Ngorongoro Conservation Area

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area in northern Tanzania is a UNESCO World Heritage site that combines a large volcanic caldera with important archaeological and cultural landscapes. It is internationally known for the Ngorongoro Crater and for paleoanthropological sites such as Olduvai Gorge.

The Ngorongoro Crater is an enclosed caldera roughly 19 km across and about 600 m deep, containing diverse habitats that support high concentrations of wildlife. The conservation area also includes highland pastures used by Maasai pastoralists and key fossil-bearing localities where hominin remains and stone tools have been excavated.

The area was designated a conservation area to combine wildlife protection with the continued presence and land use of resident Maasai communities; the Olduvai excavations by Louis and Mary Leakey in the mid-20th century established the region’s importance for human evolution research. Management balances conservation, tourism and pastoral activities under the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority.

Ngorongoro lies in the Arusha Region of northern Tanzania, on the western edge of the Eastern Rift highlands. The crater and associated sites are reached by road from Arusha and other regional towns and form a prominent feature west of the main Serengeti ecosystem.

• Best viewing times: Wildlife viewing is best early morning and late afternoon when animals are active on the crater floor and along the rim roads.
• Access and permits: Entry is regulated by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority; many visitors enter via day permits from nearby lodges and gates on the crater rim.

What to See #

• Ngorongoro Crater: The Ngorongoro Crater - a volcanic caldera about 19 km across and roughly 600 m deep that forms a large, enclosed basin with a diverse mix of habitats.
• Olduvai Gorge: Olduvai Gorge - a key paleoanthropological site within the conservation area where hominin fossils and stone tools were excavated by Louis and Mary Leakey.
• Highland plains and Maasai lands: Highland grasslands and Maasai pastoral landscapes surrounding the crater that are part of the broader conservation and land-use mosaic.