Ngorongoro Conservation Area

The crater floor hosts a number of different habitats that include grassland, swamps, forests, and Lake Makat (Maasai for ‘salt’) – a central soda lake sourced by the Munge River.  All these diverse environments attract wildlife to drink, wallow, graze, hide or climb.  Although animals are free to move in and out of the Ngorongoro Crater, the rich volcanic soil, lush forests, and spring source lakes on the crater floor (integrated with passably steep crater sides) tend to incline both grazers and predators to stay throughout the year.

Ngorongoro Crater is one of the most likely areas in Tanzania to see the remained Black Rhinoceros, as a small population is flourishing in this blissful and protected environment. In meanwhile one of the few areas where they continue to multiply in the wild. Your chances of encountering leopards here are also high and fabulous black-manned lions.  Uncountable numbers of flamingos are also attracted to the soda waters of Lake Magadi.

One of the reasons behind the Ngorongoro Conservation Area has been to preserve the environment for the Maasai people who were moved from the Serengeti Plains.  Basically, nomadic people, build temporary villages in circular homesteads called bomas. There are possibilities to visit couple of these now, which have been opened up for visitors to explore.  

Here you can see how the huts are built in a drastic pattern of order according to the chronological order of the wives, and experience what it must be like to rely on warmth and energy from a fire burning at the heart of a cattle manure dwelling with no chimney. These proud cattle-keeping people have a great history as warriors, and even though they are no longer allowed to build villages inside, they continue to herd their cattle into the crater floor to graze and drink, regardless of the dangerous animals around.