The Ngorongoro conservation area was initially a part of the greater known Serengeti before the British set it apart in 1951.

The Ngorongoro conservation area, which  became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, is located towards the north of Tanzania and covers an expansive area of over 7,000 square miles.

The park joins up with the Serengeti to the north-west and it is through here that wildebeest horde through during their world famous migration from the Masai Mara to Serengeti, then to Ngorongoro.

The Ngorongoro area has been the site of on-going experiments on multiple land use. This involves having human inhabitation among the presence of wildlife. The human inhabitants of the Ngorongoro are mainly the Masai. The use of land for these activities is highly controlled to maintain a strong balance of the land for the sake of the eco-system.

The Maasai are allowed to hunt most of the smaller animals like hare, dikdik and gazelles but this activity is also controlled. They are however not allowed to hunt for sport, and the hunting of bigger animals such as elephants, lions, rhino and buffalo among others is strictly forbidden .

The Ngorongoro is named after the long gone mountain which is said to have existed close to two million years ago. The mountain is said to have been 19,000 meters in height and among the tallest in the world. This mountain was an active volcano and at one time, an eruption caused it to cave in and form a 612 meter deep crater.

The Ngorongoro crater covers an area of 264 square kilometers and is easily the most stunning spectacle of the entire Ngorongoro conservation area. The two most eye-catching view points of the crater are from up above where you can see the floor of the crater, and from down below where you can look up at the unbroken, steep, and towering walls of the crater. The crater is doubtlessly one of the most popular Tanzania safari feature drawing over 360,000 annually.

The floor of the Ngorongoro crater is the habitat of a wide array of animals including the big five. Game drives to the floor of the crater are never disappointing. There are three large herds of elephants and even greater herds of zebra, gazelle and antelope. Lions are also in plenty here and watching them is an unforgettable experience. Being in the presence of lions at the crater is even more exciting if you get to hear a male lion’s roar echoing off the crater walls; it is exhilarating as well as spine chilling.

If you love picnicking and enjoy being in the presence of unperturbed nature, there are various picnic sites set up at the crater. The picnic sites are very secure and save for flicking a few ants off your sandwich, there will be no interruptions by wild animals. The volcanic ash at the crater is very fertile and therefore trees grow well here. The tall trees provide the picnic sites with a cooling shelter that is not too cold.

Ngorongoro also provides a little excitement for lovers of history as it is located in East Africa; the cradle of mankind. East Africa gained this name because the fossils of the earliest hominids known to have existed down the evolutionary chain were found here. The first of these were found in the Olduvai Gorge by the renowned archaeologists Dr. Louis and Mary Leakey in the 1950s.

The Olduvai Gorge is seated along the rift valley in the Northern plains of the Ngorongoro conservation area. The gorge is still undergoing excavation and more evidence supporting the evolution theory is being sought. A relatively short distance from the gorge, there is a tiny museum where you can see pictures of Dr. Louis and Mary Leakey and their team doing the early excavations. You can also see replicas of the fossils found here and educate yourself on their significance in evolution.

If you are fascinated with various aspects of the African culture and indigenous tribes, you can interact with the Masai who are one of the most popular African tribes. The Masai have inhabited the Ngorongoro conservation area for over 50 years. They are famous for their leaping dances which are perfomed by the tall morans (warriors) and are known to invite tourists to their manyatta (homestead) to watch these dances and share a meal.

The meals of the Masai mainly consist of roasted meat and milk mixed with blood; both from cows. If offered this meal, do not decline, this is considered rude by the Maasai. If you don’t care much for milk mixed with blood, take at least one sip, this will satisfy them. However, you will be missing out on a whole new tasty experience if you do not eat the roasted meat. The Maasai have perfected the art of roasting meat over a fire for many years. The roasted meat is always soft and well-done, not to mention incredibly delicious.

The Ngorongoro conservation area is flanked by a couple of lakes. The most popular of these are Lake Eyasi and Lake Manyara. Lake Manyara is especially excellent for taking canoe trips and most people use this as their approach to the Ngorongoro crater. The lakes and other water sources provide water for both the Maasai and the animals living in this area.

Another delightful experience at the Ngorongoro national park is bird watching especially at the lakes. Lake Ndutu is mainly popular because of its high bird population. The most common bird species here are flamingos, storks and ducks. Cheetahs and lions are also in plenty here. The cheetahs are very fond of hunting these birds and a cheetah chasing a flock of birds as some of them fly away could make for a fine picture to add to your collection.
Photo by Karen Hoffman

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 4th, 2009 at 4:34 am and is filed under South Africa Safaris & Tours. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.