Did you know: The main feature of the Ngorongoro Conservation Authority is the Ngorongoro Crater

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

   

The area is in northern Tanzania. It’s home to the vast, volcanic Ngorongoro Crater and “big 5” game (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino). Huge herds of wildebeests and zebras traverse its plains during their annual migration. Livestock belonging to the semi-nomadic Maasai tribe graze alongside wild animals. Hominin fossils found in the Olduvai Gorge date back millions of years.

  

The area is named after Ngorongoro Crater, a large volcanic caldera within the area. The conservation area is administered by the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, an arm of the Tanzanian government, and its boundaries follow the boundary of the Ngorongoro Division of the Arusha Region.

Origin of the name Ngorongoro.

The name of the crater has an onomatopoeic origin; it was named by the Maasai pastoralists after the sound produced by the cowbell (ngoro ngoro). 

What made the Ngorongoro crater?

The showpiece of the conservation area is undoubtedly the Ngorongoro Crater which was created when a large volcano exploded and collapsed on itself two to three million years ago. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978 and is the largest intact volcanic caldera in the world.

When was the Ngorongoro crater  formed?

Ngorongoro is thought to have formed about 2.5 million years ago from a large active volcano whose cone collapsed inward after a major eruption, leaving the present vast, unbroken caldera as its chief remnant.

How high is the Ngorongoro Crater?

The crater, which formed when a large volcano exploded and collapsed on itself two to three million years ago, is 610 metres (2,000 feet) deep and its floor covers 260 square kilometres (100 square miles). Estimates of the height of the original volcano range from 4,500 to 5,800 metres (14,800 to 19,000 feet) high.

What animals are found in Ngorongoro Conservation area?

The area contains over 25,000 large animals including 26 black rhinoceros. There are 7,000 wildebeests, 4,000 zebras, 3,000 eland and 3,000 Grant's and Thomson's gazelles. The crater also has the densest known population of lions, numbering 62. Higher up, in the rainforests of the crater rim, are leopards, about 30 large elephants, mountain reedbuck and more than 4,000 buffalos, spotted hyenas, jackals, rare wild dogs, cheetahs, and other felines.

The legendary annual wildebeest and zebra migration also passes through Ngorongoro, when the 1.7 million ungulates move south into the area in December then move out heading north in June. The migrants passing through the plains of the reserve include 1.7 million wildebeest, 260,000 zebra, and 470,000 gazelles. The Lake Ndutu area to the west has significant cheetah and lion populations. Over 500 species of bird have been recorded within the NCA. These include ostrich, white pelican, and greater and lesser flamingo on Lake Magadi within the crater, Lake Ndutu, and in the Empakaai Crater Lake, where a vast bird population can be observed.

Vegetation cover found in the Ngorongoro Conservation area.

Ngorongoro is home to lush green, rain-watered vegetation, as well as desert plants. The area has uncultivated lowland vegetation, arid and semi-arid plant communities, abundant short grass used for grazing, and highland forests.

Scrub heath, grasslands, high open moorland, and the remains of dense evergreen forests cover the steep slopes of the crater, while highland trees including Peacock Flower, Yellow-Wood, Kousso (Hagenia abyssinica), and Sweet Olive can also be found. There are also extensive stretches of pure bamboo on Oldeani Mountain, and Pencil Cedar on Makarut Mountain to the west. Dove- weeds dominate the lower slopes, while the upland woodlands contain Red Thorn Acacia and Gum Acacia that are critical for protecting the watershed.

The crater basin is covered by open short grass plains with fresh and brackish water lakes, marshes, swamps, and two patches of Acacia woodland. The Lerai Forest is home to the Yellow Fever tree and Acacia, while Laiyanai Forest has Pillar Wood and Acacia Lahai. The undulating plains to the west are grass-covered with occasional Umbrella Acacia and Commiphora Africana trees. Blackthorn Acacia and Zebrawood dominate in the drier conditions beside Lake Eyasi. These extensive grasslands and bush are rich, relatively untouched by cultivation, and support very large animal populations.

Oldupai Gorge

Oldupai Gorge (originally misnamed Olduvai) is the most famous archaeological location in East Africa, and has become an essential visit for travelers to Ngorongoro or Serengeti.

At Laetoli, west of Ngorongoro Crater, hominid footprints are preserved in volcanic rock 3.6 millions years old and represent some of the earliest signs of mankind in the world. Three separate tracks of a small-brained 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 Oldupai museum.

More advanced descendants of Laetoli's hominids were found further north, buried in the layers of the 100 meters deep Oldupai Gorge. Excavations, mainly by the archaeologist Louis and Mary Leakey, yielded four different kinds of hominid, showing a gradual increases in brain size and in the complexity of their stone tools. The first skull of Zinjanthropus, commonly known as 'Nutcracker Man' who lived about 1.75 millions years ago, was found here. The most important find include Home habilis, Zinjathropus and the Laetoli footprints.

The excavation sites have been preserved for public viewing and work continues during the dry seasons, coordinated by the Department of Antiquities. One may visit Oldupai at all times of the year. It is necessary to have official guide to visit the excavations. At the top of the Gorge there is small museum, a sheltered area used for lectures and talks, toilets and a cultural boma. Local Maasai souvenirs are also available.

Thus, Oldupai and Laetoli makes the Ngorongoro Conservation Area an important place in the world for the study of human origins and human evolution. [cited from www.ngorongorocrater.org]

The Laetoli Footprints

Laetoli is a site in Tanzania, dated to the Plio-Pleistocene and famous for its hominin footprints, preserved in volcanic ash. The site of the Laetoli footprints (Site G) is located 45 km south of Olduvai gorge. The location and tracks were discovered by archaeologist Mary Leakey in 1976, and were excavated by 1978.

The prints of three hominins were miraculously preserved in muddy ash deposited by volcanic eruptions and hardened by the sun some 3.6 million years ago.

Made by feet little different than our own, they proved conclusively that these creatures stood and walked upright (bipedally) with a human-like stride a million years before the invention of stone tools and the initial growth in hominin brain size. It's undoubtedly one of the most astounding and important scientific discoveries of our time.

The activities in Ngorongoro conservation area

Activities inside the Ngorongoro Crater itself are limited to game driving; there are a couple of picnic spots in the park, but getting out of the vehicle is strictly limited to these areas.  However, a full range of activities is on offer in the wider Ngorongoro Conservation Area, including walking, trekking, excursions to Olduvai Gorge and visiting the Masai and other tribes.

When to go

Since the wildlife mainly stays in the crater all year round, there is really no good or bad time to visit.  However given that the crater floor does get busy with vehicles, it can be more pleasant to visit during low season.  Higher water levels in Lake Magadi (in the center of the Crater) also result in higher concentrations of flamingos.  Whenever you visit to Ngorongoro, you are guaranteed excellent safari action.

Bird Watching

The mixture of forest, canyons, grassland plains, Lakes and marshes provide habitats for a wide range of bird life. The wet months see the arrival of the Eurasian migrants at the pools. White storks, yellow wagtails and swallows mingle with the local inhabitants: stilts, saddle-bill storks, ibis, ruff and various species of duck. Lesser flamingos fly in to feed from their breeding grounds at Lake Natron. Distinctive grassland birds - ostrich, kori bustards and crowned cranes-abound. The rest of the NCA also has areas which will reward the keen ornithologist.

Flamingos are very common at lakes in the NCA, all of which are saline. Flamingos are filter feeders and feed on plankton. Plankton is a collective name for microscopic plants and animals that occur in the mud and on the surface of shallow, saline lakes.

Hotel and accomodation in the Ngorongoro conservation area

The area has some of the best hotels and lodges in Tanzania, such as the classic Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, built in 1939, and now operated by the And Beyond group of South Africa, along with the Ngorongoro Rhino Lodge, built in 1942, the Ndutu Lodge, built in 1946, and the Ngorongoro Wildlife Lodge, dating back to 1971.

Newer establishments include the Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge and Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, built in the mid- 1990s. The six facilities, all located along the crater rim, have a total bed capacity of 560. The NCAA also has 16 campsite areas. Three more firms, the Whitesands, Kibo Safaris, and Coastal travels intend to establish other facilities within NCA; the new entries will boost the area bed capacity to 1,000.

• Ngorongoro crater lodge

What To Pack when visiting Ngorongoro conservation area?

• Sunglasses, sunscreen and sunhat
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Long skirts or long pants and t-shirts covering shoulders for women
• Loose, lightweight clothing in neutral colors with long sleeves to keep out mosquitoes
• Camera, batteries, spare film or memory cards and binoculars

Safety Tips of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area

• Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a relatively safe and secure area for travel
• Wildlife is mostly un-fenced, so take basic precautions and do not leave your vehicle on game drives
• Drive slowly and carefully, especially in high density game areas
• Do not ever attempt to touch or feed any wildlife you see, not only is this dangerous but it also interferes with animals
• Lakes are not for swimming, there may be crocodiles or hippos in the water, both of which are equally dangerous to humans

Rules and Regulations in the Ngorongoro Conservation area

according to the  Ngorongoro conservation area authority the following are the rules and regulation of the ngorongoro conservation area.

ALL VISITORS ENTER THE NCA ENTIRELY AT THEIR OWN RISK.

VISITORS MUST OBEY ALL REASONABLE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY THE CONSERVATOR AND HIS STAFF. READ THESE RULES AND REGULATIONS CAREFULLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE INFORMATION ON THE REVERSE OF YOUR ENTRY PERMIT.

Opening - Closing Hours of ngorongoro conservation area

Gates and barriers will open at 0600 hours and close at 1800 hours, except for the Seneto Descent Gate, which close at 1600 hours.

Crater Access Roads

• SENETO - descent only
• LERAI - ascent only (beware of occasional descending vehicles)
• LEMALA (SOPA) - both descent and ascent

Rules for Vehicles

• Keep to authorized roads and tracks. NO OFF-ROAD DRIVING
• Speed limits 25km/h in NCA
• Only vehicles equipped with standard safaris equipment allowed in the Crater (heavy-duty jack; chain/rope; shovel/hoe; axe/panga)
• No more than 5 vehicles around an animal or kill Guides

Inside the conservation area rules:

• ALL VISITORS TO NGORONGORO CRATER AND TO OLDUPAI GORGE MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A LICENSED GUIDE.
• Preserving the Environment
• Standing vegetation must not to be damaged or removed, other than removal for firewood
• Campfires must not damage vegetation, must not be allowed to spread, and must be completely extinguished after use
• LEAVE NO LITTER
• No entry to Lerai or Layanai forests
• No dogs allowed in the crater
• Visitors must not disturb or remove geological or archaeological deposits within the Oldupai Gorge
• Keep quiet when viewing animals in close proximity

Removal of Items from the Ngorongoro Reserve

PLEASE DO NOT COLLECT OR REMOVE ANY ANIMAL PRODUCT, ROCKS, PLANTS, SEEDS OR NESTS. LIVE ANIMAL, INSECTS, BIRDS AND REPTILES SHOULD NOT BE TOUCHED OR REMOVED FROM THE NCA.