This crater is a caldera formed by the collapse of a large volcano in the Great RIFT VALLEY.
It is considered to be the largest subsidence crater in the world with a width of over 12.5 mi (20 km).
It is the fifthlargest caldera in the world, and of these, it is the largest inactive, unbroken, unflooded caldera in the world.
The rim varies between 7,480 ft (2,280 m) and 8,005 ft (2,440 m) in elevation, and the floor of the crater has an average depth of 2,000 ft (610 m) below the rim.
The floor area of the crater covers 100 square mi (260 square km).
The crater hosts several thousand tourists per year but has no actual human inhabitants at this time.
No one seems to know the origin of the name Ngorongoro though the Maasia, a nomadic people living in the area, say it means "the great or big hole." Besides the size of the crater itself, the crater floor has some unique features such as the Ngoitokitok springs that are a year-round hippo bath, two patches of woodland-the Lerai forest and the Laiyanai forest- the Munge River, several fresh and brackish ponds, and just west of the center of the crater, Lake Magadi.
This lake is 20 mi (32 km) long and 2 mi (3.2 km) wide and exists thanks to the volcanic springs that feed it.
These volcanic springs produce a large amount of carbonate of soda, creating a crust on the lake that is dredged and processed into soda ash to be used in glassmaking.
Mainly though the crater floor is a wide grassy savanna.
Ngorongoro is located at the center of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, making up 3 percent of the area covered by the park.
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area was established as a World Heritage site in 1979.
The park is home to approximately 25,000 large mammals, including gazelles, buffaloes, wildebeests, elands, elephants, and the black rhinos.
It is also has the densest populations of predators out of any of the African parks, made up of lions, leopards, hyenas, and jackals.
Lake Magadi and Munge River attract large numbers of greater and lesser flamingos, pelicans, ostriches, grebes, storks, cranes, and more.
The first conservator of Ngorongoro, Henry Fosbrooke, considered the Ngorongoro Crater to be the eighth wonder of the world, and many tourists, after visiting, would agree with him.
Any trip to Northern Tanzania has to include the 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 Masaai tribe.
The Ngorongoro Crater and surrounding highlands together form one of Africa’s most beautiful regions. Volcanic craters form stunning backdrops to some of the most fertile and richest grazing grounds in Africa. The most famous such crater is without question the Ngorongoro Crater, the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera and home to the highest density of big game in Africa, including all the big five and plenty of predators. The Ngorongoro is justifiably one of the continent’s most famous safari destinations.
Game Viewing
Activities
Activities inside the Ngorongoro Crater itself are limited to game driving only. There are also picnic spots in the park. A full range of activities is however on offer in the wider Ngorongoro Conservation Area, including walking, trekking, excursions to Olduvai Gorge and visiting the Masai and other tribes around the crater.
When to go
Since the game stays in the crater all year round, there is really no good or bad time to visit. However given that the crater floor does get busy with vehicles, it can be more pleasant to visit during low season. Higher water levels in Lake Magadi (in the center of the Crater) also result in higher concentrations of flamingoes. Whenever you travel to Ngorongoro, you will be guaranteed excellent game viewing
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