Excellent game viewing in a volcanic caldera
Nearly 20 kilometres in diameter, the Ngorongoro Crater measures in as the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world. Views from atop the 600 metre high walls are spectacular and open up a new world of wonder to those visiting this gorgeous country.
A great introduction to Tanzania, this nature wonderland offers you incredible sightings of the famous big five as well as a whole host of excellent plains game. You may even spot the elusive leopard perched high in the trees or stalking across the plains.
Bright flamingos can be seen wading through the central soda lake and the freshwater lakes provide some excellent birdwatching opportunities, so keep your binoculars handy. Hyena are sometimes seen following the lions from a distance in hopes of a meal and jackal can often be spotted skulking around the bushier areas of the crater.
Due to the fact that this natural spectacle is so very famous, it can be extremely busy at times. Please don’t be put off by this; we do recommend a short visit here and with our expertise, we will ensure you are thoroughly moved by your time spent sipping a nice cold drink from on high gazing over this immense scene.
Highlights
Head out on action-packed morning and afternoon game drives
Enjoy excellent views from atop the 600m high walls
Take a breathtaking hot air balloon flight over the crater as the sun rises and sip a glass of bubbly once you land
Hike to the Ngorongoro Forest and ascend the slopes to the crater rim with magnificent views of the crater floor below
Tor Saner
Senior Travel Designer
Spending time in the remarkable lush landscapes of the Ngorongoro Crater is a truly unforgettable experience. Beyond the remarkable wildlife here, the views are incredible and the local Maasai people are warm and welcoming.
Tor Saner
Senior Travel Designer
Luxury accommodation in the Ngorongoro Crater
Why book with Jacada?
Personalised design
We’ll plan your trip around your specific interests, tastes and preferences, providing helpful tips and honest advice based on first-hand knowledge of the destination.
Authentic experiences
Our expert guides and brilliant travel concierges are hand-picked to provide a genuine experience, bringing your destination to life with care and passion.
Responsible travel
Our luxury trips are designed with responsible travel principles that prioritise travel experiences that are both good for you and good for the planet.
Trip inspiration
Whatever you want from your Ngorongoro Crater tour, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.
Discover more of Tanzania
Arusha
Arguably the Safari Capital of East Africa, Arusha is a bustling city in northern Tanzania and the main hub for those who are going to be embarking on a safari in this extensively game rich country.
Discover moreKatavi National Park
For safari experts, the isolated Katavi National Park comes highly recommended. With a combination of grassland plains, marshland, rugged hills, woodland, lakes and rivers, this multifaceted region of Tanzania is home to a dense and varied wildlife quotient - including predators.
Discover moreKilimanjaro Climb
The mighty Mount Kilimanjaro, or ‘The Roof of Africa’, is the continent’s highest mountain. To reach this dormant volcano’s snow-capped peak, hikers have to embark on a challenging yet epic journey. As you ascend the mountain you will camp from point to point, enjoying staggering sights along the way.
Discover moreLake Manyara
Lake Manyara has an abundance of animal species ranging from baboons, blue monkeys and bushbuck in its evergreen forests, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe and zebra on its flood plains. Its acacia woodland is popular amongst its leopards and tree-climbing lions. One of the main draws to the park is its variation of birdlife.
Discover moreMahale Mountains
Sitting right by the longest freshwater lake in the world, Mahale Mountains is the best place to visit for spotting chimpanzees in Tanzania. The region also offers plenty of opportunities to spot birds and aquatic life of all kinds.
Discover moreMwiba Wildlife Reserve
Marking the southernmost point of the wildebeest’s migration loop, Mwiba Wildlife Reserve is where the herds spread out across the wider region to calve between January and March. There is only one permanent camp option so you’re guaranteed unbeatable privacy and exclusivity. There is also the possibility of setting off on night drives.
Discover moreNorth Serengeti
The North Serengeti forms the border with the equally famous Maasai Mara of Kenya. This is the region where the herds are at their most concentrated during the migration, and it’s where you’ll see the infamous river crossings.
Discover moreNyerere National Park
Nyerere National Park is the largest game reserve in all eastern Africa. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region remains relatively untouched by humans but expect to see a huge concentration of elephants (almost half of all of Tanzania’s). With the mighty Rufiji River flowing through the reserve, visitors can also spot crocodiles and hippos.
Discover moreRuaha National Park
Ruaha National Park is the largest national park in Tanzania and East Africa. This pristine area has the same wildlife density and diversity of the Kruger, but with only around 1% of the visitors, so privacy is a given.
Discover moreSerengeti National Park
The Serengeti National Park is one of the world’s most famous national parks. It is host to Africa’s Great Migration where huge herds of wildebeest, zebra and antelope travel around before making their way into Kenya’s iconic Maasai Mara.
Discover moreSingita Grumeti
Singita Grumeti is Tanzania’s largest private reserve. The reserve is exclusive to Singita properties, which means privacy is a given. The region offers unrivalled game viewing experiences, and especially during the Great Wildebeest Migration between the months of June and July.
Discover moreTarangire National Park
Tarangire National Park is home to huge herds of elephants. There are also over 550 bird species including the Yellow-collared Lovebirds and the world’s heaviest flying bird, the Kori Bustard. Depending on the time of the year, you can also see the migratory wildebeest.
Discover moreZanzibar
White sand beaches and a laid back atmosphere are the perfect combination to any adventurous safari. Beachfront hotels, nestled in spice gardens and shrouded in palms are the backdrop to your island activities.
Discover moreMeet your Africa team
When to visit
Tanzania is an amazing destination to visit all year round, but if you’re after the Great Migration, visit between June and July. The iconic river crossings take place from August to October and calves are born at the start of the year, with up to 8000 born daily during February.
The Great Migration
June–October
Mount Kilimanjaro
January–March
Green season
January–February
Plan your trip to the Ngorongoro Crater
Whatever you want from your adventure in the Ngorongoro Crater, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.
All the coordination from the time we entered the country being toured until we left was handled in a seamless and professional manner. Every accommodation was first class, and all employed staff members in the overnight venues were truly professional. The only exception was the airline chosen for internal flights. Their performance was very uneven and disjointed.
We booked our travel to Tanzania and Kenya for our 25th wedding anniversary. Jacada travels This one of the most memorable trips we’ve ever taken. They were always with us throughout the trip without being overbearing and constantly in communication as we were traveling with younger kids. The places that jacads suggested Were top-notch and we felt like we were…
Jacada were amazing all the way from designing our trip to guiding us throughout the journey. Our trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar was truly a once in a lifetime experience. We had knowledgeable, passionate guides on safari and stayed in beautiful accommodations throughout.
Our Tanzania Safari was the second trip through Jacada. Jacada continued to live up to our expectations of personalized experience and attention to detail. Our travel designer (Jamey) and travel concierge (Betty) worked tirelessly to ensure that we had the travel experience we wanted. They took our feedback and made adjustments to the trip. During the trip, we had great…
Jacada was helpful and responsive every step of the process. Jamey Lowis designed our amazing trip to Tanzania. He spent time figuring out what my family was interested in and created the best itinerary. Our Serengeti safari was fabulous. We stayed at the Olakira migration camp, where everyone was wonderful. Our guide, Daniel, was top notch and went out of…
Plan with peace of mind
When you book a trip in today’s world there’s a lot to think about. But with the right advice and expert planning, you can do it with confidence.
If you book to travel with us but your plans are impacted by circumstances you can’t control, we’ll change your reservation or cancel your booking for a full credit towards future travel.