The crater is unofficially referred to as the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’ and the only living crater that supports the life of many mammals. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and is located 180 kilometres west of Arusha, in the highlands of the great rift valley, and the Ngorongoro Caldera. It is 610 metres deep and its base spans 260 square kilometres.
Approximately 25,000 large mammals, mostly ungulates, live inside the crater including the Black Rhino, a large mass of wildebeest, hippos, buffalo, zebra, elephants, elands and gazelle to name but a few. However, cheetahs, impala and giraffes are rarely seen due to ecological and geological conditions. The crater has one of the densest populations of lions and hyenas. This reveals an interesting interaction between the two species.
Outside the crater, the Maasai and wildlife live in harmony with a large number of resident game such as lions, hyenas, cheetahs and wildebeest. The Great Migration of approximately 1.7 million wildebeest, 260,000 zebra and 470,000 gazelles moves from the northern to the southern Serengeti and Ngorongoro plains where calving takes place.
The beautiful scenery viewed from the crater rim is breathtaking with excellent views of the flamingos. From here you will enjoy very comfortable to luxurious accommodation and will have the opportunity to observe Maasai cultural dancing and find out more about the history of this amazing ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’.
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