2 Days Ngorongoro Conservation Area
At a glance
The outstanding sceneries of The Ngorongoro area, more than any other part of the Serengeti ecosystem offers spectacular scenery including the magnificent volcanic craters of Ngorongoro, Empakai and Olmoti, as well as extensive short-grass plains punctuated by impressive outcrops of massive weathered granite ‘kopjes’, seasonal wetlands, river gorges, low hills and a diversity of forest and woodland types.
Detailed trip itinerary
Day 1: Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge (Fullboard)
Depart Arusha City at 07:00 after breakfast and proceed to western side of the city to visit en-route first a Maasai Village before lunch in Ngorongoro Serena Lodge.
At 15:30 descend to the crater floor for game drive to ascend from the rim and drive to lodge, dinner and overnight in Ngorongoro Serena Lodge from 18:30.
- Game drives into the Crater daily
- Wedding planning and honeymoon venue
- Gift shop and business centre
- Wi-Fi
- Tented conference centre
- Extensive selection of sports and activities
- Cultural dance and music
- Rock built dining room and bar with central fire
- Extensive viewing terraces
- Visit Olduvai Gorge
- Crater Breakfast
- Crater Lunch
- Sundowners at the crater rim
- Guided nature walks around the crater rim
- Wildlife & cultural talks & film presentations
Tanzania’s prehistoric Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Eighth Wonder of the World, has yawned heavenward for millennia. Deep within its immense walls is a breath-taking blue-green landscape dotted with plains, lakes and forests; an eerie, otherworldly “land that time forgot” thick with massive bull elephants, rhinos, wildebeests and the highest concentration of lions in Africa.
Nestled high above the plains into the Crater’s jagged rim, cloaked in river stone and indigenous vines, Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge is barely visible to the naked eye. Framed by arched stone passages and timbered decks, its torch-lit walls are adorned with stylized cave paintings. At the stone heart of the lodge burns a glowing fire, which is kept constantly alight. Rooms are looped around the Crater rim. Each has its own rock-enclosed balcony, and all enjoy completely uninterrupted views of the volcanic amphitheatre far below. Our Ngorongoro hotel lodge is a place that feels as ancient as the Crater itself, yet no modern comfort has been spared in an effort to bring you the best safari adventure in Africa and one of the most unique travel experiences in the world.
A visit to the Ngorongoro Crater is an experience of a lifetime. There are few places that have wildlife densities and variety on this level. It is not unusual to see the Big Five in one day – and all this in the most amazing setting with a backdrop of the 600m/1,968ft-high crater wall. The Ngorongoro Crater offers some of the best wildlife viewing in Africa. All the major safari animals occur in great numbers. The resident population of black rhino is a real treat, as rhino are very difficult to spot elsewhere in Tanzania. The crater is also home to some very impressive elephant bulls with huge tusks. Lake Magadi often harbors large flocks of flamingo.
Full List of Mammals found in Ngorongoro Crater:
- African Buffalo
- African Civet
- African Elephant
- African Hare
- African Wild Cat
- Angola Free-tailed Bat
- Banded Mongoose
- Bat-eared Fox
- Black rhinoceros
- Black-backed Jackal
- Black-faced Vervet Monkey
- Bohor Reedbuck
- Bush Buck
- Bush Duiker
- Bush Squirrel
- Cheetah
- Coke’s Hartebeest
- Common Waterbuck
- Common Zebra
- Dwarf Mongoose
- Eland
- Epauletted Fruit Bat
- False Vampire Bat
- Giant Forest Hog
- Giant Rat
- Golden Jackal
- Grant’s Gazelle
- Hippopotamus
- Hollow-faced Bat
- Hunting Dog
- Impala
- Klipspringer
- Large-spotted Genet
- Leopard
- Lesser Leaf-nosed Bat
- Lion
- Maasai Giraffe
- Marsh Mongoose
- Olive Baboon
- Porcupine
- Ratel or Honey Badger
- Rock Hyrax
- Rousette Fruit Bat
- Serval
- Side-striped Jackal
- Small-spotted Genet
- Spotted Hyaena
- Thompson’s Gazelle
- Tree Hyrax
- Warthog
- White-bearded Gnu or Wildebeest
- Yellow-bellied Bat
Both the Ngorongoro highlands and the crater offer excellent birding, with over 500 species recorded. Birdlife in the highland forest is rich and interesting. Among the birds to be seen are white-eyed slaty flycatcher and Livingstone turaco. A number of specialized grassland birds are resident in the crater. Most noticeable are ostrich, kori bustard, crowned crane and the secretary bird. Migratory birds are present from November to April. Although birdlife is generally good throughout the year, from November to April migratory birds from Europe and northern Africa are present, and many resident birds are in breeding plumage. This makes it the best time for bird watching. The best time to watch wildlife is during the Dry season, which is June to October.
- Abdim’s Stork
- Abyssinian Nightjar
- African Black Duck
- African Black Kite
- African Cuckoo
- African Fish Eagle
- African Hoopoe
- African Marsh Harrier
- African Marsh Owl
- African Pied Wagtail
- African Pochard
- African Sand Martin
- African Snipe
- African Spoonbill
- Angola Swallow
- Anteater Chat
- Augur Buzzard
- Avocet
- Banded Martin
- Bateleur
- Black Cuckoo
- Black Cuckoo Shrike
- Black Rough-wing Swallow
- Black-breasted Apalis
- Black-chested Harrier Eagle
- Black-headed Heron
- Black-headed Oriole
- Black-headed Tchagra
- Black-shouldered Kite
- Blacksmith Plover
- Black-throated Wattle-eye
- Black-winged Stilt
- Blue-eared Glossy Starling
- Blue-headed Wagtail
- Brimstone Canary
- Bronze Mannikin
- Bronzy Sunbird
- Brown-backed Woodpecker
- Buff-backed Heron or Cattle Egret
- Bunting
- Cape Rock
- Cape Wigeon
- Capped Wheatear
- Cardinal Quelea
- Cardinal Woodpecker
- Caspian Plover
- Chestnut Weaver
- Chin-spot Flycatcher
- Cinnamon-breasted
- Cliff Chat
- Collared Sunbird
- Common Sandpiper
- Crowned Crane
- Crowned Hornbill
- Crowned Plover
- Curlew Sandpiper
- Cut-throat
- Didric Cuckoo
- Drongo
- Eastern Double-collared
- Egyptian Goose
- Egyptian Vulture
- Emerald-spotted Wood Dove
- European Bee-eater
- European Black Kite
- European Black Stork
- European Common Snipe
- European Common Wheatear
- European Cuckoo
- European Kestrel
- European Marsh Harrier
- European Nightjar
- European Pintail
- European Rock Thrush
- European Sand Martin
- European Shoveler
- European Spotted Flycatcher
- European Swallow
- European Teal
- European Whinchat
- European Willow Warbler
- Fan-tailed Widow-bird
- Fiscal Shrike
- Fischer’s Sparrow Lark
- Fulvous Tree Duck
- Gabar Goshawk
- Garganey Teal
- Golden-breasted Bunting
- Golden-winged Sunbird
- Goliath Heron
- Great Spotted Cuckoo
- Great White Egret
- Greater Flamingo
- Green Pigeon
- Green Sandpiper
- Green Wood Hoopoe
- Greenshank
- Green-winged Pytilia
- Grey Flycatcher
- Grey Heron
- Grey Hornbill
- Grey-backed Camaroptera
- Grey-backed Fiscal
- Grey-headed Kingfisher
- Grey-headed Social Weaver
- Grey-rumped Swallow
- Hadada Ibis
- Hamerkop
- Helmeted Guinea-fowl
- Hooded Vulture
- Hottentot Teal
- Indigo-bird
- Issabeline Wheatear
- Kittlitz’s Plover
- Knob-billed Duck
- Kori Bustard
- Lammergeyer
- Lanner
- Laughing Dove
- Lesser Flamingo
- Lesser Grey Shrike
- Lesser Kestrel
- Lilac-breasted Roller
- Little Bee-eater
- Little Egret
- Little Grebe
- Little Ringed Plover
- Little Rock Thrush
- Little Stint
- Long-crested Eagle
- Long-tailed Cormorant
- Long-tailed Fiscal
- Long-tailed Nightjar
- Magpie Shrike
- Malachite Kingfisher
- Marabou Stork
- Mariqua Sunbird
- Marsh Sandpiper
- Martial Eagle
- Masai Ostrich
- Masked Weaver
- Montagu’s Harrier
- Mottled Swift
- Namaqua Dove
- Northern Brubru
- Nubian or Lappet-faced Vulture
- Nubian Woodpecker
- Nyanza Swift
- Open-bill Stork
- Painted Snipe
- Pallid Harrier
- Paradise Flycatcher
- Paradise Whydah
- Pearl-spotted Owlet
- Peregrine
- Pied Crow
- Pied Kingfisher
- Pied Wheatear
- Pink-backed Pelican
- Pin-tailed Whydah
- Plain Nightjar
- Pratincole
- Purple Grenadier
- Pygmy Kingfisher
- Quail Finch
- Rattling Cisticola
- Red Bishop
- Red-backed Shrike
- Red-billed Duck
- Red-billed Fire Finch
- Red-billed Oxpecker
- Red-billed Quelea
- Red-capped Lark
- Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu
- Red-chested Cuckoo
- Red-eyed Dove
- Red-rumped Swallow
- Red-tailed Shrike
- Red-wing Starling
- Richard’s Pipit
- Ring-necked Dove
- Robin Chat
- RobinChat
- Rosy-breasted Longclaw
- Ruff
- Rufous Sparrow
- Rufous-tailed Sparrow Weaver
- Ruppell’s Vulture
- Sacred Ibis
- Saddle-bill Stork
- Scarlet-chested Sunbird
- Schalow’s Wheatear
- Scimitar-bill
- Secretary Bird
- Senegal Plover
- Slate-coloured Boubou
- South African Black Flycatcher
- Speckled Mousebird
- Speckle-fronted Weaver
- Spotted Eagle Owl
- Spur-winged Goose
- Squacco Heron
- Steppe Buzzard
- Steppe Eagle
- Stonechat
- Stork
- Streaky Seed-eater
- Striped Kingfisher
- Striped Swallow
- Sulphur-breasted Bush Shrike
- Sunbird
- Superb Starling
- Tawny Eagle
- Tawny-flanked Prinia
- Temminck’s Courser
- Three-banded Plover
- Tropical Boubou
- Variable Sunbird
- Verreaux’s Eagle
- Verreaux’s Eagle Owl
- Wattled Starling
- Waxbill
- White Pelican
- White Stork
- White-backed Duck
- White-backed Vulture
- White-bellied Go-away-bird
- White-breasted Tit
- White-browed Coucal
- White-browed Sparrow Weaver
- White-crowned Shrike
- White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher
- White-headed Vulture
- White-naped Raven
- White-winged Black Tern
- White-winged Widow-bird
- Winding Cisticola
- Wood Ibis or Yellow-billed
- Wood Sandpiper
- Yellow Bishop
- Yellow-billed Duck
- Yellow-billed Egret
- Yellow-breasted Seed-eater
- Yellow-fronted Canary
- Yellow-necked Spur-fowl
- Yellow-spotted Pretonia
- Yellow-throated Long-claw
- Yellow-vented Bulbul
Day 2: Depart, Arusha (Lunch)
After breakfast drive to Arusha City to arrive time for lunch then connect to your next destination.
End of the safari
Tour Inclusions
Transport as per itinerary - All park fees
- All game drives as per the itinerary in 4WD land cruiser
- All our transport has insurance
- 2 litres of mineral water per day per person
Tour Exclusions
Drinks- Tips for the service
- Yellow fever vaccination
- Visa
- Things of personal use
Easter & Christmas Surcharges
A surcharge would be charged per person per night on Good Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Easter Monday and on 24th 25th, 26th, 31st December and 1st January. The Surcharge would be confirmed at the time of booking for clarity purposes.
For optimal enjoyment of your safari, we urge you to carry the following:
All weather firm shoe pair, short and dress to use during the day, trouser for use in the evenings with long sleeved shirt, sweater or jacket, hat, swimming costume, sunglass, camera, binocular, sun protection cream and insect repellent spray or cream.
Related Tanzania Road Safaris Starting from Arusha ideas
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