Experiences in Ngorongoro Crater

Descend into the Ngorongoro Crater on a game drive

With your expert guide at the helm, set out from camp as the sun just begins to spill over Tanzania and venture into the jewel-green forests and plains of the Ngorongoro Crater. Where bubbling lava once spewed over, there now lives a barely believable variety of wildlife. Don't put your binoculars down for a second as you scan the landscape for the Big Five, including the protected black rhino, majestic black-maned lion and roaming herds of elephant. The plains are awash with vast numbers of antelope and zebra, who erupt into movement when a cheetah speeds across the scene. Finish the day off with a sundowner as the Crater cools around you.

Explore the lush Ngorongoro Crater forests on foot

In one of Tanzania's wildest spaces, take your safari to new heights as you explore the lush, tree-laden rim of the Ngorongoro Crater. Where vehicles cannot go, you'll join an expert guide on an early-morning foray into the forest as rare birds show off their colourful plumage and waterfalls cascade toward the Crater below. Discover Ngorongoro's unique wonders like the 'Elephant Caves', which are deep hollows dug into the earth as the elephant forage for rich soil with their tusks. Ascend the crater wall for the ultimate panorama, watching as the Big Five roam, hippos guffaw and flamingos sit like a pink cloud over the lake.

Track Ngorongoro crater's wildlife on a game drive

Depart camp at dawn or in the late afternoon sunshine to discover the epic wildlife of Lake Manyara. With your knowledgable guide to lead the way, endless floodplains, acacia woodlands and shimmering lake reveal grazing plains game, herds of trumpeting elephant and lion draped over the branches of a mahogany tree, not to mention the clouds of pink flamingo. Stop on a grassy spot near the lake to enjoy a morning cuppa or ice-cold sundowner as incredible birdlife dips in and out of the water. As one of Tanzania's smallest and most underrated parks, Lake Manyara has one of the country's highest wildlife densities and you'll have few other safari-goers to contend with.

Discover the history of Olduvai Gorge, Ngorongoro

The Great Rift Valley tells the history of Africa in its caverns and canyons, and one of the most mysterious is the Olduvai Gorge. Made famous by the discovery of fossils from early hominids who lived around 2 millions years ago, the gorge is filled with intrigue. Delve into its history at the museum where you'll learn about the stone tools and mammal fossils found over decades and, if you're lucky, watch archaeologists at work on an active dig. If you visit between June and October, there are usually researchers at Olduvai who have some fascinating stories to tell. The Olduvai Gorge makes a lovely and very scenic stop between Ngorongoro and the Serengeti.

Go on a cultural tour around Ngorongoro

The Ngorongoro may conjure up images of epic wildlife and dreamy views, but it wouldn't be a trip to Tanzania without meeting the Maasai. As the keepers of this land, their culture is deeply embedded into the Ngorongoro. Drive across the highlands to a nearby homestead where you'll be greeted by the formidable figure of a Maasai warrior, dressed in a red shuka and spear in hand. Watch in amazement as the warriors try to best each other in a leaping dance and share a traditional meal - if you're brave, sample the local beer!

Hike the vast and dramatic Empakai Crater

Leave camp just after dawn or in the soft sun of the afternoon, to explore the Ngorongoro's little brother on foot. The Empakai Crater is an ancient volcano caldera ringed by walls of lush forest where birds of every feather flit between the strangler figs and you may spot blue monkeys swinging from branches and bushbucks in the thicket. At the crater's edge, you can see the endless Tanzania plains, the snow-topped Mount Kilimanjaro and Tanzania's most recently active volcano. In the crater's belly, a glimmering alkaline lake is home to a flurry of flamingo and buffalo who stop for a drink. It's quite a trek so reasonable walking fitness is a 'must'.

Visit the Ngorongoro coffee plantations

Ngorongoro may be where the wild things are but it's also where coffee runs through the veins! Drive out through scenic valleys to a hilltop coffee farm where you'll walk amongst the fragrant, bean-laden bushes protected by a canopy of acacias. Have a nosey and learn how coffee is planted, pruned, harvested and fermented, before being dried and finding its way into your cupboard. Soak up the views with a cup of the good stuff before you return to your lodge.