5 Days Crater World: Ngorongoro, Empakaai and Crater Floor Safari | Tanzania safari | Serengeti Nexus

The group arrives at Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO). Participants are met by a representative of Serengeti Nexus and transferred to a hotel in Arusha.

Note: Check-in starts at 2:00 PM.

Today’s journey takes you from the lowlands up into the Ngorongoro Highlands. The drive from Arusha — the typical starting point for this safari — takes about 4 to 5 hours, depending on the location of your lodge. But the reward is well worth the journey: a stay on the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater, one of Africa’s most iconic landscapes.

After arriving in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, you’ll stretch your legs with a guided walk along the crater rim. Led by a professional park ranger, this easy 1–2 hour hike follows a flat trail through lush montane forest.

While large animals like elephants and buffalo are rarer here than down in the crater, keep your eyes open for tracks and forest birds — and listen to the bush as it slowly reveals its secrets. At the end of the trail, you’ll be rewarded with a spectacular view over the world’s largest intact volcanic caldera.

After your walk, check in at a lodge perched right on the edge of the crater. This is your chance to relax, soak in the silence, and enjoy the dramatic landscapes around you. At 2,286 meters above sea level, Ngorongoro can get chilly in the morning and evening — bring a warm layer for extra comfort.

Hiking in Empakaai Crater is an amazing way to bring some diversity in your safari program and stretch your legs after the days of game-driving! Empakaai Crater is a caldera in the Ngorongoro Consevation Area, encircling a beautiful lake on the crater floor, for which you would head amidst the greenery of the forest. The forest trail is a bit steep, although totally manageable, and leads you passing the ancient strangler figs and rich birdlife. The trail continues to the lakeshore, where you can view water birds - and, if you are lucky, even flamingos that migrate here in December. The glorious views of the Great Rift Valley from the crater rim are totally worth the effort!

Today you are going to the Legendary Ngorongoro Crater! Your day will begin early in the morning, when your guide arrives to drive you to the Ngorongoro Crater, part of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The Crater is somewhat reminiscent of The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: here you will witness tens of thousands of wild animals living in the massive crater left by a huge ancient volcano. The actual crater is relatively small, when you consider that it is home to the most variety of animals per square meter than anywhere else in the world! Here, you are sure to see a great number of animals within close proximity to one another.

The descent into the crater will take about half an hour of driving. The road passes through beautiful, lush forests with great scenery. Your safari guide will make a stop to see the ‘look out’ which is a place offering  a stunning panoramic view of the entire crater. Contrary to popular myth, animals can go outside the caldera. However, most of them are safe and comfortable inside the caldera which provides an unlimited supply of fresh grass for grazers and easy prey for predators. Therefore, they prefer to remain in the crater t all the time. 

Elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, lions, cheetahs, zebras and other African animals can be seen in Ngorongoro Crater. This is one of the few places in Africa where rhinos are found, although, remember that they are an endangered species, so there are very few of them. One animal that is absent are giraffes; you will not spot any of them in the crater because, due to the build of their bodies, including legs and long necks, they cannot walk down into the crater. 

After your morning game drive around the crater, you will stop at the picnic area next to Lake Magadi for a snack and rest. This place is popular with various birds, including kites, who sometimes try to steal food right from the table! While not dangerous, at all, it is a good idea not to leave any food unattended. One of the draws of Lake Magadi are the hippos that live in the area. You’re sure to enjoy watching them while you eat lunch. These huge animals stay close to the shore and often surface to get air. If you do see one walking out of the water, give it plenty of space. Due to the large number of animals and endemic plants, Ngorongoro Conservation Area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and renowned for its natural significance in the world. 

Rest in the hotel and transfer to the airport.

Note: Hotel check-out is at 10:00 AM. In case you need a late check-out before your evening flight, you have the option to extend your hotel stay for an extra fee. Let your manager know in advance if you need a late check-out.