Facts About Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater : The Ngorongoro crater is home to over 30,000 large mammals and place them inside the crater of an extinct volcano. More so, the crater comprises about 264 square kilometers of wetlands, forests and grasslands and the result is the Ngorongoro Crater.
More fact, it’s one of the world’s famous safari destination that offers superb game adventuring in an unbelievably unique setting. Nothing can fully prepare you for the first gaze down into the Ngorongoro Crater.
This astonishing Crater lies within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a protected region in Tanzania that composes a large chuck of the southern Serengeti’s short grass plains and the Ngorongoro highlands and a range of ancient volcanoes on the west side of the Great Rift Valley.
Fact that, the Ngorongoro Crater has earned a fabled reputation as one of the Africa’s most magical natural wanders, boasting with highest populations of animals living in diverse habitats.
How was the Ngorongoro Crater created? And what is so perfect about Ngorongoro Crater? We answer these questions and share our favorite facts about Ngorongoro Crater;
Below are the frequently Asked Questions About Ngorongoro Crater include;
How Was the Ngorongoro Crater Created?
The Ngorongoro Crater acts as a popular safari site that form about 2.5million years ago when an active volcano’s cone collapsed inward after a massive eruption. The enormous, un broken caldera we adventure today is the main key remnant of this implosion.
What is A Caldera?
Spanish for ‘cauldron’, a caldera is a bowl –shaped volcanic cavity that’ experiences over one kilometers ‘’0,6miles’’ in diameters, with an outer rim formed when the top of a volcanic cone ‘’ or group of cones’’ collapse because it’s no longer supported by an underlying body of magma.
After all the main eruptions are complete, the top of the volcanic mountain will have disappeared, leaving a gigantic hole in its position. Minor eruptions could occur after the great implosion and creates smaller cones in the caldera’s floor. Of which, they may later fill up with water to form lakes.
What Is Unique About Ngorongoro Crater?
Other than being the biggest intact volcanic caldera on Earth, the Ngorongoro Crater is also natural sanctuary for some of the densest populations of large animals in Africa.
Due to its enclosed beautiful nature, the Ngorongoro Crater has effectively formed its own ecosystem
How Old Is Ngorongoro Crater?
Ngorongoro crater has be existing for more than three million years.
What Is Ngorongoro Crater Known for?
This crater is famous for its geological splendor and the lots of fauna and flora found in an amazing area. Tourists are guaranteed to see big concentration of animals on a game drive in the Ngorongoro Crater. The Crater also offers perfect sightings of big5 mammals such as elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion and leopard’’ in East Africa.
What does Ngorongoro mean in English?
Ngorongoro word is referred to be an onomatopoeic word used by the Maasai people of the region to describe the sound of the bell that hangs around the neck of the lead cow in a herd. The bell makes an echoing ‘’ngor ngor’’ sound, which made the local pastoralists name the area Ngorongoro.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Ngorongoro Crater?
The best time to visit Ngorongoro for safari is during the dry season months which happens between June and October when temperatures are cooler and animal’s sightings are superb. Animals here are easy to spot around the barren plains and they don’t wander far from watering holes. During peak safari season, we see number of tourist’s flock here from all over the world.
Tanzania also experience two rainy seasons from April to May and November to December. Temperatures can be warm and the road around the caldera can get rather muddy. Therefore, fewer visitors during the wet seasons and the Ngorongoro Crater transforms into a wonderfully lush, emerald ‘’Garden of Eden’’.
The World’s Biggest Intact Volcanic Caldera ‘’ That’s Not a Lake’’
The Ngorongoro Crater estimates about 16 to 19 kilometers ‘’10 to 12 miles’’ in diameter, and the height of its walls ranges between 400 and 610 meters ‘’1,312 and 2,000 feet’’ and it measures more than 1.5 times higher than the Empire state building. In the world, there are few calderas but the Ngorongoro Crater is more perfect because it’s the biggest one with fully unbroken walls and hasn’t filled up with water.
One of T the Seven Natural Wonder of Africa
The fact that, Ngorongoro Crater is one of Africa’s Seven Natural Wonders, along with the Red Sea, Mount Kilimanjaro, Sahara Desert, Wildebeest Migration, Nile River and Okavango Delta. More to that, the Crater is position within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a protected territory in Tanzania’s Arusha region and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Ngorongoro is also a home to diverse habitats and one of the world’s most important prehistoric sites.
It is also best destination in East Africa to see the Big 5.
Ngorongoro has various excellent accommodation facilities with quality amenities ranging from luxury, Mid-range and Budget lodges and camps. Most of them are set on the Crater’s rim, offering the most spectacular views in the world. During your visit on safari, you can choose to stay on the crater’s rim, where you will enjoy great rewarding view of endless plains of the Crater.
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