Ngorongoro Crater
The Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact caldera in the world. . It was formed from a collapsed volcano, leaving behind a caldera which acts as the parks base. Some maintain that before it erupted, it was higher than Mount Kilimanjaro. Nearly three million years old, the ancient caldera shelters one of the most beautiful wildlife havens on earth.
Within the crater there is shallow Soda Lake and flamingos dwell around the lake which remains dry sometimes. It is one of the best places to see rhinos throughout the year, the bird life is also rich and it is a hunting ground for lions, cheetahs and hyenas. Between the Ngorongoro and Serengeti Park lies the world’s famous archaeological site the “Olduvai Gorge”. “The cradle of mankind’- where the oldest trace of man were found.
Unique to the crater is that the local Masai Community graze their cattle on the floor, and it is not unusual to see Masai cattle and buffalo grazing together, with a lion kill just a few metres away. There are around 150 lions in the crater, and about 30 black rhino. The spectacular Lerai Forest in Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of the best places in Africa to spot leopard.