathtakingly beautiful setting and the best place in East Africa to see the Big Five. It is a great way to start your African safari adventure. However, as one of the world’s most astonishing and renowned natural wonders, the Crater does get busy, and at times very busy.
Due to the crowds we recommend a two-night stay only here, then moving on to the Serengeti for a quieter, more private safari experience. Any Northern Tanzania Safari should ideally include a visit to Ngorongoro Crater: it is one of the most beautiful natural wildlife safari sites in the world and an exceptional place to interact with people from the Maasai tribe.
A visit to the Ngorongoro Crater is an experience of a lifetime. As the world’s only intact caldera, the crater is the top attraction of the 8,292km²/3,202mi² Ngorongoro Conservation Area. There are few places that have comparable wildlife densities. It is not unusual to see the Big Five in one day here. And all this is in the most amazing setting with a backdrop of the 600m-/1,968ft-high crater wall.
Empakaai Crater
The Empakaai crater is one of the multi-volcanic calderas in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, probably with the highest rim of all and a beautiful lake that makes up more than 75% of its crater floor. Among the main attractions inside the crater is the large number of Flamingoes spotted around this Crater’s Lake coastline. The crater rests on the Ngorongoro highlands and is surrounded by steep-sided wooded cliffs of about 300m high, characterized by lush-green natural vegetation, wildlife, and a variety of bird species. The crater is almost 8 kilometers wide, yet about half of its floor is covered by a deep soda lake, home to flamingoes and other water birds.
Ndutu Plains
The Ndutu plains is an located in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, on the outskirts of the Southern Serengeti plains. These plains are enriched with tremendous acacia trees, providing a panoramic view across Lake Ndutu and Masek at the other end. It is one of the best places in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area to spot predators and enjoy the stunning landscapes. Standing here means you’re in the midst of a calving ground for migratory wild animals, specifically the wildebeest migration. It is typically composed of vast swaths of short grassland, soda-lake Masek, marshes, and woodland vegetation that support both residents and migratory animals.
Olduvai Gorge
Olduvai Gorge is the place where the first human remains were found. It is a steep ravine located right between the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park and it can be visited on your way to or from Serengeti. The ravine is 100 meters deep and 50 kilometers wide and it is one of the most famous archaeological locations in East Africa. Besides the remains of the earliest humans, hundreds of fossils (bones) were discovered here that date back millions of years.
Olmoti Crater
Olmoti Crater is situated at the northern end of the Ngorongoro Crater, from where Mount Lolmalasin, Tanzania’s third tallest mountain, can be viewed. Gorgeous wild and lonesome landscapes emerge as they go through the eastern highlands, which stretch from Olmoti Crater to mount highlands. The crater is about 6.5 kilometers in diameter, and the highest point above sea level is approximately 3,080m.
The Olmoti Crater is named after the Maasai word, ‘Olmoti,’ meaning a big cooking pot due to its shape. Unlike the Ngorongoro Crater, Olmoti Crater is a shallow sunken caldera covered with grass and bisected by a river valley which provides a reliable water supply and suitable grazing pastures for wild animals throughout the year.
Its great vantage point offers a spectacular view of the environs, blended with grazing animals such as antelopes and elands. A beautiful view combined with protruding rocks strewn around the highest point and the end of the trails.
A spectacular view of Munge Waterfall from the famous Munge River, which drains into the Ngorongoro Crater, can be seen from the viewpoint. A pleasant stroll through the forest leads up to the crater rim before descending to the crater floor at Olmoti. The crater is covered by water streams, varieties of plants and wild species.
Walking through this well-developed trail takes approximately half an hour to forty minutes ascension and twenty-five minutes to a half an hour descent. This attraction can be visited any time of the year with much emphasis during the dry season (June through December). Visiting can be part of the long walking safari to Empakaai Crater and beyond the NCA.
Ngorongoro Car Rentals / Transfers
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