Travels around the world 2009-2024
Exploring our beautiful planet

Ngorongoro crater

July 18, 2012  —  Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania

The Ngorongoro crater is one of the most impressive sights of Tanzania. This crater is the biggest complete (the walls are intact) and not flooded caldera of the world. With a diameter of 20 km, this crater shelters a large quantity of animals such as lions, hyenas, hippopotamus, zebras, gazelles of all kinds and elephants... Curiously, there are no giraffes in the crater; the walls are too steep for this animal.

Despite the astronomical fees for visiting this park, we thought that a trip in East Africa would not be complete without a small visit in the crater. We spent there an unforgettable day. We saw many lions that were the highlight of the visit.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania

Less than an hour after going down the crater, we had an encounter with this female lion. It was moving along the road without any worry for the vehicles following it.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania

We had the chance to stumble upon a group of lions busy cleaning up a wildebeest killed during the night or the day before. This show was happening about 5 metres away from us.

Being a highly visited park, you will notice that there were a lot of vehicles near those lions. The disadvantage of a popular park is the number of people. However, animals are so used to cars and humans that they just live on their life ignoring our presence.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
This lion is enjoying the shade from a vehicle.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
A good snack.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
The vehicles must avoid this lazy lion.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Lion's paws.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
About 5 metres away.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Hyenas roam around the carcass.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Good until the end?
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Traffic jam to see the lions.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
A small oasis in the crater.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Thomson's gazelle.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
In another site - life is hard.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Wildebeest.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
A young zebra takes a rest.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Melanie in action.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Preys life is not always easy.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Thomson's gazelle and its young.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Far away, Greater Flamingoes.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Lion's tail.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Ngorongoro Conservation Area - Tanzania
Toward the end of the day, lions often laze around.