Ngorongoro Crater: The 8th Nature Wonder of the World

Ngorongoro Crater

The 8th Natural Wonder of the World

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area boasts the finest blend of The Ngorongoro Conservation Area boasts the finest blend of landscapes, wildlife, people and Archaeological sites in Africa. Often landscapes, wildlife, people and Archaeological sites in Africa. Often called an ‘African Eden’ and the ‘eighth wonder of the natural world’, called an ‘African Eden’ and the ‘eighth wonder of the natural world’, called an ‘African Eden’ and the ‘eighth wonder of the natural world’, it is also a pioneering experiment in multiple land use it is also a pioneering experiment in multiple land use

Ngorongoro Crater

The Crater alone has over 20,000 large animals including Some of Tanzania’s last remaining black rhino.

N Nowhere else in Africa does such a varied cast Nowhere else in Africa does such a varied cast of animals gather to of animals gather to graze, graze, live, hunt and die. On one live, hunt and die. On one of of Ngorongoro’s Crater you will Ngorongoro’s Crater you will encounter some of the 30,000 Ngorongoro’s Crater you will encounter some of the 30,000 animals in the crater’s diverse animals in the crater’s diverse range of habitats: swampy animals in the crater’s diverse range of habitats: swampy wetlands, open savannah, wetlands, open savannah, woodland and lake - all within woodland and lake - all within the steep rock walls that climb the steep rock walls that climb through thick forest some 600m through thick forest some 600m to the rim. to the rim. The Ngorongoro Crater, one of The Ngorongoro Crater, one of the eighth wonder of the world, the eighth wonder of the world, is set in northern Tanzania, is set in northern Tanzania, sharing part of the Serengeti sharing part of the Serengeti plains to the north-west and plains to the north-west and with the towns of Arusha, Moshi with the towns of Arusha, and Mount Kilimanjaro, to the Moshi and Mount Kilimanjaro, east, and forms part of the to the east, and forms part unique Serengeti ecosystem. A of the unique Serengeti major ecological survey of the ecosystem. A major ecological Serengeti Reserve (which at the survey of the Serengeti time included the Ngorongoro) Reserve (which at the time by Dr. Bernhard Grizmek and his included the Ngorongoro) by late son in the 1950’s resulted Dr. Bernhard Grizmek and his in the establishment of the Ngorongoro Conservation late son in the 1950’s resulted Area in 1959. At the in the establishment of the moment the conservation Ngorongoro Conservation area is administered by the Area in 1959. At the Ngorongoro Conservation moment the conservation Area Authority, an arm of area is administered by the the Tanzanian government, Ngorongoro Conservation and its boundaries follow the Area Authority, an arm of the boundary of the Ngorongoro Tanzanian government, and its Division of Ngorongoro District. boundaries follow the boundary It has also been believed to have of the Ngorongoro Division been taller than the famous of Ngorongoro District. It has Kilimanjaro before its inactive also been believed to have volcano collapsed and formed been taller than the famous an unbroken caldera crater, 610 Kilimanjaro before its inactive meters deep, 13 mile (20km) volcano collapsed and formed wide about two million years an unbroken caldera crater, 610 ago. meters deep, 13 mile (20km) wide about two million years THE CRATER GAME ago.VIEWING IS TRULY

INCREDIBLE, THE THE CRATER GAME VIEWING IS TRULY LANDSCAPE AND VIEWS INCREDIBLE, THE OF THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE AND VIEWS CRATER HIGHLANDS OF THE SURROUNDING ARE OUT OF THE CRATER HIGHLANDS ARE OUT OF THE WORLD. WORLD.

The conservation area covers The conservation area covers about 3185 sq miles (8250 sq about 3185 sq miles (8250 sq km), the crater covers about km), the crater covers about 100 sq miles (260 sq km). It 100 sq miles (260 sq km). It is also home to over 3000 is also home to over 3000 different species including the different species including the endangered black rhinoceros; endangered black rhinoceros; the crater has a forest and lake the crater has a forest and lake which support the ecosystem which support the ecosystem in the park. Ngorongoro crater in the park. Ngorongoro crater has been listed by UNESCO as a has been listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site. world heritage site. The Ngorongoro conservation The Ngorongoro conservation area is where the worldarea is where the world-famous famous archaeological site of archaeological site of Oldupai Oldupai George is allocated. The George is allocated. The discoveries of fossil footprints discoveries of fossil footprints on lava rock as well as ancestral on lava rock as well as ancestral humans which are believed to humans which are believed to be 3.8 million years old can be be 3.8 million years old can be seen at the museum. Two main be 3.8 million years old can be seen at the museum. Two main geological rifts run through geological rifts run through the Ngorongoro area. Nine geological rifts run through the Ngorongoro area. Nine volcanoes in the Ngorongoro volcanoes in the Ngorongoro highlands were formed during highlands were formed during the past four million years. the past four million years. One of these, Oldonyo Lengai One of these, Oldonyo Lengai (Mountain of God) is still active.

Over millennia the ash and dust (Mountain of God) is still active. (Mountain of God) is still active. from each eruption has been Over millennia the ash and dust Over millennia the ash and dust carried by the winds to form from each eruption has been from each eruption has been the fertile soils of the Serengeti carried by the winds to form carried by the winds to form Plains. The earliest sign of the fertile soils of the Serengeti the fertile soils of the Serengeti mankind in the Ngorongoro Plains. The earliest sign of Plains. The earliest sign of is at Laetoli, where hominid mankind in the Ngorongoro mankind in the Ngorongoro footprints are preserved in is at Laetoli, where hominid is at Laetoli, where hominid volcanic rock 3.6 million years footprints are preserved in footprints are preserved in ago. Further north on the volcanic rock 3.6 million years volcanic rock 3.6 million years tourism circuit, Olduvai Gorge ago. Further north on the ago. Further north on the has yielded a wealth of hominid tourism circuit, Olduvai Gorge tourism circuit, Olduvai Gorge and animal remains. has yielded a wealth of hominid has yielded a wealth of hominid and animal remains. and animal remains. THE MAASAI COMMUNITY OF THE MAASAI COMMUNITY OF THE NGORONGORO CRATER THE MAASAI COMMUNITY OF THE NGORONGORO CRATER THE NGORONGORO CRATER For thousands of years, a succession of cattle herding people moved into the For thousands of years, a For thousands of years, a Ngorongoro area, lived there for succession of cattle herding succession of cattle herding some time and then moved on, people moved into the people moved into the sometimes forced out by other Ngorongoro area, lived there for Ngorongoro area, lived there for tribes. About 200 years ago, the some time and then moved on, some time and then moved on, Maasai arrived and have since sometimes forced out by other sometimes forced out by other colonized the area in substantial tribes. About 200 years ago, the tribes. About 200 years ago, the numbers with their traditional Maasai arrived and have since Maasai arrived and have since way of life allowing them to live colonized the area in substantial colonized the area in substantial in harmony with the wildlife and numbers with their traditional numbers with their traditional the environment. The Maasai are allowed to take their animals way of life allowing them to live way of life allowing them to live into the Ngorongoro Crater for in harmony with the wildlife in harmony with the wildlife water and grazing but not to live and the environment. The and the environment. The or cultivate there. Elsewhere in Maasai are allowed to take their Maasai are allowed to take their the Ngorongoro, they have the animals into the Ngorongoro animals into the Ngorongoro right to roam freely. Visitors Crater for water and grazing but Crater for water and grazing but normally stop the Maasai not to live or cultivate there. not to live or cultivate there. cultural homestead, one on the Elsewhere in the Ngorongoro, Elsewhere in the Ngorongoro, road to the Serengeti National they have the right to roam they have the right to roam Park and another close to the freely. Visitors normally stop the freely. Visitors normally stop the Serengeti Sopa Lodge at the Maasai cultural homestead, one Maasai cultural homestead, one Irkeepusi Village. on the road to the Serengeti on the road to the Serengeti National Park and another close National Park and another close BIRDS WATCHING IN to the Serengeti Sopa Lodge at to the Serengeti Sopa Lodge at NGORONGORO CRATER the Irkeepusi Village. the Irkeepusi Village. The mixture of forest, canyons, BIRDS WATCHING IN NGORONGORO CRATER BIRDS WATCHING IN NGORONGORO CRATER grassland plains, lakes and marshes provide habitats for a wide range of birdlife. White The mixture of forest, canyons, The mixture of forest, canyons, storks, yellow wagtails and grassland plains, lakes and grassland plains, lakes and swallows mingle with the local marshes provide habitats for marshes provide habitats for inhabitants: stilts, saddle-bill a wide range of birdlife. White a wide range of birdlife. White storks, ibis, ruff and various storks, yellow wagtails and storks, yellow wagtails and species of ducks. Lesser swallows mingle with the local swallows mingle with the local Flamingos fly in to feed from inhabitants: stilts, saddle-bill inhabitants: stilts, saddle-bill their breeding ground at Lake storks, ibis, ruff and various storks, ibis, ruff and various Natron. Distinctive grassland species of ducks. Lesser species of ducks. Lesser birds – ostrich, kori bustards and Flamingos fly in to feed from Flamingos fly in to feed from crowned cranes-abound.

SAFARI AND WILD LIFE

their breeding ground at Lake their breeding ground at Lake EXPERIENCE Natron. Distinctive grassland Natron. Distinctive grassland Ngorongoro Crater, a deep birds – ostrich, kori bustards birds – ostrich, kori bustards volcanic crater is the jewel and crowned cranes-abound. and crowned cranes-abound. in Ngorongoro crown. It is SAFARI AND WILD LIFE EXPERIENCE SAFARI AND WILD LIFE EXPERIENCE the largest unflooded and unbroken caldera in the world. The Ngorongoro Crater is Ngorongoro Crater, a deep Ngorongoro Crater, a deep 19.2 kilometer in diameter, volcanic crater is the jewel volcanic crater is the jewel 610 meters in depth and 304 in Ngorongoro crown. It is in Ngorongoro crown. It is square kilometres in area. The the largest unflooded and the largest unflooded and rich pasture and permanent unbroken caldera in the world. unbroken caldera in the world. water of the Ngorongoro The Ngorongoro Crater is The Ngorongoro Crater is Crater floor supports a large 19.2 kilometer in diameter, 19.2 kilometer in diameter, resident population of wildlife 610 meters in depth and 304 610 meters in depth and 304 of up to 25,000, predominantly square kilometres in area. The square kilometres in area. The grazing animals. These include rich pasture and permanent rich pasture and permanent wildebeest, Zebra, Gazelle, water of the Ngorongoro water of the Ngorongoro buffalo, eland, hartebeest Crater floor supports a large Crater floor supports a large and warthog. The swamps resident population of wildlife resident population of wildlife and forest provide additional of up to 25,000, predominantly of up to 25,000, predominantly resources for hippos, elephants, grazing animals. These include grazing animals. These include waterbucks, reedbucks, and wildebeest, Zebra, Gazelle, wildebeest, Zebra, Gazelle, bushbucks, baboons and vervet buffalo, eland, hartebeest buffalo, eland, hartebeest monkeys. Bull elephants of the and warthog. The swamps and warthog. The swamps Ngorongoro Crater regularly and forest provide additional and forest provide additional descend to the Ngorongoro resources for hippos, elephants, resources for hippos, elephants, Crater floor. The large breeding waterbucks, reedbucks, and waterbucks, reedbucks, and herds wander throughout the

forest rim where they find the most suitable food. The steep inner slopes provide a habitat for dikdik and the rare mountain reedbuck. Jackals thrive in the crater and bat eared foxes live in the short grass areas. Predatory animals in the Ngorongoro Crater like leopards, lions, cheetahs, several cats, live off the abundant wildlife; large packs of hyenas roam the Ngorongoro crater, making their own kills and scavenging from others. Lions in particular are abundant in the Ngorongoro Crater. Thanks to the antipoaching patrols, the black rhino in the Ngorongoro Crater are relatively safe and the numbers are increasing with time. Ngorongoro Crater is one of the few places in East Africa where visitors can be certain of seeing the rhino in its natural environment. Birdlife in the Ngorongoro Crater is superb. The mixture of forest, canyons, grassland plains, lakes and marshes provided habitats for a wide range of birdlife.

THINGS TO BE SEEN AROUND NGORONGORO CRATER

Things to be seen around Ngorongoro Crater are Laetoli and Olduvai Gorge, Lake Magadi, Lerai Forest, Gorigor Swamp, The Grassland, Oldonyo Lengai, Olmoti Crater and Embakaai Crate, Lake Natron, Gol Mountains (Oldonyo Gol Hills), Nasera Rock, Oldeani Mountain, Lake Eyasi and Serengeti Plains.

BEST TIME TO VISIT NGORONGORO CRATER

Many people wonder when is the best time to go to the Ngorongoro Crater. The Crater is a year-round destination as most of the animals remain in the crater year-round, ensuring great sightings no matter when you decide to visit the Ngorongoro Crater.

LAETOLI AND OLDUVAI GORGE

At Laetoli, west of Ngorongoro Crater, hominid footprints were preserved in volcanic rock 3.6 million years ago and represent some of the earliest signs of mankind in the world. Three separate tracks of a smallbrained upright- walking early hominid, Australopithecus Afarensis, a creature about 1.2 to 1.4 meters high, were found. Imprints of these are displayed in the Olduvai museum. More advanced descendants of Laetoli’s hominids were found further north, buried in the layers of the I00 metres deep Olduvai Gorge.

Excavations, mainly by the archaeologists, Louis and Mary Leakey, yielded four different kinds of hominid, showing a gradual increase in brain size and in the complexity of their stone tools. The first skull of Zinjanthropus commonly known as ‘Nutcracker Man’, who lived about 1.7 million years ago, were found here. The excavation sites have been preserved for the public viewing and word continues during the dry season, coordinated by the Tanzania government's department of antiquities.

Picture Courtesy of Moiz Husein & TTB