Family safari in the Ngorongoro

Ngorongoro and the other reserves that comprise Tanzania’s northern safari circuit are well suited to family and small group safaris. Cost-wise, since almost all safaris are undertaken in 4x4s with pop-up tops, the optimum group size is four or five individuals, though larger groups can always be split between two or more vehicles. It is generally a good idea for groups to be reasonably compatible in terms of previous safari experience and special interests - repeat safari goers often have different priorities than first-timers, while passionate birdwatchers or photographers are likely to get up the noses of less dedicated fellow passengers. For this reason, unless your budget absolutely dictates it, we would recommend against joining a group safari with strangers.

Luxury safari in Ngorongoro

Northern Tanzania boasts some of the most luxurious, exclusive and expensive lodges anywhere on the African safari circuit. Typically, these offer packages inclusive of world-class cuisine, house wines and beer, and game drives with guides who boast a higher level of expertise and far greater local knowledge than the average jobbing safari driver. These all-inclusive lodges also tend to…

Solo travel to the Ngorongoro

Credit: Sanctuary Ngorongoro Crater Camp Very few people visit Ngorongoro solo. The main reason for this is presumably because a solo safari in northern Tanzania works out to be so much more expensive per person than it does for a couple or a small group. That said, if cost is not an obstacle, there is absolutely no reason why you couldn’t do a solo safari to Ngorongoro and elsewhere…

Affordable safari in the Ngorongoro

Affordability is a relative thing when it comes to Ngorongoro and the other parks along the northern Tanzania safari circuit. All the parks are serviced by mid-range lodges but these tend to charge rack rates that would be considered upmarket in most other contexts. With Ngorongoro specifically, a good way to keep things affordable is to stay in or around Karatu - although it is less…

Lake Eyasi and the Hadzabe

Bounding the southern Ngorongoro Conservation Area at the base of the Rift Valley Escarpment, remote Lake Eyasi is a shallow soda lake prone to large fluctuations in area and level depending on local rainfall. Possessed of a certain desolate beauty, the surrounding dry savannah is home to the Hadza, or Hadzabe, a tribe of nomadic hunter-gatherers that numbers fewer than 100 individuals…

Ngorongoro in September

The dry season that started in May or June should continue into August, leaving parts of the crater floor looking like a dust bowl and the remaining grassland all parched and yellow. The low vegetation is great for spotting animals, with predators being at their most conspicuous, and wildlife tends to congregate close to the few remaining sources of drinking water. This is peak safari…

Ngorongoro in June

June is arguably the optimum month to visit Ngorongoro Crater. The long rains should be over, but the scenery will still be green and lush, and the safari circuit remains relatively uncrowded, as peak tourist season only starts to kick in towards the end of the month or into July. Looking further afield, it is also a good month for Zanzibar beach holidays and Kilimanjaro climbs, and…

Popular Ngorongoro Crater Safaris

These popular itineraries can be customised to match your budget and travel dates