Ngorongoro Conservation Area :: How to get there

From Arusha, you can hop around the parks of the northern circuit by small aircraft on chartered or scheduled flights, or you can drive and do the whole circuit by safari vehicle. A popular option is to fly into the Serengeti and make your way back by safari vehicle via the Ngorongoro crater, or the other way around. In most cases, your tour operator will pick you up from the airport.

Coming from the Seronera area in the Serengeti, the distance to the crater is about 140km/90mi and the driving time is about three hours. This can obviously take much longer allowing for wildlife viewing along the way. The 80km/50mi drive from Lake Manyara to the Ngorongoro Crater takes about two hours, and the 180km/110mi drive from Tarangire takes about four hours.

The best option to get to Arusha is to fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), which is situated about 46km/29mi from Arusha. It is also possible to fly into Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR), near Dar es Salaam and fly on to Arusha Airport (ARK) or Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). A third option is to book a cheaper flight to Nairobi in Kenya and take a shuttle bus to Arusha.

Best time to visit

Ngorongoro offers a wide variety of memorable activities throughout the year. Activities in the Ngorongoro Crater itself are limited to game driving only. There are also picnic spots in Ngorongoro. Guided walking safaris during the day through untouched areas, camping safaris, spectacular game viewing for predators, herbivores and omnivores and bird watching are all essential. Cultural tourism experiences are available among Maasai and Hadzabe tribes, as well as visits to archaeological findings at Oldupai Gorge. These guided walks in the conservation area need to be booked in advance. Forest walks along Endoro Nature Trail in the highland forest, near Gibbs Farms & Endoro Lodge, are additional natural highlights.

Duration Required.

In reality there just are not enough days to get by Ngorongoro. The more you stay in Ngorongoro the more you feel like staying. Three (3) days should be ample in our opinion to see most of what Ngorongoro has to offer.