How to get to Ngorongoro Conservation Area Tanzania

Ngorongoro Conservation Area is in northern Tanzania. It’s home to the vast, volcanic Ngorongoro Crater and the “big 5” game (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino). Huge herds of wildebeests and zebras traverse its plains during their annual migration. 

Getting to Ngorongoro Crater

• From Arusha

Most travellers will arrive in Arusha which is a gateway to the Northern Tanzania safari circuit, Ngorongoro Crater is located 180 kilometres (112.5 miles) to the north of Arusha. The first 80 kilometres (50 miles) are on good tar road, but the rest of it is gravel road. The gravel leads to the village of Mto-wa-Mbu, on the edge of Lake Manyara National Park. Petrol and diesel are available in the village. The road climbs to the top of the rift wall, passes through densely populated agricultural land and enters Ngorongoro at the Lodware Gate

• From Serengeti 

The only other official entry point into the area is from the Serengeti National Park. The distance by road from the park’s headquarters to the headquarters of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area is 152 kilometres (95 miles) on a fairly good, all-weather gravel road, although this is corrugated in parts. Entry into the Ngorongoro Crater is by four-wheel-drive vehicle only, and all side tracks elsewhere are unsuitable for two-wheel-drive vehicles.

• By air

A number of airlines operate twice daily scheduled flights from Arusha airport to Lake Manyara Airstrip depending on your lodge location you will take a 4×4 safari vehicle transfer of anything over an hour.