How to get from Kilimanjaro to Ngorongoro Crater?

The Ngorongoro Crater is a massive, ancient volcanic caldera in Tanzania, renowned as one of Africa’s Seven Natural Wonders for its breathtaking scenery and incredible wildlife density, housing the famous “Big Five” (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo) and thousands of other animals in a unique ecosystem, making it a top safari destination within the broader Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a UNESCO World Heritage site.  

Journeying from Kilimanjaro to Ngorongoro Crater is a common route that a lot of tourists opt to take. Similar to the Arusha / Ngorongoro Crater path, you can choose to travel by land or air. Kilimanjaro is a little further away than Arusha is to the crater, so driving time usually takes around 5.5 to 6.5 hours (260–280 km / 160–175 miles), however the highlight of the drive is that you will generally get to witness the mountainous Ngorongoro Highlands that lie within the greater Ngorongoro Conservation Area. 

 

 

Both Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Park are en route from Kilimanjaro to the Ngorongoro Crater location, and both make fantastic opportunities to visit. These two parks will break up the long drive as well as offer the experience of encountering two more stunning parks that sit along the Northern Safari Circuit.

Alternatively, if you prefer a quicker journey to the crater, you can take a domestic flight from Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) to Lake Manyara Airstrip, which takes around 45 minutes. The good news is that there are regular flights that depart from Kilimanjaro that take you to Lake Manyara Airstrip, from there you will only need a 1.5 or 2-hour drive to the crater’s rim.

Much like Arusha, domestic charter flights are available to get to Ngorongoro Airstrip, but because of the regular cloud coverage that lingers over the crater, availability of flights is limited, making this flight path much less used.