TOURISM ACTIVITIES AT NGORONGORO CONSERVATION AREA
Tourism Activities at Ngorongoro Conservation Area : The tourism activities done at Ngorongoro Conservation Area range from Tanzania walking safaris, cultural tourism, camping , game drives while thrilling the Tanzania wildlife, birding watching and among others through the Magical Tanzania Safaris tours.
Tour of archaeological sites
Visitors with an interest in history, especially the lives of the ancestors of man, get a chance to enjoy their safari by visiting most of the excavation sites at Olduvai Gorge and Laetoli. These places can be visited at any time of the year.
Walking safaris
Walking safaris are one of the adventurous experiences for visitors. Both short and long safaris can be organized in different parts and attractions in the Ngorongoro conservation area, especially trekking down Empakai to Olmoti crater, one of the most beautiful craters in the Ngorongoro conservation area. But also, a walking safari in the Ngorongoro conservation area can be organized down to the floor of the Great Rift Valley that involves trekking in the beautiful Northern Highlands Forest and in the eastern plain around the Gol Mountains, Nasera rock, and Olkarien gorge. To ensure the safety of our visitors from dangerous wild animals, all walking safaris are accompanied by an armed ranger.
Cultural tourism
Visitors experience remarkable moments and memories from interacting with different local cultures, experiencing local foods, local activities, photographing with local people, buying mementos, and generally enjoying the local people’s lifestyle. All of these involve visiting the Maasai cultural bomas, of which there are plenty in the park, and some of these include
- Kiloki senyati cultural boma is located 7 kilometers south-west of the Oldupai Gorge information center on the main road to Serengeti National Park.
- Seneto cultural boma, located west of the Seneto gate in Malanja Depression.
- Irkeepusi cultural boma is located on the Empakai crater main load, 2 km north-east of Lemala mini gate.
- Loonguku cultural boma is located on the main road of Serengeti National Park.
Camping
Within the Ngorongoro conservation area, camping is another activity visitors can do to enjoy their trip, of which only SIMBA campsite is the public campsite with all the facilities for visitors to enjoy. While the others remaining are special campsites on which they are always designed for sufficient safari operations, there are no facilities available on these campsites, which means that visitors have to come with their facilities.
Game drives
As one of the world’s wonders, the Ngorongoro conservation area, as a mixed world heritage site and international biosphere reserve, is full of wild animals and marvelous landscapes, which makes game drives, especially down the crater, memorable for visitors. All game drives in the Ngorongoro conservation area are by four-wheeled vehicles only.
Photography and videography
The best times for photography are early in the morning and evening as the area is free from visitor’s vehicles’ congestion and the weather is good and free from sunrays that can be an obstacle to your photos. Taking photographs of Maasai people on the road is strictly prohibited; however, this can be avoided by obtaining permission or visiting a specially designed location for such activities, such as the Maasai cultural boma.
But also to make your photo superb, visitors are recommended to come with all their equipment designed for filming and photographing. Remember, off-roading is not allowed, so a photographer should come with a quality camera that can take photos from a distant place.
Bird watching
The Ngorongoro conservation area is blessed with both abundance and diversity of bird species, with over 550 bird species including both resident and migratory birds. This creates an opportunity for bird lovers to enjoy their trip to the Ngorongoro conservation area. Supportive habitats such as grassland plains, lakes, marshes, highlands, and Ngorongoro conservation are all areas for birding.
